How much preparation?

[Trufflepuffpuff]

I'm in my third trimester now and starting to panic about how much preparation I should be doing for the birth. I've read one book which covers birth choices, advocacy and decision making and the birth process. I'm doing an NCT class but now I'm wondering if I should have signed up for hypnobirthing too.

Is there such thing as preparing too much? Would anyone reassure me about doing just a bit of prep and still having a good experience? Or do I need to start reading and signing up to courses now?

FTM here (obviously) so sorry if this post seems a bit clueless!

Signed up to nothing. I know it's wrong but ignorance is bliss for me. Too much info will put my anxiety through the roof, so I'm going to go with the flow and just do as I'm told by the midwife when required.
However my whole house is prepped and ready including all clothes washed and hospital bag ready.
I'm 36+2 and in slow labour as of yesterday so I'm glad I'm as prepped as I am 💪🏻
Good luck ❤️

I haven't signed up to hypnobirthing but have discovered there are videos by the positive birth company on YouTube for free. I've been using them instead. Due in 3 weeks 😳

You need to do whats right for you OP. For some NCT or equivalent will be enough but if you have an interest in hypnobirthing and think that would be right for you I'd really recommend. There are lots of resources on instagram and YouTube so perhaps you could flick through in your spare time so it doesn't feel like prep? The positivebirth company is a good hypnibirthinf account. I did their course and my labour was really positive.

I did a hypnobirthing course with my husband and found it incredible. We had 4 sessions, each 2.5 hours and 1-2-1 with the hypnobirthing teacher. Was really good for us both, and made us feel so comfortable and confident about labour and giving birth. My husband seems very different and much more relaxed since the sessions. Highly recommend. I also recommended the positive birth book.

Just remember you can't prepare for every eventuality and it's just as important to be prepared for things not to go to plan.
I had such a fixed idea of what birth would be like and I struggled quite a bit in the first few weeks coming to terms with the fact I didn't get the lovely calm hypnobirthing/water birth experience I wanted.

Honestly, I think it's pointless 'preparing' it just leads you to disappointment. I read loads and loads and whilst I didnt 'make a birth plan' I still had in my head what I wanted to happen. Did it happen how I wanted? Absolutely not! But it was absolutely fine!

I think you've got to do what's right for you although it sounds like your pretty prepared.

I've done positive birth company videos (hypnobirthing) and read one book and I think that's sufficient for me to know enough and practice breathing techniques etc. For me I want to go into it being prepared of my options but also I dont see how I can try and be calm (as possible!) and not freak out without understanding what's happening. I dont think being prepared makes me think my preferred choice of birth will 100% happen, just that I feel prepared to make any choices I may have whilst also going with the flow in terms of what my body is doing.

I just read the childbirth boards on here!!

Try not to overthink it. It's a good idea to understand the options available to you and have a broad plan in mind ... however, I'd suggest keeping an open mind for the actual birth as it's unlikely to go exactly as planned.

The NCT class covers a lot of information and should prepare you well for what's to come. If you like the sound of it, then I don't see why you shouldn't try the hypnobirthing. Everyone is different, so do whatever makes you comfortable personally.

I used the Maggie Howell natal Hypnobirthing cd and read about half of the book, wasn't so keen on the book due to some stories saying it took the pain away completely which I really didn't believe. The CD was good though and the breathing techniques helped me keep calm and focussed during labour, I didn't go in expecting anything, was ready to ask for pain relief if I needed, but felt it kept me calm about any decision I needed to make. Open mind IMO is best