Motherhood is unarguably one of the toughest and the most rewarding of all the jobs in the world. The moment you see that positive pregnancy test, a mother’s instincts kick in.
The instinct to protect your child from all harm or injury can make a mother anxious and concerned. This article provides you with a few tips that you can use to ensure that your baby arrives into the world safe and healthy. It also has some advice for the mommies to ensure that their body is ready for the beautiful yet challenging journey of giving life.
Prepare for the birth and weigh up all the possibilities
To ensure that the arrival of your little one is a smooth event, you must go all Monica! From Friends. Firstly, you must have a birth plan. Things to consider should be the kind of birth you wish to have, whether it is to be a home birth or a hospital birth. Do you want an epidural? What if a more serious situation arises? Such as an unwanted complication or mishandling of the baby during birth.
Doctors and midwives are also humans, which means that even the best can make mistakes. In such cases, you can look up a few communities or organizations that can help and guide you toward your next steps. Organizations like childbirthinjuries.com assist you with the legal course of action for your child’s condition and provide support services to help you navigate the obstacles.
It might sound intimidating, but remember that these are merely precautions to prepare you for all outcomes.
Keep moving!
Though you might feel tempted to put your feet up, lay back during most of the pregnancy, and wait for the baby to arrive. It will help your birthing process if you include physical activity in your routine throughout your pregnancy. Sounds tiring? It doesn’t have to be!
You can achieve this goal by taking a 20 or 30-minute brisk walk daily or trying some prenatal exercises. However, you must consult with your midwife or OB-GYN beforehand, as they will be able to tell you the best form of workout according to your case.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services advises women to be more active during pregnancy. Since it can help keep your blood pressure stable and improve your sleep. They also advise not to go overboard and to aim for a maximum of 140 minutes of moderate activity per week.
When in labor, don’t hold back
No matter how many babies are born every day, every hour, or every second, every birth is a magnificent journey. All mothers are warriors. Have you ever seen war movies? Do you watch how all the soldiers are roaring and chanting to keep their morale high in battle? You must realize that you can also make sounds, scream and groan to help you fight those contractions.
Let your body express that it is in pain in whatever way feels natural. Crying, grunting, and other similar sounds in response to pain help release beta-endorphins in your body that are a natural pain relief readily present within our system.
The doctors and midwives will always encourage you to express your pain to help you deal with it. So don’t be shy to work out those lungs. It’s how things are supposed to be.
Add dates to your diet
One of the essential nutrients that your body needs during the initial weeks of your pregnancy is B vitamin folate. Eating 100 gm of dates per day provides you with 15 mcg of folate out of your daily requirement of 600 mcg. This folate helps form the neural tube and is also important in developing the baby’s spine, brain, and skull.
It can spare you from dreadful pregnancy constipation. The space within is already cramped, and constipation due to hormonal fluctuation can add to the uneasiness and cause a sense of fullness. The fiber in dates can help keep your metabolism active and healthy.
Eating dates also helps speed up labor. The fatty acids present in the dates can produce prostaglandins that contribute to the ripening of the cervix. With that all said, if your doctor has not advised you to cut back on sweet foods, try making dates a part of your pregnancy diet and witness the magic yourself.
Try giving birth in an upright position
Birthing in an upright position can help get things moving. Here is how it happens; while sitting up or when you are standing, the womb tilts forward. This position brings on intense contractions, which might not seem very pleasing though here is the thing, the more strong contractions you have, the shorter the labor will be. Seems like a fair deal?
Being upright has other additional benefits like better blood and oxygen supply to the baby reducing the chances of any complications. The gravity kicks in and reduces the risk of any external intervention to bring out the baby.
With all these factors listed, it is still worth mentioning that you do not have to feel pressured to do it. According to one publishing of the World Health Organization (WHO), women should be encouraged to try the upright position for birthing. However, they also advise the maternity staff assisting with the birth to support the mother's choices and make her as comfortable as possible, on her terms.
Conclusion
The birth of a child is a shared happiness that brightens up several lives. It is a treasured moment in every parent’s life. They all deserve to plan for it and be obsessive, optimistic, concerned, and excited about it. However, it is also essential that the mother is cared for and comforted throughout this memorable experience. All necessary measures must be applied to ensure a happy, healthy, and safe labor and birth for both the mother and the child.
Following the tips mentioned in this article, including the right intake of folate, physical activity, delivering in an upright position, and preparing for all possibilities, can surely help make your labor easy.