Be Prepared for the Adventure of your Life! (Preparing for Birth)

Member Name: littleme96

Product:	Preparing for Birth
Date:	06/01/09 (116 review reads)
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As soon as you get a positive result on a pregnancy test, your life really does change. Whether planned or otherwise, if you're newly pregnant there are many things to do and think about in the months leading up to your baby's birth.

A year ago (yesterday), I got what is known on pregnancy websites as a BFP (Big Fat Positive for those not in the know) on a Clearblue test and although it was planned and hoped for, it really was only the beginning of a very big adventure... Here are my tips and advice for what you can do to prepare for pregnancy, birth and beyond...

The 1st Trimester:

If you haven't already, it is probably wise to go to the Supermarket or Chemist and get some Folic Acid tablets. Ideally these should be taken before conception, but if your pregnancy was a surprise then taking them after you find out is okay. Folic Acid is very important and can prevent birth defects of the baby's brain and spine.

After getting over the shock that you are actually going to become parents, the next thing to do is to make an appointment with your GP, who may give you a rough idea of your due date and let you know if there is anything that you should not be eating. In my area this is the first step as although your Doctor doesn't confirm the pregnancy, they do refer you to the Midwife. You will then see the Midwife regularly throughout your pregnancy and go for scans at your local hospital.

Think about where you want to give birth - your nearest hospital is not always the only choice available to you. Perhaps you'd prefer a home birth or to go to a Birthing Unit instead? Also consider who you want your birth partner to be.

If you're not really sure about what is happening to your body and how to deal with it, it may be wise to consider buying a Pregnancy book or magazine, as these usually tell you what is happening each week and what changes to expect. Alternatively, www.babycentre.co.uk and www.babyworld.co.uk have email newsletters that are sent weekly if you sign up.

You may want to tell people your good news. Some people wait until after the 12 week scan, as the main 'danger' zone has passed, but it is a matter of personal preference. You may also want to inform your workplace, but you do not legally have to do so until the 15th week before the week that you are expecting your baby.

The Second Trimester:

The second trimester is a great time to start looking for those perfect names for your baby!

Now is also a good time to look at your finances and try to save as much money as possible throughout your pregnancy to help when you are on Maternity leave. Alternatively you may want to buy things gradually - perhaps stock up on consumables such as toothpaste and baby wipes if these are on offer. Anything to reduce your shopping bill slightly during the months when you are off work will help! Now is a good time to think about when you would like your Maternity leave to start too, so you have a date to work towards.

Lots of people also now start to buy baby equipment, so shop around for the best price and consider what the essentials are. There are a lot of gadgets and amazing contraptions on the market, but ask yourself what you really need and can afford. Babies actually need very little - is that cot bumper really necessary? Remember that you will probably get lots of gifts when the baby is born too... You may also want to get the nursery decorated and sorted, as you do not want to be doing this when you are tired and heavy in the last few weeks!

If you haven't already done so, now is a good time to think about booking into Antenatal classes, either NHS ones or NCT ones if you prefer. These can be great sources of information and many people make friends through them too!

The Third Trimester:

If you are starting to get worried about the birth itself, it may help to do your research! If you are anything like me, then you will want to have the knowledge to make informed decisions and will want to be prepared for all eventualities. A good way of doing this is to write a Birth Plan detailing your wishes, but be warned - do not make this too set in stone! No one knows how your labour is going to go, so try to be open if possible. You might swear that you're going to do the whole thing on Gas and Air, but be screaming for an Epidural as soon as you get to the hospital!

In addition to this, if you decide that you'd like to try using a TENS machine for pain relief, or perhaps try an alternative therapy such as aromatherapy or hypnobirthing this really needs to be organised/booked ASAP.

As the big day approaches, you'll need to pack your hospital bag (even if you are having a home birth this is still a good idea, as you may need to be transferred if there is a problem). Remember to pack enough things for you and your baby, but don't go overboard. Important things to pack are your pregnancy notes, sleepwear, clothes for your baby including a hat, nappies, maternity pads and breast pads and toiletries to freshen up afterwards. You may also want to take change for the telephone, snacks for you and your birth partner and your camera to capture those special first moments!

Some women choose to take Raspberry leaf tea or tablets from 30 weeks onwards. I personally took the tablets and felt that they helped. This is basically a herb, which although does not induce labour, may help to encourage a quicker one!

Whilst you are waiting for your baby to arrive you may want to clean your home in preparation for your new arrival or to perhaps batch cook some food for your freezer. Things like lasagne work well and you will be grateful for this in the early days when you don't have time to cook nutritious meals from scratch!

Finally, if you are overdue and getting a bit fed up then you may want to try to encourage your body to go into labour. There are numerous ways in which to do this, but none of them are really proven as your body will only go into labour when it's ready to! However you may want to give nipple stimulation, sex, walking, acupuncture or eating pineapple a go!

I hope that this advice has helped a little. All that is left for me to say is 'Good Luck'! The time really does fly and it really is true -when your baby is delivered you really do forget the pain!

Summary: I personally can't wait to do it all again...