Why it’s good to prepare for labour and birth
As your due date gets nearer, it’s natural to think about labour and birth.
Knowing what to expect from labour and birth can help you feel calm and relaxed on the day. And staying calm and relaxed can mean better contractions during labour and a shorter labour.
To find out what to expect, talk with your midwife or doctor, ask questions, go to birth classes, and make a birth plan if you haven’t already.
Also, preparation at home can help you feel emotionally and practically ready for your new baby. For example, it helps to know that your bag is packed, your freezer is full, your hospital or midwife’s phone number is within easy reach, and family and friends are ready to lend a hand.
Antenatal classes
Antenatal classes help you and your partner, if you have one, get ready for labour, birth, breastfeeding and early parenting. At birth classes you can also ask questions and get specific information about the place where your baby will be born.
You can do private classes on hypnobirth, calmbirth and more. You can look online to see whether they’re offered in your area or ask your midwife or doctor for more information.
Birth plans
Birth plans can cover as many aspects of giving birth as you like.
What to include in your birth plan
- Who you want in your birth environment – your partner or birth support person, a relative, student midwife, doula and so on
- What you want to wear during labour
- How you prefer to manage pain during labour
- Whether there are any procedures or medicines you want to avoid
- Who you want to cut the umbilical cord
- Whether you want to keep your placenta
Who to share your birth plan with
Before labour, it’s good to share your birth plan with your midwife or doctor, so they can understand and talk with you about your preferences and work with you to achieve them. You could also ask for the plan to be added to your medical records.
What if things don’t go according to plan?
Keep in mind that your birth plan might be different from your baby’s plan. It might be different from your body’s plan too. Also, what you need and want might change on the day, so think of the birth plan as a guide and stay flexible.
It might help to talk about a ‘plan A’ and a ‘plan B’ with your midwife or doctor, so everyone is prepared if things change during labour and birth.
Some pregnant women want only female health professionals to care for them during labour and birth. You can ask for a female doctor or midwife, but it might not be possible to have one – especially if you or your baby need urgent or specialised medical attention.
What to pack for labour and birth
If you’re giving birth in a public hospital, private hospital or birth centre, you’ll need to pack a hospital bag. If you’re planning a homebirth, it’s still a good idea to pack a bag in case you need to go to the hospital unexpectedly.
Consider packing your bag at about 32 weeks so you’re ready if labour happens early.
Hospital bag essentials
- Your pregnancy health record
- Things for labour – for example, comfortable, oversized t-shirts, extra underwear, warm socks, lip balm, a water bottle and snacks
- Basic toiletries – for example, toothpaste, toothbrush, face wash, soap or body wash, shampoo and conditioner
- Maternity sanitary pads or period-proof underwear
- Pyjamas, day clothes, slippers and comfortable shoes
- Basics for your baby – nappies, singlets, socks, tops and bottoms, one-piece suits, and large cotton or muslin wraps
- Easy-open tops for breastfeeding
- Maternity bra and breast pads
Things for your birth environment
- Music
- Essential oils or aromatherapy
- A TENS machine
- Pillows
- Blankets or rugs
Before packing, ask your hospital or birth centre what they’ll provide for you and your baby.
Getting to the hospital or birth centre
You’ll need to get to the hospital or birth centre to have your baby, unless you’ve planned a homebirth. It’s a good idea to plan:
- how you’re going to get there – for example, by car or taxi
- which route you’ll take
- how long it’ll take you to get there
- where you’ll park, how much parking will cost, and whether there’s enough petrol in the car
- which entrance to go to, especially at night, because it might be different from the daytime entrance
- who’ll look after your other children, if you have any
- how you’ll get your baby home – if you’re travelling by car, you’ll need a properly-fitted, rear-facing child car seat with an inbuilt harness.
Before going to the hospital, call ahead so that staff know you’re coming and can prepare for your arrival.
If your labour is happening fast or you’re concerned about your health or your baby’s, call an ambulance by dialling 000.
Planning for coming home after birth
Before the birth, it’s good to plan practical and emotional ‘back-up’ for after your baby is born. For example, you can ask extended family, friends or other people to cook you a meal, drop in for a visit or give you a call.
If you have time in the weeks before the birth, it’s also a good idea to stock your freezer with nutritious meals. In the early weeks with your baby, this can come in handy when you need a healthy meal in a hurry.
It’s important to register your baby’s birth with your state or territory – registering is free. Your hospital or birth centre will give you information about how to register the birth online. If you’ve had a homebirth, your midwife will give you the information.
Getting support before and after birth
Support people can encourage and comfort you during labour and birth. Before the birth, talk with your support people about your birth plan and how they can help you.
Caring for a new baby is a big and important job, and parenting support can help. Support is also good for your wellbeing. Support can come from your family and friends, health and child care professionals, and community resources.
For medical, cultural, social or emotional needs, you might see people like social workers, cultural workers, Aboriginal liaison officers (ALOs) or Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander health workers, and lactation consultants, as well as midwives and doctors. They can organise support and services for you.
raisingchildren.net.au is full of reliable, practical information about caring for your baby and yourself. You could start by checking out our Newborns section.