As your pregnancy journey nears its end, the anticipation of labor and childbirth can bring about many different emotions. While it’s natural to feel a bit nervous, there are many ways you can prepare your body both physically and mentally for the challenges ahead. There are many proven effective strategies that can help you feel empowered and ready for labor and delivery.

• Relax your pelvic floor – use deep squatting positions or modified positions such as happy baby pose or downward dog to open up your pelvis for labor
• Practice your breathing – diaphragmatic breathing on your back can help you relax your pelvic floor by dropping your diaphragm down into your abdomen to stretch the muscles
• Perineal massage – this can start at 34 weeks with OB clearance to help stretch the area that can commonly tear during delivery
• Engage your core – having a strong core can help you push the baby out
• Prepare for postpartum – knowing what you will need and assembling it all prior to your delivery takes a huge mental load off and helps you focus on the labor and delivery

Preparing your body and mind for labor and birth is an essential part of the pregnancy journey and it’s never too early to start. By practicing relaxation with positions and deep breathing, using the perineal massage technique as well as strengthening your core, you can optimize your physical and mental readiness. If you are expecting and would like a free consultation on where to begin, call us today!