How do I prepare for the birth?

go to all of your doctor's appointments. make sure to eat healthy and keep hydrated. I also did pregnancy yoga as a class. It helped with the added stress to the muscles and helped to relax me. I attended a lamaze class to help teach me breathing and pushing techniques as a way to manage pain. I still chose to have an epidural, but the breathing helped to keep me calm.

Having a great deal of self confidence helps a lot in the birth process. This I believe lessens the pain during the labor because doing so will make the pain grow. You rather should be optimistic at all times rather than paying attention on the pain during time of labor. With my own experience of three normal deliveries, I consider all my labor as "chicken" :) that is believing it shall pass and everything will be alright. Praying and Believing God's guidance greatly helps too. Well, my response is more on the time of birth instead of the preparation but I hope I've shared something helpful to you.

During your pregnancy you should attend all the meetings with your midwife. You are likely to have some ultrasound scans during your pregnancy. Usually these are done at 12 weeks for dating and 20 weeks for a detailed scan to check all is fine. You might have to have a presentation scan if your midwife wants to send you for one. You will be able to write your birth plan and put it with your pregnancy notes. I like to have a natural and active birth. For my first birth I labored in a birthing pool plus had some gas and air. For my second and third labors I didn't have any pain relief. I have had three home births and these suited me. Some ladies like to have the birth in a hospital or midwife led unit. Good luck with your baby's birth and I hope you are getting on well in your pregnancy.

First of all congratulations on being pregnant. Make sure your drinking alot of water and that you are walking alot aswell. Take it easy though don't run or anything. I am just talking from my own experience. I went into labour and the midwives told me to walk around the room as I wasn't fully dialated and it would make labour alot easier. Anyway long story short, my baby got stuck half way and I had to have stitches. They were painful and mademy life miserable fir the next 6 weeks after. I have learned my lesson and will walk more in my last month of pregnancy