There are so many things you can do to prepare yourself for a better pregnancy and labor. This is something that many doctors will not tell you the importance of. If you're new to pregnancy, you have roughly 8 months to make big changes to your lifestyle (if you haven't already), and you will thank yourself by the end of it.
Exercise
Exercise, duh. But the way I like it. Change it up daily. Workout in 10-minute increments if you need to. When exercising feels like a chore, you gotta change it up to a way that works for you and your attention span ha. Even though I don't listen to much music, occasionally I will turn some on and just dance. It's a great full-body workout and boosts endorphins.
Get on that birthing ball for sure. There are many pregnancy exercises utilizing this tool that are great for prepping you for labor. Also, look up other pregnancy workouts on Pinterest or Youtube that are specific to your trimester. If you ever feel pain from doing any type of workout, you need to stop doing it immediately and find something else less strenuous.
Taking regular walks is a great way to get moving and is much less demanding if your body is not ready for more.
Regular squats are also one of the best ways to prepare your pelvic floor, legs, and butt for childbirth. It is very important to strengthen these areas as they are what are used for support when your baby is making his way down the birthing canal. If you are stronger here, it can lead to a shorter labor.
Eat Healthy and Take Supplements
As stressed in many of my articles, you need to be eating mostly organic. Genetically modified foods cannot be properly processed by the body and come with MANY long-term effects on your health (including infertility) that can in fact be passed on to your baby. I implore you to do your research here.
Detox regularly and take supplements. You should be doing this whether pregnant or not, but you literally have the lives of 2 people in your hands at this point. Now's the time to work extra hard. I do not agree with taking most prenatal vitamins as many have ingredients that are not good for you and baby. If you see any of the following ingredients, consider rethinking that prenatal vitamin:
folic acid (needs to be FOLATE)
ascorbic acid
any sugars ending in 'ose'
cultures from s. cerevisiae
any gums
sunflower/palm oils
any syrups
natural flavors
sodium citrate
maltodextrin (from any source)
vegetable stearate
pantothenic acid (specifically synthetic)
tocopherols (from synthetic sources)
etc, etc...
I could go on for days, honestly. If you purchase or receive any prenatal vitamins from your doctor, research EVERY ingredient. Synthetic forms of anything should never be taken.
Things like vitamin B6 and ginger will greatly reduce the feeling of nausea.
I have found that a diet including healthy fats, more quality protein, low sugar, and occasional complex carbs tends to be more beneficial. Too much meat, dairy, gluten, processed foods, and simple carbs can make things harder for you down the line. Please look into this further, again, to see what is right for you.
Sleep
Your body needs plenty of extra rest now. If you're working full-time, this can prove to be difficult because it's hard to catch up. Try taking naps whenever you can, especially on your days off. Go to bed earlier at night. Trust me, when you get into that second and third trimester, you can feel pretty drained. Not to mention, you wake up at least 3 to 4 times a night to pee and eat, or you toss and turn because you cannot get comfortable. Any amount of sleep gives your body a break and allows it to rejuvenate itself.
Easier Labor Strategies
Some great items for a stronger uterus include red raspberry leaf (during pregnancy, labor, and post-partum), plant-based collagen booster, Medjool dates (specifically for the last few weeks of pregnancy), other foods rich in folate (vitamin b9), fiber, omega-3s (I prefer MCT oil), and probiotics. Check out my article on how to increase fertility in both women and men. There are a few herbs listed in the article that can be taken during pregnancy. Please do your own research before consuming anything.
Great Labor Tip** Try and stay away from sugar. In my research, I have found that sugar consumption in higher amounts, especially in the last weeks leading to labor, can block the receptors for prostaglandin. Prostaglandins are hormones that stimulate the shortening and opening of the cervix. When the receptors are blocked, due to higher levels of glucose in the blood, the cervix is not properly prepped and contractions become less effective. If you greatly decrease your sugar intake in the last 3 to 4 weeks of pregnancy, then you can potentially experience a quicker (and possibly less painful) natural labor. This has been labeled as the "Louwen diet" created by German obstetrician, Dr. Louwen. This is something you should research more on your own to see if it's right for you. Definitely food for thought...
I implore you to consider not being induced by drugs (or even naturally), with medications such as Pitocin, as they use a synthetic form of oxytocin. It will not mimic the exact amounts your body needs and can make contractions over-effective and more painful, causing too much pressure to be put on the uterus. This will lead to an increased risk of emergency c-section and possibly uterine rupture (especially in those performing VBAC or those with a previous uterine surgery). If you read the release that needs to be signed in the hospital before being given these types of drugs, it does inform you of this.
In my research, I have found that the more medical interference you have during labor, the more dangerous it can become. Really do research on an entirely med-free birth. Explore natural pain relief and how to prepare your body for an easier (and possibly pain-free) birth. Research how to push properly and what the best positions are. It's not on your back. The "norm" coached pushing in a hospital setting significantly increases your risk of tearing. The information is out there for the taking. It's as if every protocol in a hospital is meant to make labor more painful and harder on mother and baby.
I have just completed a birthing plan that can be utilized at home or in a hospital. Please give this a read, as it has even more great tips on how to have a wonderful, and natural birthing experience.
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