Today I will share the best things to do before birth. As a labor and delivery nurse and mother of three, I may have a different “approach” to these things, but I think you’ll find it super helpful either way.
And yes, I’ve been writing this as a nurse since 1997 with 20 years of labor and delivery experience (many people know me as The Pregnancy Nurse®. I’ve seen a lot of “last minute hail marys” in the delivery room — so let’s try to prevent that from happening by doing these 5 things (don’t worry, I’ve got an awesome bonus that will help you feel more confident too — so keep reading). While you’re here, let me be with you for the rest of your pregnancy:
Get insurance in order
Okay, when I said easy — I might have lied about that. You need to make sure your ducks are lined up safely. That includes:
- Making sure the hospital of your choice is included
- Knowing what your payments will include — aka
- finding a discount
- % you pay after that
- and out of pocket maximum
- Find out what you have to pay upon entry
Also, another BIG thing is to learn how to add baby to your insurance after birth and try to do that as much as possible. I have heard stories about families not putting the baby in insurance (usually you have 30 days) and it’s a nightmare. So make sure those eggs are lined up too. 🙂
While talking with your safety, be sure to ask if they cover a birth classthis might help too!
While you’re at it – if you’re working, find out what you need to do and find any disability documentation so it’s easy to handle when the time comes.
This part is NOT fun, I agree — but I really think it’s important to have this paperwork in place so that when the big day happens you’re not mixed up or surprised by your payment.
When you do it in advance THAT is where the easy part comes in!
Proceed to a birth plan (Preferences)
Thinking about what you would like during your birth is a smart step in preparing for your birth.
Somehow this is daydreaming that you would like to have a quick delivery, vaginal delivery without tears and problems.
But, I also think it’s important to think about the decisions you’ll need to make in the delivery room. A lot of this has to happen regardless of the birth (like what shots the baby will have or how you plan to feed it).
I actually have a series of maternity plans that you can get for free here:
Let me be VERY clear that a birth plan is NOT how the birth will go. I often hear that a patient had an emergency c-section and their provider didn’t follow their birth plan at all, but remember that much of birth is out of your or your provider’s hands. So it’s really about knowing about choices so you can make the good choices when the time comes.
Get your bag ready
Ok, first – I, personally, have never made a “bag” – I have a small pile of essentials in the corner of my room. Mainly contact solution and emergency glasses in case I leave the house roaring. I think this is a smart way to do it until about 36 weeks.
Personally, I always pack a kit for holidays etc. — so this is a great place to start.
BUT packing a bag might be smart before you go to the hospital. I have a packing list here:
There three VERY important things I recommend on this list that your partner needs to know where it is, it’s great to put it in a pocket on the outside. 🙂 Everyone is always asking for them!
Fun fact: I actually recommend a maternity bag (small), a dad bag, a postpartum bag (larger), and a baby bag… so be sure to check out this post for more on that.
Take a prenatal class
Antenatal classes go by many names – birth class, childbirth class, pregnancy classes or hospital class.
Either way, it is something that will prepare you for labour, birth and life after baby (bonus if it also has some pregnancy tips).
A word of warning, many people seem to think it’s just about breathing during labor, but We are modern women, ready for MUCH more in the 21st century. Your birth class should include possible interventions, what to expect after delivery, signs of trouble, and more. I recommend this.
You might think you’re stalking people on social media and watching some YouTube videos, but two thoughts on this:
- Your partner is also prepared? (you want them on board from the start, trust me)
- You are still you may lose things if you don’t follow a course from start to finish. This guarantees that you will find it worthwhile.
- I love that you do this as long as they are reliable sources (pay attention to this) it can really enhance a classroom and enhance your learning!
I actually recommend them more often to a second+ birth too – Just something to think about. Many people find them even more useful since they have some previous experience.
Choose the car seat
Okay, again — easy might not fit this one, but it CAN be easy (aka, go to a mechanic or car seat installer to help).
Install the car seat and learn how to use it.
I recommend just using a rolled up towel or stuffed animal to take your baby’s seat, but learn how to buckle it up and get it in the car.
This is really something that your partner should do mostly. It may be too tight in a car to push the seat in far enough to do it properly. But, you can supervise it nicely. 🙂
Looking for more information on car seats? love Jamie Graysonit really opened my eyes to a lot of things!
Bonus: ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS
I get questions so often on social media about things that providers need to answer. Things like:
- My doctor thinks I need an induction, what do you think?
- Do you think my baby is too old to go out?
- My doctor thinks I have pre-eclampsia, do you?
Each of these should be answered by your provider who knows you, your lab/vitals, and can really tailor the answer to you and your needs.
Remember, your provider’s job is to analyze your (and baby’s) health status and make recommendations. We are NOT making choices for you (although, we may be if there is an emergency — but that is rare). I have a great post on what to do if you are the doctor says your baby is big which may help make this more logical.
Asking questions is really your job in the patient/provider relationship, so make sure you do that.
Also, this Really helps take care of the basics with a great prenatal class so you can focus on YOU and your circumstances with your provider. So this might help too!
That’s all? No. Not even close. I actually have one pregnancy planner which has all my to-do lists that you might find helpful (good news, it comes here in the package too).
What’s bothering you baby? Not feeling ready or ready? This course has actually been proven to help couples feel almost 80% more prepared than when they started, so that’s a good place to start. Let us know in the comments what you’re doing to get ready for baby! You may also want to see our longer list of things to do before going to the hospital.
