So you are having a baby! Fantastic, or maybe it's been a bit of a surprise? Having a baby is the most breathtaking thing, but also a huge responsibility. You are going to need support, so if possible try to involve your partner, your family and friends.
It is prominent to see a midwife as soon as possible - many women think they have to see a doctor, and it is fine to see your doctor if you wish, but you can just go level to the midwife. Your local midwife will normally be found in the local doctor's surgery, but sometimes also at Children's Centres, you will normally be seen less often at the beginning and then more often as the fertilization progresses. Don't feel that any examine is daft - it isn't a daft examine if you don't know the answer! Mums and friends can be great and categorically supportive, but they may not all the time have the accurate information, and you can ask whatever in complete confidence. A midwife is master in fertilization and birth and will help you throughout the pregnancy, birth and early days of parenting. She will also help you make decisions and support you in your wishes.
Yoga Ball Exercise
During the fertilization it may be recommend that you take supplements and you will also be offered discrete tests and you will be asked to see the midwife normally so that she can make sure that both you and the baby are well; use the appointments to ask any questions you may have. You should also be offered some antenatal or parentcraft classes which can be variable in quality, so think Nct (the National Childbirth Trust) or active birth classes as well, they can be an chance to make friends with other expectant mums - often the friends made in these groups stay friends for years to come with the babies growing up together - it can be very supportive to be able to ask a friend "is this normal?", "did your baby do this?"
It is categorically worth reading all you can about birth and babies. Your midwife will give you lots of information, but you can also go to the local library and borrow books. There are also sometimes local consulation groups, for example at Surestart Children's Centres, Nct and Meet a Mum (Mama), La Leche League and relationship of Breastfeeding Mothers (Abm) both breastfeeding support groups may also have meetings to which pregnant women are invited - you midwife may know what is available locally or ask in the library.
There is categorically quite a bit that you can do to get ready for the birth - you probably are young, fit and healthy and that is great. Giving birth is a bit like running a marathon - it is one of the hardest day's work you will ever do, so if you are relatively fit that helps (I don't mean that you should be exercising hard, but diplomatic practice like walking and swimming is good). There may also be fertilization yoga or aquanatal sessions in your area and both will be helpful to you. If you already practice there is probably no suspect why you shouldn't continue, but don't overdo it and ask your midwife for advice. Other strategies contain studying self-hypnosis or 'hypnobirthing' techniques and finding complementary therapists such as acupuncturists, homoeopaths, reflexologists, chiropractors etc throughout the pregnancy.
As you get heavier it is hard to want to do too much and tempting to sit on the sofa, but this categorically is the worst thing you can do. Instead sit on a dining chair, but sit on it backwards, with your legs open and facing the chair back - this is great because it keeps you in a nice upright position, opens your pelvis and tips the baby forward. If you slouch backwards onto the sofa it tends to tip the baby towards your back and this can make labour longer and more difficult. If you have passage to an practice or birthing ball these too are great to sit on for the same suspect - you can sit on a chair or ball and watch Tv or even read a book!
Some women get ready for the birth by moderately massaging their perineum (this is the area of skin between the vagina and the anus). If this is something that you think you might be able to do ask your midwife for more facts about how to do this.
You also need to start considering where you want to give birth. Depending upon where you live you may have any options: at home, in a birthing unit or in a hospital - again this is something to discuss with your midwife.
The Antenatal Classes or Parentcraft Classes are normally run over a duration of time, and you should be able to take along your partner or your Mum or a friend if you wish. The classes should give you lots of facts about what to expect when you go into labour, they will tell you when you should call your midwife or hospital - bearing in mind that labour is normally a Long process and women expecting their first baby nearly all the time experience the midwife before they categorically need to! The class may well also organise a visit to your local maternity unit so that all things can be explained to you - it is far less scary if you know what the place looks like and what machines are used for! Sometimes a Mum will come along with her baby and a feeding or bathing demonstration may be given. The midwife will also talk about how you can help yourself during the birth - I would categorically encourage you to go along!
So You Are Pregnant! preparation For the Birth