Hey everyone! I'm excited to have Katie Moore here to guest post today to give us some tips on how to prepare to welcome your baby. I know after reading this, I probably should have been a little more prepared for my 3 little one's :) I hope you all find this informative and helpful! Thanks Katie!
Preparing to Welcome Baby
There is a lot to do during a woman's pregnancy before she gives birth to her baby. Regular prenatal appointments, getting the home ready for the baby, and learning about what will be needed for daily care of a newborn are all important aspects of preparation for motherhood. In addition there are many preparations that can be made concerning the actual delivery day – here are just a few.
Birthing Classes
Birthing classes can help mothers feel more prepared for labor and delivery, particularly with first-time mothers. The information given by birthing instructors can help prepare mothers for what will happen to their bodies on delivery day, and give them tools and techniques to get through delivery. The birthing classes at hospitals also give mothers information about the hospital's maternity ward and its procedures. The literature given by the hospital can further help prepare mothers for delivery day.
Create a Birth Plan
A birth plan is a written outline of what a mother does and does not want during labor and delivery. Birth plans can be as loose or detailed as a mother wants, and they include information such as what interventions a mother is comfortable with having or whether or not she wants nurses to give her baby a bottle or pacifier. Remember that many unexpected things can happen during delivery that may cause you and your doctor to have to deviate from your birth plan. Keep in mind that holding your healthy baby in your arms is the ultimate goal of everyone so stay flexible when it comes to your birth plan.
Other Considerations
Speak with your doctor ahead of time to understand what sort of treatments and options you think will be best for you and your newborn baby. Considerations such as breastfeeding or using formula, natural or planned delivery are some important options to talk about before your delivery day. Another option to consider is cord blood banking, a process where the umbilical cord blood is collected after your baby is delivered and sent to a cord blood bank to be saved as a potential medical resource for your family.
Organize at Home
To help things go more smoothly, preparing as much as possible at home ahead of time can be a big stress reliever. Making a list of what needs to be taken care of before leaving for the hospital will help make sure everything is organized in plenty of time. This list can include things like arranging for child and pet care, making food ahead of time for after the baby is born, and packing a bag to take to the hospital. Mothers can also have an informal phone tree to make sure that friends and family know when she goes into labor without needing to call everyone on her own.
Getting ready to bring baby home can be an exciting time for mothers. Part of that preparation should be getting ready for the actual labor and delivery. Welcoming a baby into the world begins with his or her first moments of life, and preparing for labor and delivery will help mothers make sure those first moments are joyous ones.
This article was written by Katie Moore. Katie is an active writer within the blogging community who discusses maternity, motherhood, prenatal health, childbirth and other topics within this niche. If you have any questions or would like to connect with Katie please contact by visiting her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter @moorekm26.
There is a lot to do during a woman's pregnancy before she gives birth to her baby. Regular prenatal appointments, getting the home ready for the baby, and learning about what will be needed for daily care of a newborn are all important aspects of preparation for motherhood. In addition there are many preparations that can be made concerning the actual delivery day – here are just a few.
Birthing Classes
Birthing classes can help mothers feel more prepared for labor and delivery, particularly with first-time mothers. The information given by birthing instructors can help prepare mothers for what will happen to their bodies on delivery day, and give them tools and techniques to get through delivery. The birthing classes at hospitals also give mothers information about the hospital's maternity ward and its procedures. The literature given by the hospital can further help prepare mothers for delivery day.
Create a Birth Plan
A birth plan is a written outline of what a mother does and does not want during labor and delivery. Birth plans can be as loose or detailed as a mother wants, and they include information such as what interventions a mother is comfortable with having or whether or not she wants nurses to give her baby a bottle or pacifier. Remember that many unexpected things can happen during delivery that may cause you and your doctor to have to deviate from your birth plan. Keep in mind that holding your healthy baby in your arms is the ultimate goal of everyone so stay flexible when it comes to your birth plan.
Other Considerations
Speak with your doctor ahead of time to understand what sort of treatments and options you think will be best for you and your newborn baby. Considerations such as breastfeeding or using formula, natural or planned delivery are some important options to talk about before your delivery day. Another option to consider is cord blood banking, a process where the umbilical cord blood is collected after your baby is delivered and sent to a cord blood bank to be saved as a potential medical resource for your family.
Organize at Home
To help things go more smoothly, preparing as much as possible at home ahead of time can be a big stress reliever. Making a list of what needs to be taken care of before leaving for the hospital will help make sure everything is organized in plenty of time. This list can include things like arranging for child and pet care, making food ahead of time for after the baby is born, and packing a bag to take to the hospital. Mothers can also have an informal phone tree to make sure that friends and family know when she goes into labor without needing to call everyone on her own.
Getting ready to bring baby home can be an exciting time for mothers. Part of that preparation should be getting ready for the actual labor and delivery. Welcoming a baby into the world begins with his or her first moments of life, and preparing for labor and delivery will help mothers make sure those first moments are joyous ones.
This article was written by Katie Moore. Katie is an active writer within the blogging community who discusses maternity, motherhood, prenatal health, childbirth and other topics within this niche. If you have any questions or would like to connect with Katie please contact by visiting her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter @moorekm26.
Oh the joys of bringing a baby into your home! We have done that a few times and each time I still feel like I am 'all thumbs' for the first couple of days. This is a great list.
ReplyDeleteAlso, just wanted you to know that I tagged you in a blog post today.
~Amy @ Permanent Kisses