In the last month leading up to my daughter’s birth, I thought I was completely prepared for labor and delivery. The nursery was organized, I had taken my childbirth classes, and stocked my freezer. I thought, I’ve checked off all the ‘boxes’, so now baby can come.
Turns out, there was so much more I could have done before labor and delivery. Education is the key to unveiling the unknown. And if this is your first baby, what’s more unknown than childbirth and life with a newborn?
That’s why I want to encourage you to take some time compiling and creating your very own birth toolbox. It’ll be ready to go for labor and delivery and those first few weeks with your new baby.
With most projects or endeavors in your life, before you begin, you first read up and gather everything you’ll need to execute your goal. Birth shouldn’t be any different!
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Today we’re going to discuss the benefits of creating your very own birth toolbox and what exactly it should include. Most of these things aren’t physical items, but instead ways you can prepare and learn about labor and delivery, and newborn care.
Education is the key to unveiling the unknown. The result will be a confident and comfortable mama who’s truly prepared for labor and delivery, and beyond.
So, why should you take the time to intentionally prepare a toolbox for birth? Let’s look at what you’ll be missing out on without it:
1. Confidence in your body. The more you learn and do to prepare for labor and delivery the more willing you'll be to trust your body. Women are strong, and our bodies are designed to give birth. Don’t let your mind hold you back.
2. Attain your birth and breastfeeding goals. What goal have you accomplished without resources and supports in place? I’m guessing the number isn’t very high. With a toolbox full of resources and supports you’ll be more likely to achieve the birth you desire and succeed at breastfeeding.
3. Ease anxiety. Remember that comment about not letting your mind hold you back? Having a variety of tools at your fingertips will let your mind relax and focus on birth and your new baby.
4. Knowing where to get help. Labor and delivery, and life with a new baby comes with a steep learning curve. Knowing ahead of time where to turn when things get challenging is going to save you a lot of time, stress and trouble.
5. Empowerment. With a well thought-out and ‘organized’ toolbox for birth, you’ll be left feeling empowered for whatever birth and a new baby throw your way.
This list is just a handful of the benefits you’ll receive from preparing a birth toolbox. Remember this isn’t about physical things, but a metaphorical toolbox that is going to prepare you mentally, emotionally, and physically for labor and delivery, breastfeeding and life with a newborn.
So, you’re ready to get started and give yourself the gift of confidence and peace as labor and delivery approaches? Great 😊 Let’s get to the actionable advice!
Below you’ll find a list of 10 must-haves. Remember every pregnancy, mama, and birth are unique. This is meant to be a process and exercise in reflecting on what will best serve you.
Consider these 10 things your strong and essential foundation. Let them inspire more additions to achieve your own exclusive birth toolbox.
For additional inspiration for your birth toolbox, enroll in Mama Natural’s free email series. It will provide you with tons of great natural remedies and advice for your best pregnancy and birth.
Your first focus when preparing your birth toolbox should be on a variety of ideas and strategies to help you cope with pain during labor. Even if you plan on using pain interventions, you are still going to have some pain to manage when your labor begins at home, and in the beginning part of your hospital labor.
To help make this more manageable, it’s a good idea to have a list of things to try to help you cope with the pain. Brainstorming ahead of time what strategies you want to try will make it easier to attempt different things during labor. If your goal is to avoid pain interventions, even if it’s just for as long as you can, then a variety of pain management ideas will help with this goal too.
Complete List of Pain Coping Strategies
Labor pain is definitely intense, but it is something that your body can handle. The best way I can describe it is as a very strong and painful menstrual cramps. Labor contractions come in waves of intensity and then subside which allows you a minute or two to recover.
While it is very painful, the most difficult part of labor for me was not actually dealing with the pain, but the exhaustion that accompanied breathing and working through contractions for over 18 hours before deciding to get an epidural.
Think of childbirth as a marathon not a sprint
I bring this up, because I had the pain worked up so much in my head, that I hadn’t seriously considered how exhausting the length of labor was going to be. I was so focused on how I was going to deal with the pain that I didn’t put enough emphasis on the importance of resting, hydrating and sleeping during my early labor at home.
Preparing for labor exercise
Any amount of movement and activity you do while pregnant will help you prepare for labor. Having a strong core and pelvic floor will help you during labor and most importantly in your postpartum recovery.
Here are some great exercises to get you started:
In point one, I mentioned contractions coming in waves. They build up, have a peak point of intensity and then subside. Knowledge of breathing techniques can help you ride these waves effectively. Visualizations and affirmations can also support you through each contraction. Practicing these strategies before the big day will mean you are familiar with the techniques and can do them on autopilot.
Practice these!
Just like you wouldn’t enter any competition or race without practice, birth should be the same. Practicing these techniques will help you get better and better at using them. Find time each day to be present with your baby and practice breathing, visualization and mantras.
If you’re looking for support with this, you can find relaxing, guided practice sessions for breathing and visualizations that you can do at home, here.
Visualization is a great support to help you through labor pain. There are a few different ways to use it effectively:
Consider using birth Affirmations and Mantras
The key here is to have a phrase that will keep you feeling focused and positive. You want to stay away from all negative language Instead, try to keep your entire mindset positive and productive. Learn specific strategies to help with this in the hypnobirthing method.
Birth affirmations can be longer, memorized phrases, quotes that mean something to you, or simple, positive reminders.
What are some Birth Affirmations I could try?
Don’t forget to clue dad in on some of these phrases. Just in case you start to spiral down a negative rabbit hole, dad will be ready to swoop in and remind you just how amazing you are.
So, we’ve gone over some concrete tools that you will be pulling out during the actual even of labor and delivery. The next thing you want to ‘pack’ in your birth toolbox, is childbirth education.
Almost all women approach birth with some sense of anxiety. Even if it’s not your first birth, there is still a huge element of unknown because every birth is unique. For this reason, learning as much as you can about the process ahead of time will easy your mind and boost your confidence.
Traditional childbirth classes, like the ones that are hosted at hospitals and women’s health facilities, are the most popular choice. They provide a strong foundation of knowledge for things like:
For this reason, if you can only manage to take one childbirth class, go for one like this and try to get your partner there with you. We’ll talk more about preparing your partner in point 5, but the more he knows about the process, the more confident he’ll feel as well.
If you’re having a hard time fitting it into your schedule due to the time it’s offered or proximity to the location, why not do one online at your own pace?
This course is taught by a veteran labor and delivery nurse, is geared for couples, and is exactly like the childbirth class that would be offered at your hospital. I wish I’d known it existed sooner.
You will likely receive a birth plan worksheet from your provider at some point in your third trimester. Take the time to fill this out thoughtfully and research different options.
While you complete your birth plan, try to be open-minded. Avoid ruling anything out entirely, because you never know how your birth is going to go. Instead, prioritize your birth goals and indicate certain options as ‘only if medically necessary’, or emphasize not wanting certain option offered. This will help you feel more in control.
Most importantly, as you work on your birth plan, try to think of it as a ‘Birthday Wishes’ worksheet instead. Learn as much as you can about choices during labor and decisions for newborn care in the first few days.
If your provider’s birth plan is lacking suggestions and support, doesn’t focus on recovery, or doesn’t include your partner, learn about our birth planning worksheets in the Nesting Planner.
Your Birth Plan Checklist:
Having a partner to support you during childbirth will be amazing. Having a partner who’s knowledgeable, prepared, and confident in their role, will be even better. There are a lot of ways that you can help get your husband prepared before the big day.
A few good places to start:
Another great tool to have will be a complete understanding of what is available to you at your birth place. Even if you did a hospital tour early on, prioritize another visit. You want to be able to fully visualize where you will be giving birth.
You should also find out about general policies and practices regarding things like breastfeeding, rooming-in, immediate skin-to-skin care, and your partner’s role and comfort through labor, delivery, and recovery.
At this point, we’ve already talked about having a thorough and well-researched birth plan in your toolbox. Now I want to make sure you arrange for the logistics of leaving your home for 3+ days to give birth.
There’s more to organize than you’d think and doing it ahead of time will save you anxiety and panic when it’s go time.
I always find planning worksheets and checklists to be the most effective way to get organized. Who knows if you’ll even adhere to your social media “policy” if you aren’t intentional about creating one.
Keeping this important information together in one place will make it impossible to forget when you’re rushing to the hospital! Find worksheets and checklists to get this all done in here. It’s a must-have in your birth toolbox.
Now that we’ve thought through logistics surrounding leaving your home for 3 days, let’s make sure it’s ready for you to bring baby home. While this is an even more abstract part of your toolbox, it will make your transition into life with a newborn so much easier.
Here’s a checklist to get you started:
Set yourself up for breastfeeding success by including breastfeeding knowledge and resources in your birth toolbox. Breastfeeding within the first hour of life decrease the risk of infant death by 50%!
What are some ways to get your breastfeeding relationship started off right?
Determination, flexibility, and a positive mindset might just be at the root of all of this. They will serve you throughout the remainder of your pregnancy and during childbirth.
Keeping that mindset as you transition into life with a newborn will be crucial. The learning curve associated with becoming parents, figuring out breastfeeding, and newborn care is steep. There’s no doubt that you will be facing challenges, but if you step back, focus on the positive, and be flexible in your journey, you’ll always come out on top 😊
Are you ready to start building your ultimate birth toolbox right away? Wonderful!
I am so glad that you will have this as birth approaches. I wish I had been more intentional in my preparations for labor and delivery. Sharing these ideas and knowing that you will have these tools at the ready makes me feel so much better.
I know that this is a lot to digest, coordinate and tackle. Luckily you don’t have to take it on alone. Enroll in our FREE Nest Smart Crash Course right now. Over the course of 7 days, we’ll support you in getting all of this done in time for birth. Whether it’s early in your pregnancy, or you’re a week out from your due date, let’s do this!
Have you been working on your birth toolbox without even realizing it? What are your ‘must-haves’ for birth?
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