I’ve already talked about the books I read and classes I took to help me feel prepared and confident for pregnancy, birth, and a newborn baby. They were all immensely helpful in calming my “I don’t know what I don’t know” anxiety, but they weren’t the only things I did to prepare! Of course, I also did the big things that are on the minds of most moms-to-be, like creating a baby registry and decorating a nursery. But there was still more to do! So, here’s my list of additional steps I took that helped me feel confident and ready when my daughter was born.
Pelvic floor physical therapy
I cannot say enough good things about my experience seeing a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic floor health! I started seeing my pelvic floor physical therapist shortly after I passed the halfway mark of my pregnancy. The sessions and exercises helped me both strengthen and be able to adequately relax my pelvic floor. This helped with low back pain (especially once I got into my third trimester!) and helped me prepare for labor with specific breathing techniques and the skills needed to relax my pelvic floor while pushing. I’ve heard more women talk about doing pelvic floor physical therapy postpartum rather than during pregnancy, but I’m so glad I did both - I feel like it made labor and postpartum much easier!
I saw Dr. Jessie Flammer at Golden Pelvic Health and she was amazing! She may or may not be taking new patients, but I’d highly recommend her if you’re local here on the west side of Denver. I’ve also heard good things about N2 Physical Therapy, particularly Dr. Deena Lipson, who happens to be my husband’s cousin and is so passionate about what she does! If seeing a pelvic floor PT in person isn't in the cards for you, but you're still interested in utilizing some of the strategies involved, I highly recommend following @doclizzie on Instagram. Dr. Lizzie Kieffer offers a ton of free resources, and has a virtual pregnancy program launching this month.
Doula
After doing some research, my husband and I decided we wanted a birth doula to help us through the labor and delivery experience alongside my OB-GYN and the hospital staff. As first time parents, the scariest part for us was the unknown. So, the idea of having someone like a doula, who’s been through the birth process so many times before and whose sole focus is to support and advocate for you, was a really calming thought.
We used Allo Doula Academy’s birth doula services to find our doula. Going through an agency like this made the process of finding a doula really simple - I got to review multiple profiles, select those I wanted to meet with (or “interview”), and from there I selected my doula! We then had a couple of sessions to get to know each other, where she helped us create a birth plan and asked questions to ensure she understood my wants and needs. Once I got close to my due date, my doula was on call and met us at the hospital once I went into labor. It was so wonderful to have an extra person as part of my care team who was so focused on my wants and needs - it helped me feel even more cared for and calm throughout the entire process. While I opted not to have any additional doula support postpartum, I know many women who have had a wonderful experience with a doula during this phase as well.
Prep your bathroom(s) with postpartum supplies
Well before your due date, be sure to set up a basket of postpartum supplies in your bathroom. Even do a bathroom on each floor if you live in a multi-level house. This was a suggestion from @karrie.locher on Instagram, and I’m so glad I took her advice! Once baby arrives, it can be hard to find time to do any kind of household tasks, and whether you have time to grab them or not, you’re gonna need this stuff! So, knowing everything is already there and ready for you will be a huge relief once you’re home from the hospital. Here are my favorite postpartum supplies to stock your bathroom with:
 | Frida Mom postpartum recovery kit Includes a birthing gown (it was so nice to labor in something soft and comfy rather than a hospital gown!), plus an upside down peri bottle, disposable underwear that are more comfy than others, ice pack pads, etc. |
 | Earth Mama herbal perineal spray Very cooling and soothing. |
 | The Honey Pot pads I used the postpartum style for early days, then switched to period style as bleeding slowed since I no longer needed them to be so large. The herbs in this brand’s products were so nice and cooling, which is needed! |
 | These were more comfortable for me than pads once bleeding was at a minimum, so I bought a few pairs I could just wash and re-wear. |
Breast pump flange sizes
If you’re thinking “what the heck is a flange?!”, you’re not alone. It’s the part of a breast pump that comes in contact with your body when placed onto the breast and nipple, forming a vacuum seal. And having a flange that’s the right size for your body makes pumping both more comfortable and more efficient.
As you approach the end of your pregnancy, measure your nipples to get the right flange size - I used this nipple ruler). Then, if you need a different size than what came with your pump (which most people do), you can order either different size flanges or flange inserts that fit your pump and your nipple size. I used these silicone inserts in my Elvie pump and these replacement flanges on my Spectra pump.
Car seat installation
If your local hospital offers car seat installation by car seat technicians - do it! Our hospital (Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge, CO) not only installed it, but the technician took his time to show us what he was doing so we’d easily be able to reinstall the seat (or a second one) in my husband’s car as well.
Contraction timing app
Download an app on your phone (or your partner’s!) made for timing contractions. There are so many to choose from - just pick the one with the user interface that’s simplest for you to understand and use. It was really helpful in identifying that I was having real contractions (not Braxton Hicks) when I went into labor, and for determining when to call my OBGYN and head to the hospital.
Many of the things on this list are relatively simple - they can be done in a couple of hours, some in just a few minutes! But by adding these seemingly small things into my preparation before my daughter arrived, together they made a big difference in feeling prepared and confident. I hope they do the same for you!
Comentarios