But like… Do I actually need to Prepare for birth?

I mean technically… no. Your body is designed to grow and birth your baby. Therefore, you do not need anything.

However, could prep make birth go smoother and reduce the risk of disappointment? Yes

So…should you prepare… absolutely.

Labor and Birth is one of the most life-changing (if not THE most life-changing) events in a woman’s life and it can set the stage for how postpartum unfolds. Now although like I said it isn’t technically necessary to do any preparation, preparing for labor can help you feel more confident and empowered going into labor.

Labor is intense and honestly, it’s more intense than I find most people realize- I often have dads turning to me, around the time that Mama is entering active labor, asking me “You mean it gets worse?” And usually, I respond with “Not worse, because she is doing great, but it will get more intense.”

Not being prepared or asking your partner to be prepared can lead to unspoken fears creating tension and pain in the birth space. If you don’t know how to release the tension in your body- because you didn’t prepare or practice- then you may fall into what we call the fear -> tension -> pain cycle.

The biggest way that I prepared for both of my unmedicated births was through preparing my brain to work with my body and to learn how to release ALL the tension in my body.

And this is usually where I get my clients to start:

• relaxation practices like mottos, visualization, or affirmations

• releasing tension in their body

And of course.

• addressing their fears about birth

So if you don’t know where to begin your preparation for birth- there is a handy little list of where you could absolutely start!

You got this!

xoxo Alex