# what preparation can I do to help my body be ready for home birth?



## Jodie.82

Hi Ladies, I wondered what tips you had for preparing for a good home birth experience? My midwife has been away since I was 27 weeks and won´t be back until im 35 weeks. I know she is giving me an oil rub when she is back to help the perineal skin soften and be ready to stretch! other than that what can I do before? when should I start drinking raspberry tea? any other exercises I should be doing or things I should be taking?


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## Nikki_d72

I'll be interested in this too, thanks for posting it. All I know so far is that from about 35 weeks to avoid slouching back when sitting, to try to stay leaning forward to promote a good position for bubs, to try to avoid posterior problems. Looking forward to hearing everyone's tips...


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## Heather9603

Well I'm undecided on home birth or not, but I do know that i don't want any drugs.

So my chiropractor is helping me to make natural birth easier. He said by keeping your pelvis in line and back in line, it will help birth go faster and with less pain :)


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## Bournefree

Biggest and most helpful thing you can do to prepare is to inhabit your body, don't inhibit it.
So anything that is going to relaxed you, build confidence and help you let go.
XxX


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## Jodie.82

oh wow Nikki really! :wacko: I spend half of my day slouching or leaning back! could be why my LO is back to back and laying sideways accross! I better start doing that now then!

Bournefree good advice thanks :thumbup: ive been watching and reading loads of positive natural birthing vids and websites which has helped my mindset and confidence loads.. downloaded hypnobirthing relaxation too from a link someone else posted so I play that every night and doing loads of walking and swimming just because it feels like im doing something healthy lol!!

I just feel like there must be more I should be doing!


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## chuck

Not just for HB but posture is important for any birth. You need to make room in your pelvis not squish it. Sit up straight no leaning back, dont put your feet up too high, dont cross your legs.

Move don't stay still too long be gentle dont push yourself.


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## labydird

Is this your first baby? You can have raspberry leaf tea (hot or cold!) from about 36 weeks, 3 cups a day max...ideally best not to have before this (although it does take a while for the raspberry leaf effect to build up in your body)

Put down a waterproof sheet on your bed, have a hospital bag packed in case of emergencies, cook loads of yummy food and freeze in batches so you don't have to worry about cooking! Give the house a top to toe clean (nesting instinct will mean you do this anyway!)

Gettingdown on all fours and sticking your ottom in the air and wiggling about will help encourage baby to go head down/ engage...it also means you can give those skirting boards a good scrub :thumbup:


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## Mervs Mum

Pregnancy yoga is wonderful exercise and helps you to practice breathing and clearing the mind. You need to be able to go off into 'labour land' and switch off the neocortex so that meditation and clearing of the mind stuff you do at the end of yoga classes is great practice for that. Practicing breathing long slow breaths and focusing on the out breath is great too. Imagine blowing up balloons and releasing them into the air, blowing a big bubble or the seeds from a dandelion that's 'clocking' as my mum calls it! Long and strong!


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## Jodie.82

labydird said:


> Is this your first baby? You can have raspberry leaf tea (hot or cold!) from about 36 weeks, 3 cups a day max...ideally best not to have before this (although it does take a while for the raspberry leaf effect to build up in your body)
> 
> Put down a waterproof sheet on your bed, have a hospital bag packed in case of emergencies, cook loads of yummy food and freeze in batches so you don't have to worry about cooking! Give the house a top to toe clean (nesting instinct will mean you do this anyway!)
> 
> Gettingdown on all fours and sticking your ottom in the air and wiggling about will help encourage baby to go head down/ engage...it also means you can give those skirting boards a good scrub :thumbup:

no its my second baby, but first home birth. also first baby was 11 years ago so a long time! 

im having a water birth but I think I probably need the waterproof sheets just in case! 

haha thanks for all the tips i´ll get wiggling now then :haha:


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## Jodie.82

Chuck, thanks.... so all the things Im really bad at, im terrible for slouching and crossing my legs! have to make more effort

MM thanks for tips, I havent found any pregnancy yoga here but lots of relaxation tools online which im doing everynight :)


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## Mervs Mum

There might be a pregnancy yoga DVD you could do at home :)


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## Jodie.82

its a bit limited where I am on dvds books etc! found a pilates one only to get it home and find half the exercises werent suitable for pregnancy :dohh: lol! will try another look :D


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## Mervs Mum

Can anyone get something off eBay posted to you? X


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## Mervs Mum

I'm going to ask a client of mine who is a yoga and pilates instructor....brb.....x


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## Jodie.82

yes maybe, although takes about 3-4 weeks from UK to here...


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## Jodie.82

just found a good one prenatal and postnatal yoga on amazon but the region dvd wont play on my dvd player here I dont think!


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## Samantha675

https://www.alignedandwell.com/index.php?option=com_wordpress&Itemid=223

Recommends walking and squats.


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## Kess

I'm finding pregnancy yoga pleasant, though the programme is too long - I'm knackered half way though! I have the DVD with Tara Lee. Sitting on a birth ball is supposed to help get baby in the right position, and the microadjustments you constantly make (as the ball moves minutely) are supposed to be good for your core muscles. It forces you into a better posture too.


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## Nikki_d72

Maybe have a rummage on Youtube for yoga moves? I found some pregnancy bellydancing ones there, and some of the clips were really long, so you could easily work along with it, might be worth a shot...


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## Jodie.82

Nikki_d72 said:


> Maybe have a rummage on Youtube for yoga moves? I found some pregnancy bellydancing ones there, and some of the clips were really long, so you could easily work along with it, might be worth a shot...

ooh I like it, thanks! :thumbup:


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## Bournefree

Pregnancy bellydancing!!!!!??! that sounds awesome!
XxX


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## lynnikins

a birthing ball in place of your normal chair will help baby position right, rasberry leaf tea is good you can also get it in capsules instead if you dont like the taste of the tea, Clary sage oil ( with a carrier oil ) rubbed on your bump when you start into early labor can help regulate and streghten contractions and Evening primrose oil can help soften the cervix. Lots of walking and no leaning back on stuff lol, 

i found it helpful to spend time kneeling leaning forwards on stuff i would kneel on a folded towel leaning on my birthing ball in the evenings while watching tv with OH to build up my ability to stay in that posistion in case i wanted to birth in that posistion in the birthing pool


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## sam#3

i used a big gym ball to help with the position of the baby, took raspberry leaf capsules and had butter baths with clary sage oil in which were divine!!


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## Nikki_d72

Bournefree said:


> Pregnancy bellydancing!!!!!??! that sounds awesome!
> XxX

Yip, evidently bellydancing was originally a labour dance, not the sexy thing that's it's seen as now. I can't remember the lady's name that popped up, but it was all slow cricling of the pelvis with bent knees, "drawing a circle with your belly", I can see how it would help! It seemed a kind of meditative thing too, with nice repetitve music. She was 40-something and about 8 months pregnant in the clip, with all the traditional garb on and she looked fabulous.


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## Bournefree

Wow! That makes total sense to me. 
I was comforted in labour my a wonderful midwife, who whilst I was in the bathroom holding on to the towel rail trying to semi squat and arching my back out, gave me great advice. She simply placed her hands on my hips and helped me do a salsa-type move with my hips in a figure of 8.
I'm def be trying this again in early labour.
What a great video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGSTqvputf8


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## Mervs Mum

Probably not many classes in peru but while we are on the subject.....

https://www.dancingforbirth.com/


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## Bournefree

On the subject of dances; I do think that labour is very much a dance for both mother and baby in labour, if left uninhibited. Babies will get into the right positions the majority of times, and mother instictively move about to ease baby down at the right moments, without even having to think about it - we are amazing women!
XxX


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## Mervs Mum

1000000% agree. Its why when we are fully aware and in the moment ie not spaced out on opiates or with crucial parts of your birthing body numb, you can dance that dance together and really communicate with each other intuitively.


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## madasa

I took red raspberry leaf all through my third tri! 

SQUAT!

Have lots of great sex. It's the best prep evahhh! ;)


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## Jodie.82

Nikki_d72 said:


> Bournefree said:
> 
> 
> Pregnancy bellydancing!!!!!??! that sounds awesome!
> XxX
> 
> Yip, evidently bellydancing was originally a labour dance, not the sexy thing that's it's seen as now. I can't remember the lady's name that popped up, but it was all slow cricling of the pelvis with bent knees, "drawing a circle with your belly", I can see how it would help! It seemed a kind of meditative thing too, with nice repetitve music. She was 40-something and about 8 months pregnant in the clip, with all the traditional garb on and she looked fabulous.Click to expand...

sounds like spiralling which ive been reading about on https://mynaturalchildbirth.org/

makes sense really!

thanks for all the tips ladies :thumbup:


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## Jodie.82

madasa said:


> I took red raspberry leaf all through my third tri!
> 
> SQUAT!
> 
> *Have lots of great sex.* It's the best prep evahhh! ;)

I wished! OH is not a fan of DTD now the bump is big :(


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## chuck

^^^ I was in the same boat, hubby did not find big bump sexy (as much as I loved it I felt feminine, sexy and proud of my body for the only 2 times in my life) but he actually pointed and laughed at me once 'bwahahaha you're huge' cheers hubby.

We DTD a handful of times this last pregnancy the last time in 3rd tri we gave up half way through, he wasnt really getting much out of it and all I got was heartburn and a mouthful of sick LOL Needless to say I didn't DTD to bring on labour.

I had a screaming row with my Mum instead - just as hear work and just as hormonal LOL!


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## Jodie.82

chuck me too I feel better about my body now! maybe because its doing such an amazing job growing this little miracle 
my OH said he cant believe the mutation of my body!! (to be fair English is his second language and can sometimes offend with his word choices!!)
haha sounds lovely!


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## chuck

mutation?! bwahaha bless.

I love my body big and pg, it has curves in the right places for once.


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## Nikki_d72

I can't wait to get to that stage, I just look really fat and broad just now! I'm a good bit overweight to begin with - I stupidly thought I might be able to eat healthily and lose body fat whilst pregnant, PAH! I'm waking up in the middle of the night hungry and if I don't cave in and eat something I get sick, all I want is plain carbs as well - I'm doomed to be huge and I'm only a wee shorty, I'm gonna end up like a weeble!!

On a positive note, I did my first pregnancy yoga class today with my friend and neighbour and it was lovely and relaxing as well as good physical preparation. I found the squats really hard so need to work on the strength of my thighs, especially to have an active birth but was quite pleasantly surprised with my flexibility. The visualisation and affirmations were great too, as was focusing on breathing, and the training to "witness any pain or discomfort" and just observe it passing, that seems like a really good one for labour. Here's hoping it all helps me in the end.


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## Jodie.82

I know bless him!!

Nikki, I could really only eat carbs until I stopped feeling nauseous about 15 weeks! all I ever wanted was bread or sponge cake, and I normally dont even like anything sweet at all!
your Yoga class sounds heavenly! Im jealous I wish I had done something all the way through the pregnancy but have been between countries. I just found someone who does prenatal classes here! but although what they cost is miniscule when you convert to pounds im not working and seems like an excess expense so I might have to stick to the youtube idea! :(


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## Nikki_d72

Jodie, I just saw my Midwife again today, she's a really experienced homebirth midwife, and I asked her what the best things to do to prepare were - I told her I'm reading heaps to educate myself, and trying to excersise a wee bit, and she said, that's about it for now, try to go for wee walks, to prepare my body and do things to prepare my mind, so you maybe don't need to do anything too structured or expensive, just walk, and read and prepare yourself mentally. XX


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## Jodie.82

thanks Nikki, in that case im already doing it :) x


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