Preparing for Childbirth: A Comprehensive Guide for Expecting Parents
I was sitting in a prenatal session this week with a doula client of mine. It was our first appointment together after a quick early meet and greet. I always start our meetings asking if they have any questions.
"Yes!" they said, "we have a big one! What can we do to prepare for birth?"
A big question indeed - one we would spend the next 90 minutes diving deep into.
In this blog post, we’ll break down 5 things you can do to prepare for an empowering and positive birth experience:
Prepare your Body Physically
Prepare yourself Mentally and Emotionally
Get Educated on your Birth Options
Set up your Birth Support Team
Create a Postpartum Recovery Plan
A little intentional prep can go a long way, so here we go…
1. Prepare your body Physically
As a prenatal and postpartum fitness specialist, many people assume that I believe you need to 'train for birth.' You've probably heard this sort of messaging before: "Birth is like a marathon - you wouldn't show up for a marathon without training first."
And while yes, birth is sometimes long and often exhausting, it is not anything like a marathon. As someone who has run both marathons and ultramarathons, while there are definite similarities (similarities I wrote about in THIS blog post), they are different beasts. You cannot grit and push your way through birth. Birth requires letting go and surrendering, allowing your body to do what it instinctively knows how to do.
That said, there are specific ways to physically prepare your body for the journey of childbirth:
Visit a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist
If there's one professional worth seeing during pregnancy, it's a pelvic floor physiotherapist. These magical humans will assess what's happening with your pelvic floor and give you personalized guidance on what is happening in YOUR body, not just generalized tips.
They'll help you understand how to effectively use those muscles during pushing (hint: it's actually more about releasing them than using them!) and can help prevent issues from arising down the road. They can also help you practice pushing techniques and help you feel confident that you're setting your future self up for a smooth postpartum recovery. Reach out if you want help finding a pelvic floor physiotherapist near you.
Practice Labour and Birthing Positions
Research shows that movement during the first stage of labour (dilation stage) can help shorten labour and that upright birthing positions can lead to multiple things including lower rates of forceps/vacuum delivery, shorter active pushing phase and a significant decrease in the risk of severe tearing. But do you know what those positions are? Or better yet - does your body feel comfortable and familiar in these positions?
Remember way back to gym class, when you had to practice that awkward sport move over and over until they became second nature? The same concept applies here. When you're in the throes of labour, your body is going to move you into positions that feel comfortable and intuitive, relying on what your body already knows.
Spend some time now getting comfortable with squatting, hands and knees, side-lying, and different ways of using a birth ball. If these positions and movements feel natural and comfortable in your body, you are more likely to move into them during labour.
Focus on Prenatal Strength and Mobility
While I've already spoken about how you don't need to "train" for birth like it's an Olympic event, staying active during pregnancy can positively impact your birth experience in many ways. Prenatal movement can help you maintain strength, help position your baby optimally, and improve your stamina for labour as well as a whole slew of other positive effects.
Find movement that feels good - walking/hiking, swimming, and strength training are all great options. And if you don't know already, I am a HUGE proponent of prenatal strength training. Not only can strength training help with pregnancy aches and pains, but research shows us that it can lead to decreased pelvic girdle pain! If you want to learn about what to include in a prenatal fitness session click Here.
2. Prepare Mentally and Emotionally
Address Birth Biases and Expectations
We all have ideas about what birth "should" look like, often from less-than-helpful sources (thanks, dramatic TV births). Take some time to examine your expectations. Where did they come from? The way your mother spoke about her births when you were a child? That horror story your great aunt told at Thanksgiving? Your friend's Instagram birth post that looked suspiciously glamorous?
Understanding your preconceptions helps you approach birth with an open mind rather than a written script that reality might not follow.
With my doula clients, I have them sit down and reflect on their beliefs and expectations around birth. We try to decipher where these beliefs came from and whether they are serving them anymore. By acknowledging and building awareness around these beliefs, it becomes easier to shift your mindset and take on new perspectives. You can grab my examining your birth biases workbook [HERE].
Speak Your Childbirth Fears Aloud
Almost everyone has some fears about birth—whether it's pain, complications, or the great unknown of how your particular birth will unfold. Instead of letting these fears lurk in the shadows of your mind (where they grow bigger and scarier), bring them into the light.
Write them down. Talk about them. Often, just naming a fear reduces its power. And once identified, you can develop specific strategies for coping if that scenario arises. Fear cleared out makes room for confidence to move in.
If fears are consuming your mind, I recommend speaking to a licensed therapist who can help support you through these pregnancy-related anxieties.
Process Previous Birth Experiences
If this isn't your first birth, taking time to process your previous birth experiences is crucial. What worked well? What would you change? Any lingering feelings about how things unfolded?
Unaddressed feelings from a previous birth have a way of showing up when birth comes knocking again, so doing this emotional work ahead of time clears the path for a fresh experience. Working with a therapist or birth professional who specializes in birth trauma processing can be incredibly healing.
3. Get Educated!
Take a Childbirth Education Class
I recommend that everyone take a childbirth education class when preparing for their first birth. If nothing else, it's dedicated time for you (and your partner, if you’re partnered) to sit down and devote to preparing for your birth. If partnered, I do recommend both participants attend so you can chat and reflect on the course as you create your individual preferences.
Not all childbirth classes are created equal! Look for ones that offer evidence-based information rather than just hospital procedures. Good classes won't just cover breathing techniques but will help you understand the physiological process of birth, your options for various scenarios, and ways your partner can truly support you.
If you're reading this in real time, I'll be running an evidence-based childbirth education class in June 2025. Click [HERE] to learn more.
Learn Effective Labour Coping Mechanisms
Labour is intense—there's no sugarcoating that. But often, people don't realize how many tools are available to work with the intensity.
I like to think of labour coping measures as a toolkit you can build before your birth. Coping techniques can include touch and counter pressure, water/hydrotherapy, positional changes, movement, TENs machine, mantras or vocalization, along with medical pain management options like epidurals or opioids.
The key is educating yourself on these tools in advance so when birth arrives, you have plenty to choose from and can make informed decisions. Please don't be the person googling "how to manage labor contractions" between surges! 😅
Create a Personalized Birth Preferences List
Notice that I didn't call it a 'birth plan.' I've moved away from calling it a birth plan because, well, babies don't read plans. But having clear preferences and intentions matter!
What's most important to you about this experience? Is it feeling empowered in your choices? Minimizing interventions when possible? Ensuring everyone treats you with respect? Having clear intentions helps you make decisions aligned with your values, even if the specific path of your birth takes unexpected turns. Think of it as your birth compass rather than a rigid roadmap.
To be honest, it is often the process of creating this birth preference list that is the most valuable part. It will require you to learn your options and reflect on what is important to you. You may not follow this list perfectly, but the process of creating it will help you become clearer.
Understanding common birth interventions before you're in the moment of deciding about them is incredibly empowering. When you know the benefits and risks of different options—like induction methods, pain management approaches, monitoring techniques—you can make choices aligned with your values rather than just going with whatever is suggested in the moment.
4. Build A Birth Support Team
Hire a Birth Doula
Research consistently shows that continuous support from a doula reduces cesarean rates, shortens labour, decreases interventions, and improves satisfaction with the birth experience. Doulas provide invaluable support during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum and could be an incredible addition to your birth team. Check out this post [HERE] on how to choose a birth doula or if you are in the Toronto area, reach out if you’re looking for birth support Here.
Prepare Your Birth Partner
The role of the birth partner is one that should not be taken lightly. Your partner might be excited but also slightly terrified about their role in the birth process. Most people have never been at a birth before the birth of their own child.
Help them prepare by practicing comfort measures together, discussing how they can advocate for you, and being clear about your wishes. Remember, they're likely experiencing their own mix of emotions about the big day as well, fears that should also be spoken aloud and acknowledged. The more prepared they feel, the better they can support you. Remember, a doula's job is to support not only you but your partner as well.
Choose a Provider That Aligns with Your Birth Values
Your healthcare provider's approach to birth can and will dramatically impact your experience. Do they see birth as a normal physiological process or primarily a medical event? Do they take time to explain options and involve you in decisions?
Finding a provider whose birth philosophy aligns with yours makes a world of difference. Don't be afraid to interview multiple providers or switch if something doesn't feel right—this relationship is too important to settle.
5. Prepare for Postpartum
Create a Solid Postpartum Support Plan
I’m gonna say it … preparing for postpartum is just as important as preparing for birth, if not more so. Birth lasts hours or days; postpartum lasts weeks and months.
Think about who will support you when you're healing, learning to feed your baby, and functioning on minimal sleep. Can you arrange meals, household help, or support with older children? Planning this support isn't an indulgence—it's a necessity for your wellbeing and recovery.
There are so many ways to include people in your postpartum support group without having them in your space during those early days.
In my Postpartum Movement and Recovery Guide, I have a postpartum planning activity book that clearly takes you through the process of planning out who will do each household task during those early weeks. Knowing that the lawn will be mowed, food will be around, and pets and/or other children will be supported will make such a difference for your postpartum recovery experience.
Gather Essential Postpartum Recovery Supplies
Stock up on postpartum essentials before birth so you're not sending your partner to the store for supplies while you're figuring out newborn care.
Perineal care (or scar care) essentials, comfortable clothes that don't press on your midsection, easy-to-eat nutritious snacks, and various healing supplies will make recovery more comfortable. Create little self-care stations around your home with what you might need during those long feeding sessions.
In my Postpartum Movement and Recovery Guide, I have an entire list of postpartum essentials along with a video lesson so you can feel confident you’re heading in prepared.
Understand Normal Postpartum Healing
Knowing the normal postpartum recovery process will undoubtedly prevent unnecessary worry. Understanding typical bleeding patterns, physical healing timelines, emotional fluctuations, and when to seek help makes the fourth trimester less mysterious and will help with a more easeful transition into parenthood.
The line between normal recovery challenges and warning signs isn't always clear, so educating yourself ahead of time helps you navigate this transition with confidence. We go over so much of this in my Postpartum Movement and Recovery Guide, including how to know if your baby is peeing and pooping enough, when to call your provider, and what to expect in your first week postpartum.
Final Thoughts on Holistic Birth Preparation
The power that comes from a little bit of preparation goes a long way.
Birth preparation isn't about controlling an uncontrollable process—it's about empowering yourself with knowledge, doing the things that are within your control, and setting yourself up for support for whatever path your birth takes. By investing time in these preparation strategies, you're setting yourself up not just for birth but for the transition to parenthood that follows.
You've got this, and you don't have to do it alone!
