Five things you can do to prepare for childbirth

So you’re pregnant…now what?

Pregnancy comes with a myriad of changes. Your body is growing and changing, you will start to have variety of symptoms which can include increase in appetite, perhaps a bit of nausea in the first trimester and then braxton hicks (warm up contractions) towards the end of your pregnancy. All these changes contribute to the big day, the birthday of your babe!

How do you prepare for the big day? After all you don’t want to step into that experience full of fear due to the unknown or anxiety due to low confidence surrounding birth and your bodies ability.

Five Doula Approved Things You Can Do to Prepare for Birth

  1. Attend a childbirth preparation course of your choosing. Everything comes with a manual these days, for us iPhone users…think of all the steps Apple has you complete before your phone is completely set up. It should be no different to step into your birth experience. Childbirth preparation courses are geared towards arming you with education in an effort to remove any fear of the unknown but instead empower you with knowledge. Here at One Love we offer both in person and self-led virtual courses to meet your needs.

  2. Tour your birthing location (if your chosen location is not home). We know that many hospitals have removed the in person tour options due to Covid restrictions, but you would not imagine how much peace of mind it would bring you to take a dry run drive to the hospital where you will be delivering at. When you are in labor is not the time when you want to learn where your designated parking area is, or what door you should use after hours.

  3. Prepare for postpartum! (read that again). Preparing for birth includes the immediate postpartum period or fourth trimester. You want to learn about breastfeeding and ensure that you have a lactation counselor on speed dial should you need them, you want to identify your support system and give them tasks to help take the load off your plate while contributing to your postpartum recovery. This includes some meal prepping so that all you have to focus on is nourishing yourself and your baby when you come home from the hospital. Download our postpartum planner HERE.

  4. Take sometime for yourself and your partner. There is no better time than the present to complete that baby moon you’ve been eyeing and if you already completed the first three things on this list you are well on your way.

  5. Create your birth plan and review it with your partner and birth support team- such as your birth doula. Your birth plan is a perfect way to effectively communicate your birth wishes with everyone that will be part of your team. We have many clients who say they often feel bad bringing a printed birth plan to their delivery location as they “don’t want to offend hospital professionals”. To this we say- hospital professionals attend hundreds of births, this is your one birth experience and it should go as close to how you envision it as possible.

You may be thinking, “Where can I find a doula near me?”  We provide Tampa doula support, childbirth education, placenta encapsulation, postpartum doula care, and birth photography for:

  • Tampa, St Petersburg

  • Land O' Lakes

  • Lakeland

  • Plant City

  • Downtown Tampa

  • ... and more!

Virtual services also available, let's plan for your amazing birth and postpartum journey. 




Yamel Belen