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We're all used to the idea of a birth plan. But what about a plan for the last few weeks of pregnancy?
It can be really helpful to have some things planned. After all it could come any time - in the next five weeks!
There is a lot of waiting in the last few weeks. People start to ask if you’ve had it yet. Each twinge, you think ‘Is this it?'
Yet only 4% of babies come on their due date, and as many come after that time as come before. In fact the average length of pregnancy for a first timer is 40 weeks and 5 daysMake a plan to cope with that time and to keep yourself patience.
Mental preparation – keep up your relaxation, meditation & affirmations. The baby is not a cake it cannot be overdone. It will come when it is ready.
Prepare. This is a good time to cook a few extra dishes to put in the freezer. Or book online shopping for a few weeks in advance. Get your bag packed.
Enjoy yourself. Don’t sit at home waiting. Go to the cinema. Lunch in a café. All the things that will be a bit harder with a very young baby.
Smile. Do things that pamper you. Massages. Movies that make you laugh or sigh with happiness. (Not sad or frightening ones.) Cuddle, snuggle, kiss, stroke. Get that oxytocin flooding through your body every day.
Starting off/induction – your midwife may offer sweep at 40 or 41 weeks. At 40 weeks she is likely to offer an appointment with consultant at 41 weeks to discuss induction. What decision will you make? You can agree, or decline at first and decide to consider a little down the line. Or just decline. (More on that in another post!) Try bouncing on a birth ball. And practise your relaxation.
Go to www.chilledmama.co.uk for pregnancy relaxation courses, antenatal workshops (vbac, water birth, active birth, breastfeeding and home birth), plus doula and antenatal doula services, baby massage, baby sleep workshops, and starting solids workshops (weaning).