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Your pregnant body

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Preparing your body

Tips and tricks for getting your body & mind in good shape for birth

Posted: 27 July 2009
by ThinkBaby

You might think that birthing preparations start and end with getting the nursery ready and producing a birth plan, but there's actually plenty that you can do to prepare your body for the physical and mental challenge ahead and give yourself a head-start when it comes to entering the delivery room.

You can generally prepare your body by making sure that you continue to take gentle and suitable exercise throughout your pregnancy, walking and swimming are ideal, but by no means the only options. Regular pelvic floor exercises will prepare the muscles most involved in labour and birth and help you regain control of your urinary function after birth more easily.

You may have heard or read about tears and cuts (episiotomy) during birth, which can occur if the perineal tissues can't stretch enough to let your baby out. While you can't do anything to gurantee against this, you can use the last weeks of your labour to perform a daily massage on the perineal tissue that can improve its elasticity and so decrease the chances of cuts and tears.

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Sarah Tims

hi ive got 3 wks till due date and getting really fed up now, my friend was reading my emmas diary book and said that she read an article in it that said eating fresh pineapple can bring on labour. Does anybody know if this is true or of anything else other than sex that can also help ??????????????????????????????
Posted: 09/04/2007 17:16

Sara

Hi Sarah, i tried everything when i was due including pineapple and nothing worked! I ended up being induced 12 days overdue! Some say things worked for them but i think most of the time its coincidence to be honest!

You could try : Long walks
Warm baths
Curries
Nipple stimulation
Pineapple
Sex
Ive also heard certain aromatherapy oils can help and reflexology.
Posted: 09/04/2007 19:32

kathy west

defo the nipple tweaking, i started doing it when harry was 39 weeks and went into labour about 2 hours after, its also good for a chuckle and its a treat for your fella!
Posted: 09/04/2007 21:17

Claza P

If you have a breast pump use it as I swear it helped me induce labour with my 2nd baby. My first baby was 13 days late but my 2nd was 3 days early.
Raspberry leaf tea from health food shops is supposed to help.

I am 9 weeks preg with 3rd baby & will def be getting the breast pump out at end of this pregnancy.
Good luck
Claire
Posted: 10/04/2007 22:20

Mary-Ellen Freshwater

Hi,
I've heard that all the ways to start you off wont work unless your cervix is ripe and ready. Raspberry leaf tea can help ripen your cervix. Hope you get things going, let us know how you get on.
Mary-Ellen and 22w & 6d bump
Posted: 15/04/2007 01:45

georgina wood

I took castor oil and pure orange juice with one of mine and was in labour within 2hours and he was born with in the next 2 hours, although this did work i was very sick at first.
Posted: 15/04/2007 09:20

Seaneen

Its very dangerous to take caster oil as it encourages the babys bowels to move inside you.
Posted: 15/04/2007 14:44

georgina wood

if you take it at the right time your fine and thats why you should only ever take things at your own risk
Posted: 15/04/2007 15:44

HILARY ORR

try cod liver oil i mean a bottle and its not nice but it workerd for me i was due in dec 7 and had my baby in nov 23
Posted: 05/10/2007 22:28

HILARY ORR

try cod liver oil i mean a bottle and its not nice but it worked for me i was due in dec 7 and had my baby in nov 23
Posted: 05/10/2007 22:30

HILARY ORR

try cod liver oil i mean a bottle and its not nice but it worked for me i was due in dec 7 and had my baby in nov 23 good luck

Posted: 05/10/2007 22:31

Suz

my midwife told me sex is the only thing that works, and that the rest is just nonsense. the sperm juice contains chemicals that are will kick start labour.
Posted: 06/10/2007 01:15

Rebecca Clarke

I tried it all!

from 2weeks before i was due and nothing worked, i was finally induced in the evening of the 14th day after my duedate! My 10lb 4 son arrived 4 and a half hours later -15days after my duedate and 29 days after trying all these 'old wives tails!' I don't think anything works the baby comes when it wants or when its made to - medically

Posted: 07/10/2007 22:24

Sarah & Lee

hi 2 everybody

Thanks for all your suggestions, but i had a baby boy, Jack christopher 5lb 15oz, on the 9th of may i was a week over due by then after trying everything appart from the codliver oil, so i aggree they will come when they are ready and not before.

Posted: 08/10/2007 08:06

Rebecca Clarke

Congratulations!

He's a tiny one even at one week overdue!

Best Wishes

Love Reb xxx

Posted: 08/10/2007 20:20

hannah randle

congrats

i tried everything with my son and daughter nothing worked and i was induced with both of them. i dont beleive in anything they will come when they are good and ready.

Posted: 08/10/2007 22:22

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