What do you think can be done to help first time mothers to really prepare forbirth

Rachael - posted on 08/14/2010

really not alot. you can show them pictures, which helps, and tell them about it, but since all babies are differnet you can't really prepare them all tha much. i attended a class on newborn care, and also read about 3 books on babies and childbirth and still felt overwhelmed. nothing prepares u like reality

Jessica - posted on 08/13/2010

I was for sure one of many women who was scared about the experience of child birth as a first time mom...I read a lot of books on how to prepare and what to expect and none really prepared me well enough for that experience. The only thing that kind of helped was a checklist of what to bring to the hospital with you and make sure that you have it completed weeks before your due date. first and foremost I think it is a bad idea telling women that getting an epidural or pain killers etc..for the pain is a great option because it is really going to hurt. Yes, God made childbirth painful and yes it was a little painful during labor and even during birth but I did it with no epidural and with Nubane which doesn't really even decrease active labor pains it just levels them out. The only thing I would suggest for medicine wise was a mild seditive because between my contractions I was able to sleep. I was induced which I am not sure for a fact if it is more painful that way or not but I can tell you I don't think most women go through 9 hours of active labor right from the start. contractions 3-4 mins apart and lasting for about 30 secs. The best advice I could give is bring things that comfort you. Like I brought four cds of music to listen to. I prefer to listen to worship music and it helped to calm me down and also keep my focus on something other than the pain. I didn't go through lamaz (not sure if spelled right) but I watched some videos and read a few more books about breathing techniques and the way they teach you to breath made me hyperventalate. I just used deep cleansing breaths like yoga. In the the nose out through the mouth. It really worked. I suggest to bring some sort of massager either a vibrating dohickey or have someone give you a gooooood message. none of the ametuer stuff. pinching and so on. walk and go potty as much as possible and toward the end just remember God wont give us anything we can't handle. As for the newborn stage I would hope that every woman would have as good a husband as I had that is willing to help out as much as possible even if you are breastfeeding. I didn't change one diaper until I got home from the hospital. Breastfeeding is hard but it is rewarding and beneficial to the baby. The best part of having a baby is just being able to hold them and just look at them all day long. I have a 13 month old and I still can't take my eyes off of her for one second because I am afraid if I do she will disappear. The love that you have for your own child is so great that nothing can take it away from you. We all think that we have loved and have been loved but know one is loved more than a child from her mother. Well, Jesus loves us greater than that but that is a different story. You never know love until you have a child.

Sarah - posted on 08/13/2010

To me there is no way you can REALLY prepare someone for birth and the newborn stage. I think there are many things out there that help, but I think until you are there doing it you don't get that full understanding. I think those are the time when a mom needs the encouragement and support the most is when they are going through it. Sometimes you can tell people things until you are blue in the face but until they go through it they don't really get a good understanding of it.