Having your first
child is a monumental occasion, and an utterly magical journey for any woman.
But it is natural to have some worries and concerns, here are three ways that
you can prepare yourself for what lies ahead.
Read Up On the Birthing Process
Giving birth is
something that all of us, even the half of the population that will never be
able to give birth, understand as being both one of the most powerful
experiences a human being can undergo, and also one of the most painful. Some
women feel that they aren’t ‘allowed’ to be scared of giving birth because it
is what their bodies are designed for. This is certainly not true! Giving birth
isn’t an experience you can easily imagine without having gone through it.
Many women find that
reading up on the birth process beforehand helps them a great deal. Not only
does it give women an idea of what to expect, for lots of women it is
comforting to be able to link up the strange and new things that they feel
during childbirth with the experiences they have read beforehand.
Many women choose to
attend birthing classes before they are due. These classes teach
expectant mothers about the different stages of labor. They will also discuss
your options regarding pain management, and they will be able to answer any
questions you have. You can find information about the birthing process, as
well as lots of other excellent pregnancy resources, over at Pregmed.org.
Find a Doctor Early
It is never too early
to start thinking about doctors and pediatricians for your child. There’s no
need to wait until after the birth before you start organizing these things, in
fact, they can be undertaken from around the middle of your pregnancy and
onward. This gives you plenty of time to not only get a physician in place,
but to keep them up to date on the final stages of your pregnancy. This is
information which a doctor to your child may find very useful in the future.
It is always worth
having a discussion with your healthcare coverage provider in order to ensure
that any steps you take will be covered financially by your plan. You should
also find out what kind of coverage your child will receive under your current
policy. If your current healthcare plan is unsuitable for your newborn, you
will want to start assessing your options as soon as possible.
Talk to Your Partner
If you are in a
same-sex relationship, it is, somewhat paradoxically, easier to talk to your
partner about your concerns. For women in a heterosexual relationship, it is
often frustratingly difficult to convey what you are feeling, and what you are concerned about, on a
physical level. The key to breaking this impasse is to simply communicate more
with your partner. The more you talk to them about what you are feeling and
expecting, the more they will understand about your situation.
Having your first baby
is an experience that most women find to be equal parts exciting and
terrifying, it is natural to feel a little scared at undergoing this new experience.
However, many women find that once they get these fears into the open and begin
to address them, they start to look forward to giving birth, rather than
fearing it.
