Written by Tahnee Nicholson, founder of BirthReview.com.au
You’ve peed on the stick, seen those two little lines appear and had the initial rollercoaster of emotions that accompanies finding out you’re pregnanct. Other than the standard doctors appointment and blood test, these are my top 10 tips for what to do next:
1. Hog the bed with a giant pregnancy pillow
Unless you are lucky to have one of those unicorn pregnancies you see in the movies, blissful sleep will likely become a thing of the past about midway through your pregnancy. The minute I was told I couldn’t sleep on my back, I found it almost impossible not to accidentally end up there in the middle of the night (despite being a side sleeper my whole life). Do yourself a favour and get a full body length pregnancy pillow – the bigger the better, and ideally a U shaped one so it also supports your head. It will keep you comfortable and stop you rolling onto your side, and has the added bonus of reserving about 70% of the available bed space for you and your bubba.
2. Understand your birth choices at BirthReview.com.au
Do you want to go public or private? What midwifery model would you prefer? How about an Obstetrician or Doula? Maybe you want to birth at home with a private midwife?
Most first time parents have absolutely no idea what options are available to them, and you normally have to make these decisions pretty early in your pregnancy (some MGP programs can fill up 5 weeks into your pregnancy), which means you probably don’t want to put a Facebook post up asking for advice.
This is why I created BirthReview, to be your virtual access to great advice. First stop should be our birth provider decision tool to understand your options. Once you’ve had a look at that, check out info and reviews on hospitals, midwives, Doulas and other providers near you. If you’re hoping for a vaginal birth then make sure you check out the birth intervention statistics under the FAQs (there is a HUGE range in the % of vaginal births across public hospitals in NSW for example).
3. Invest in some maternity leggings
They may not be the trendiest piece of clothing, but you will live in these during pregnancy and early motherhood. So get with the cliche and embrace activewear – thanks to COVID you might even be able to wear them while working from home. Business on top, comfy on the bottom. Find some with a high waistband as post-birth they will help your weak abs feel a bit more supported.
4. Get moving
I met some of my now closest friends at a prenatal yoga class. It was the best 60 minutes I spent every week, and reminded me to slow down and prioritise myself and my health. If you’re in a COVID related lockdown or cant find any classes related to you then apps like Downward Dog Yoga are a good alternative. Yoga might not be your thing – maybe it’s ocean swimming or god-forbid running (running makes me angry for some reason). But whatever it is, find something that makes you feel good and disconnect from the stress in your life every week. Make sure you get advice on if / when you need to alter your exercise regime due to your pregnancy though.
5. Treat yourself
Whether its a fancy pre-natal tea, your favourite biscuit or a massage, treat yourself to something that makes you feel special at least once a week. One thing that I loved was creating some non-alcoholic cocktails to enjoy on the weekends (elderflower cordial and sparkling water is divine).
6. Book a babymoon
If you’re like most of us you probably can’t afford a week on a private island, but find a way to take a break with your partner (if you have one) before bub comes. Even just one night away at an Airbnb somewhere relaxing, or spending a weekend doing things you love near home is enough. If you’ve already got kids then send them off for a sleep over with a friend or family you trust and have some time to yourselves.
7. See a pelvic floor physio
I had no idea until late in my pregnancy that those kegel exercises we all get told to do when pregnant aren’t needed for every woman – in fact some have the opposite problem and need to practice relaxing their pelvic floor rather than strengthening it. Some of the best advice I got about birth decisions was from my pelvic floor phsyio (when to choose a c-section over an instrumental delivery) – so I highly recommend seeing one at least once in your pregnancy. Your pelvic floor works overtime during pregnancy, and regardless of the way you give birth (vaginally or by caesarean) your pelvic floor muscles will be impacted.
8. Delete Google from your phone
Ok so maybe i’m being slightly dramatic, but I can’t tell you how many times I ended up using Google searches to freak myself out in my pregnancy. Bookmark the Mothersafe fact sheets webpage instead. Got a coldsore? unsure if you can have caffeine? Dealing with the dreaded pregnancy insomnia? This evidence-based website run by the Royal Hospital for women has a great fact sheets to help guide your decisions.
Come to think of it you may as well delete google forever – search engine advice seems to get even worse once you have a newborn!
9. Understand what REAL birth actually is
Birth is not at all what it looks like in movies (thank god), so if this is your first baby make sure you enrol in a birth course. My hubby found our SheBirths course even more empowering than I did, as it helped him understand his role in supporting me through birth. There are so many courses out there so do your research and find one that resonates with you (BirthBeat is a great alternative if you want to do something online or live in rural / remote areas). One of my favourite ways to prepare for birth was to listen to the Australian Birth Stories podcast while walking up the beach, or having a relaxing bath.
10. Ask your bestie to organise a meal train
I have never been hungrier than when I had a newborn. Your body is recovering from the birth, and breastfeeding (if you take that path) turns you into a ravenous animal. There is no greater gift for a new mum than food, so why not ask someone you trust to organise a meal train. There are some great free sites like mealtrain.com to help. And if your friends can’t cook, they can always order you some delicious home cooked frozen meals to stock your freezer.
About Tahnee Nicholson
Tahnee is a mother, psychologist and the founder of BirthReview.com.au. She is passionate about empowering women with quality information to inform their birth choices.
This post was last modified on 30/08/2021 10:37 am