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Preparing for Labour

Labour and the birth of your child will be one of the most physically arduous events of your life and will give you the greatest prize of all, your baby. Preparing for this event both mentally and physically will help you through the moments when you want to pack your bag and go home because you don’t feel that you can do it any more. By attending the ante-natal classes for exercise, relaxation, yoga, pilates and childbirth education you will be armed with the knowledge you will need to get through this phase of your pregnancy. We also suggest you look at the exercises in “Conception, Pregnancy & Birth” by Miriam Stoppard and visit The Pregnancy Centre website for some great information on how you can prepare yourself for labour.

Antenatal Classes

Going to antenatal classes helps you prepare for the labour and the birth, and for being a parent. It’s also a great way to meet other new parents, and to share support and information with them.

Most classes are run over a 6-8 week period and are usually conducted in the evening to allow both of you plenty of time to get there after work. If this time does not suit you and your partner there are some classes that cover all the information in an intensive format over a weekend.

Topics that are usually covered by these courses include:

  • Pregnancy health.
  • Advice on eating and staying fit.
  • What to expect from the labour and birth.
  • The sort of pain relief you might choose.
  • Coping with labour and birth.
  • Possible problems.
  • Caesarean section.
  • Information on feeding your baby.
  • Looking after your newborn baby.
  • Many courses will incorporate a tour of your Hospital or Birth Centre.

Attending an Antenatal Class provides you with a great opportunity to ask questions in an informal environment. Don’t be shy; most of your fellow “parents to be” are probably wondering the same things as you.

For information on your nearest Antenatal class or Childbirth Educator contact the hospital or birth centre that you have chosen to give birth at as most of these will run there own classes. Be sure to book in early for these as they fill up quickly. You should aim to commence your course before you are 30 weeks pregnant so that you will have enough time to complete the course. The NSW branch of Childbirth Education Australia, may also be able to provide some information.