Birth preparation in physiotherapy
Birth preparation is important for you as parents-to-be to prepare yourselves physically and emotionally as a couple and as individuals for the birth of your child. This can take place as part of group courses or individual sessions .
Anneke, CEO of Physio Restart, would like to tell you from her own experience how she prepared for the birth of her first child, partly together with her husband but also with other people. She would like to point out that this was her personal experience, which depended on her current mental and physical condition. Anneke was very fortunate to be physically free of major ailments, perhaps also as a result of her knowledge, regular exercise and healthy diet. We recommend that you consider which content is relevant for you and possible at the time .
Anneke:
For birth preparation, you may want to seek help from your gynaecologist, midwife, doula, specialized physiotherapist, osteopath or other specialist disciplines. It is important to know at all times how you and your baby or babies are feeling in the womb so that you can implement or omit the following measures accordingly.
Preparation already begins when you are trying to conceive. In this article, however, I am mainly referring to the 3rd trimester of pregnancy.
What can you do (together with the people around you) so that you (you) are stronger going into the birth and the time afterwards?
Where can I obtain prenatal care?
1. a birth preparation course: A great idea to get information about the birth process, birthplace (infrastructure, staff and mission statement), breathing and relaxation techniques and to meet other parents-to-be. Zurich offers a variety of options, from purely informative lectures to practical events in your chosen place of birth, as well as fitness classes on land and in the water.
2. in therapeutic sessions: Your treating doctor may give you a prescription for physiotherapy, osteopathy or chiropractic. Often due to complaints that you may have mentioned. The costs are fully covered by basic insurance from the 13th week of pregnancy. At Physio Restart you can book both, i.e. you can book appointments without a prescription and get the costs reimbursed by your supplementary insurance if necessary.
3. on social media, books, forums, podcasts: there are certainly great offers that you can consume easily and conveniently from home and on the go, but I recommend taking a close look at the information you are getting involved with. It’s certainly not a good idea to google and take the opinions and advice of other mothers online as a reliable source. Even your own mother or mother-in-law may often give you precocious advice. But books like Baby Years, The complete Australian Guide to Pregnancy and Birth, Midwife’s Consultation or podcasts like Keleya, From the Beginning or The Peaceful Birth are some that I have found valuable. In the end, however, the most reliable source remains your doctor, therapist and midwife. By the way, I have written an article in the Mama Guide from Let’s Family and am planning another one for the Baby Guide. You can get these books in doctors’ surgeries and hospitals, they are usually included in the mommy and baby box that they give out for free. But take a look at my story and publications here here.
What content is important for birth preparation?
I divide them into theoretical and practical:
Theoretical birth preparation
- What happens in and to my body in the last few weeks of pregnancy? How is the baby developing? Which physical and mental changes are normal for me and which are less so?
- How do I prepare my home and my environment for the arrival of the new addition to the family?
- How do you decide which type of birth is possible? When is an abdominal birth (caesarean section) considered?
- Where and how can I recognize that the birth is about to start? When do I contact my midwife and/or the place where I am giving birth?
- What is the normal birth process and what other scenarios are possible?
- What role does my birth companion play? Do I even want my partner or someone from my family or circle of friends with me? What is important to me?
Practical birth preparation
By the 3rd trimester at the latest, you should know the pelvic floor in all its forms. Where it is located, what function it has when and where and how you can relax it at the end of pregnancy and during childbirth and tighten it at other times.
Practice various breathing techniques that will accompany you towards the end of your pregnancy and can then support you during the birth and postpartum period.
You can do wonderful mobilizing exercises with your partner to open your pelvis and familiarize yourself with birth positions.
Muscle-strengthening and endurance training can also often take place up to the birth and give you enough energy and strength to keep going. There are now some studies that report that the birth time is shortened and the recovery for you and your baby is faster afterwards. I am also still active (currently in week 39+0) 5-6 per week in my practice and in the fitness center.
By massaging and stretching around your perineum, vagina and anus, you can familiarize yourself with this area of your body, which unfortunately has often been taboo until then. You can also do the massage (from week 32-34+0) and stretching with a balloon (from week 36+0) in pairs, always in consultation with your doctor.
Your diet should be balanced and predominantly healthy and tasty throughout your pregnancy. A few weeks before the birth, you could follow a Louwen diet. This is not a diet per se, but rather an avoidance of foods high in sugar and carbohydrates so that you can regulate your blood sugar levels and thus release the receptors that are important for the natural onset of labor.
Ultimately, it’s about preparing yourself mentally and physically for the birth and strengthening your confidence in your abilities as an expectant mother. Your pregnancy is unique and an absolute miracle. Listen to your needs, take sufficient rest breaks and don’t let yourself be influenced by other opinions or supposed role models. Don’t put yourself under pressure if the day doesn’t go as planned. Pregnancy, birth and the time afterwards should be a journey with pleasure and not a ticking off of to-do lists! In the end, you certainly did your best.
If you are looking for physiotherapeutic support during your pregnancy and would like to have the above questions answered, you can contact us at any time with your concerns or book an appointment directly. book an appointment.
Author:
Anneke Penny
