Preparing for the of your baby

The end of your journey is in sight

The last few weeks of pregnancy may feel the longest and are often the busiest. You might be eager to see your feet and sleep on your stomach again. You’re probably also tired of running to the bathroom in the wee hours of the night to relieve your bladder.

Welcome to the end stage of your pregnancy, where time seems to slow down and the waiting seems never ending. Pass the time productively by getting as much done as you can before the big day arrives but also ensure that you get enough rest.

Nesting

When you are driven by the urge to do things like reorganising the cupboards, alphabetising the spice rack, pairing up all the stray socks that have lost their partners, defrosting the freezer, cleaning the bathroom’s tile grout with a toothbrush and getting rid of dust under the bed, this is part of a pre-labour ritual commonly known as nesting. In nature, expectant mothers prepare their ’nest’ for the soon-to-arrive baby; and the nesting instinct in humans can be as powerful as it is for animals. If and when the nesting instinct hits you, make the most of this productive phase.

Here are some suggested things that you might want to tick off your list before labour and delivery:

Restock your fridge As you prepare for birth, throw away any outdated items and shop for fresh ones. Stock up on key essentials like milk, yoghurt, cheese, juice, fruits and vegetables, fruit and meat you’ll want to have on hand once you’re home with your baby .

Pad your pantry Stock up on healthy, nutritious food.

Cook in quantity Prepare extra servings of your favourite foods which are suitable for freezing, such as lasagne, stew and bran muffins. Store them in marked, single meal containers in the freezer. Once you’re home with baby, you’ll be able to enjoy home cooked meals without having to spend time on all the preparation work.

Load your laundry Keep your washing up to date. Also wash items that don’t get washed regularly, like rugs and throw pillow covers so you don’t have to deal with undone washing when you return home with baby.

Spring clean your home Give your house a full spring-clean. Wipe down the windowsills and blinds, vacuum the couch, dust the picture frames and clean the fridge. Be sensible in your quest for cleaning though. Don’t push yourself if you’re exhausted and stay away from ladders and other precarious perches.

Outfit your baby Don’t overbuy, but take this opportunity to get any items still needed for your baby’s clothing cupboard that the baby shower didn’t fill. It’s especially useful to stock up on newborn essentials like diapers, vests, babygrows, baby beanies, booties, soap, shampoo and creams.

Outfit yourself If you intend to breastfeed, you should buy nursing bras and nursing pads as well as easy-to-open or nursing shirts. Stock up on soft, breathable, oversized underwear as they’ll be more comfortable for the first few weeks after the birth. They might also become stained with blood and discharge, so you’ll want to be able to get rid of them later without regret.

Prepare the nursery One of the most enjoyable ‘tasks’ in preparing for your baby’s arrival is to outfit the nursery. This is an opportunity to give your creativity wings, but also remember practical aspects such as a comfortable chair where you can feed your baby and a nightlight or dimmer light for night time feeding and nappy changes. Make sure that you have all the items you need to care for your baby at home.

Have your hospital bag packed and ready Make sure that you have bought all the items that you need take to hospital for you and your baby and that your bag is packed and ready for the big day.

Signs that you are in labour

Your water breaks If your water breaks, you're more likely to feel a small leak and not a big gush of fluid. This is because your baby's head often prevents too much fluid from leaking out. Once the sac has ruptured, it usually means that labour will start soon.

You are having strong, regular contractions True contractions continue until the actual delivery. They typically get more intense and occur at shorter intervals as labour progresses. For instance, what starts out as more of a cramp-like feeling progresses into distinct contractions that may at first be 10 to eight minutes apart but later only five to three minutes apart.

You notice a discharge The cervix stays closed and plugged up with mucus during pregnancy, which is nature's way of protecting your baby from infection. As you progress toward labour, the cervix begins to dilate and soften in preparation for delivery, loosening the mucus which can measure up to a teaspoonful when it is dispelled either as a blob (called the mucus plug) or a runny smear.

You get diarrhoea During the early part of labour, your body begins to release prostaglandins, a group of -like substances that cause the to contract, helping the cervix to soften and dilate. These prostaglandins may simultaneously also hyper stimulate the bowels, causing frequent stools or even diarrhoea.

Your back really hurts You may have experienced some backache for months. However, if the pain becomes severe, you could be experiencing ’back labour’. Nearly one third of women experience this.

What to do when labour starts Call your doctor or the staff at the facility where you are booked to give birth and notify them that your labour has started. They will guide you on what to do, based on your specific circumstances. Remain as calm as possible as you enter this final stage of your pregnancy journey.