The classic preparation for childbirth, also known as the "preparation for childbirth without pain," has long been proven to be effective. Combining useful information, relaxing and breathing exercises, it will help relieve stress during childbirth.

Do not be afraid

This technique, which originated in Russia and was finalized in France by Dr. Lamaz, is based on several points. On the one hand, fears are born of ignorance, and by explaining to a woman what happens at the time of childbirth, most of them can be overcome. On the other hand, the belief that childbirth is a painful process confuses women. Prepared for this in advance, they, of course, will not forget about the pain, but will accept it as something inevitable.

Remember that all the difficulties that you experience during pregnancy and childbirth are temporary. They will soon be forgotten, and the wonderful moments of the first contacts with the baby will be remembered.

Many mothers can cope with pain with the realization that everything that happens to you is aimed at fulfilling the highest goal - to give life to your child.

When and with whom to start?

Classes are held in small groups, by midwives or doctors. Usually you are invited to them when you are in your seventh month of pregnancy. Some women are unhappy that these courses are not individual. Others regret that they did not start their visit earlier.

First lessons

The first classes are informative; they can sometimes be accompanied by slides: about your body, about pregnancy and the changes that it causes in the body of a woman. You can also be told about childbirth and various types of medical intervention (epidural anesthesia, episiotomy, cesarean section, placement of forceps, etc.).

A place

If the sessions are held in a clinic in which you have to give birth, you can get acquainted in advance with the medical team that will assist you, visit the maternity room and rooms of the baby’s material. You will also receive detailed information on the course of childbirth.

Learning to breathe and relax.

It is known that when we feel pain, whatever it may be, breathing is interrupted, the body and muscles are tensed. This chain reaction creates intense physical and mental stress, and the pain as a result is felt even more acutely.

Relaxation and breathing techniques will allow you to remain calm, “filled with oxygen” as soon as possible at the time of the first labor pains.

Relaxation

Exercises aimed at relaxation are performed most often in the supine position. They consist in the fact that you alternately relax all parts of the body. Performing these exercises also allows you to learn how to strain a certain muscle, which will "work" later, at the time of the fight.

Breath

During pregnancy, oxygen demand increases. During childbirth itself, when a period of active contraction of the muscles of the body begins, oxygen saturation becomes an even more important factor: a sufficient amount of oxygen allows you to relax tense muscles.

Respiratory techniques are physical exercises that help to saturate every cell in the body with oxygen. You learn to breathe deeply, inhaling through your nose and exhaling slowly through your mouth, pushing air out of your lungs to the end. The shallow and quick breathing of the "little dog" is no longer practiced. It can cause hyperventilation of the lungs and, as a result, a headache.

Caution, slippery surfaces

If you regularly perform relaxation exercises or do prenatal gymnastics at home, take care of a special rug or karemat to make training as comfortable and safe as possible. Never practice in socks or on a slippery floor without a non-slip coating; avoid shoes with slippery soles.

Learning to push hard

Breathing plays an important role at the time of attempts. In the last moments before the birth of the child, you will help him move along the birth canal. Push three times in each bout while exhaling or holding your breath. This exercise is advisable to do after the "half-bridge", the implementation of which helps to straighten the spine.

• Lie on your back, the legs of the slang are spread apart and pulled up to the stomach.
• Grasp your feet. Inhale deeply, filling the stomach with air first, then the chest. Exhale. Take a deep breath again while raising your head and upper back. Hold your breath (the diaphragm presses on the bottom of the uterus), then push, lifting your legs to your shoulders. The organs of the abdominal cavity will press down on the uterus, thereby helping the child to go down.

You can also push, releasing air with short exhalations.

Perineal gymnastics

To better prepare for the exile phase, you can strengthen your perineal muscles. To do this, start doing exercises from the fourth month of pregnancy and continue classes until childbirth.

• Stand on all fours, put your head on your hands, perineum muscles are relaxed.
• Lie on your back, put your legs on a chair. As you exhale, turn your left foot outward. Then, on inspiration, turn it in the opposite direction so that you get a vertical angle, straining the muscles of the perineum.

Sophrology and Yoga: Learning to Relax

Sofrology, which became widespread in the 1960s in Spain, is based on relaxation using the technique of hypnosis and auto-hypnosis, borrowed from yoga. As for yoga itself - this is philosophy, it is a search and knowledge of oneself. However, we are not going to make you a real “yoga” and force you to master difficult poses.

Sophrology: rest and trust

Preparation begins around the fifth month of pregnancy. You will need to find the mental strength and time. If you want to apply this technique after childbirth, you will do it once a week for 20 minutes, listening to the voice of the sophrologist and performing a set of exercises.

On the threshold of sleep

In a standing, sitting or lying position, you listen to a calm and measured voice and enter a state of drowsiness. This condition is similar to the one that occurs when you are almost asleep or have just woken up.

In other words, you are neither in a trance, nor under hypnosis. Moreover, you do not sleep, you are just completely relaxed. You also learn to breathe and relax various parts of the body.

During pregnancy, this technique will help you imagine the process of childbirth, stop being afraid of this moment and look at it from a positive point of view. After several weeks of regular exercise, it will be enough for you to close your eyes to remember a familiar voice and enter the desired state.

Fatigue Remedy

Half an hour in a half-awake state can compensate for two hours of full sleep, which is especially important in your current state. On the day the birth comes, you will use these techniques to breathe correctly and slowly and create the right atmosphere for the normal course of the process.

After childbirth

Sophrology will come in handy even after childbirth, during sleepless nights, when it will be necessary to compensate for the precious hours of sleep and restore emotional balance.
Yoga: for better balance

According to Dr. Frederick Lebuyer, who has widely used this technique in pregnant women, yoga is not just a system of exercises or a sport. This is a method; finding your own self.

Harmony of body and soul

Even if you have never done yoga before, pregnancy is a great opportunity to find out what it is. Taking certain poses and concentrating attention, you are trying to find or maintain harmony of soul and body. By moving different muscles and joints, you can ease your physical condition and find inner peace. Yoga classes help improve blood circulation, improve fetal oxygen saturation, and breathing exercises help you deal with stress.

Performing asanas has a beneficial effect on the perineum, preparing it for childbirth and helping to tidy the muscle of the tour after them.

In what rhythm?

Yoga sessions for pregnant women usually last one and a half to two hours and are held 1-2 times a week. You can also practice at home for 15-20 minutes every day.

Which center to choose?

When choosing a place to study, pay attention to the following factors.

Teaching Staff

You can choose who will conduct yoga sessions: an obstetrician with a special education, or a yoga teacher who adapts his classes for pregnant women. In any case, when choosing an instructor, pay attention to the availability of certificates confirming his qualifications, listen to the reviews of those who have already studied in his group. When meeting with the teacher, do not hesitate to ask him what direction of yoga he represents, and how it differs from everyone else.

What to bring to class?

• Comfortable, easily stretching, non-limiting clothing made of natural material (cotton, knitwear). The so-called alladin pants are great for practicing. Familiar fitness clothing is also suitable.
• As a rule, yoga instructors recommend doing barefoot, but if you prefer, you can wear socks.
• Replaceable shoes (in it you will walk around the territory of the fitness center).

There is no finished model

Yoga and the ability to relax are inseparable concepts. In a state of relaxation, you better feel your body and breathe correctly. Yoga is an individual path to self-awareness, and you should not blindly follow ready-made positions and formulas. You can change them according to your desires and sensations.

Adapted Poses

These are special postures designed to strengthen the muscles that work during childbirth. You will learn to go to bed, stand up and turn around without effort and pain. Recent sessions are focused on the period of labor and the period of expulsion of the fetus. These poses do not pose a danger to the fetus, but if you are not comfortable when performing this or that position, abandon it.

Three principles of relaxation

• Here are three basic principles of “dynamic relaxation.”
• Concentration. Focus on a single object inside or outside your body. For example, you can concentrate on your own breath or say a mantra to yourself. Listen to yourself. Such activities help cleanse the mind and help you take your body that changes during pregnancy for granted.
• Contemplation. Try to find your place among other people, be prepared for future changes and look forward to the birth of your baby.
• Meditation. By meditating and taking certain poses, you learn to concentrate and relax. This will help you a lot during childbirth, when increasing contractions will upset your inner balance.

Pregnant yoga poses help strengthen the muscles involved in childbirth.

Alternative techniques

Whatever methods you choose (classes in the pool, prenatal singing, music therapy, acupuncture), they will certainly benefit you and improve your physical and mental state. Classes can be held individually or in a group, the choice is up to you.

Preparation for childbirth in the pool: ease and well-being

In water, the body loses its weight, and you feel light, despite the weight gained. Exercises are easy and calm. In addition, water has a draining effect, removes heaviness in the legs and promotes better blood circulation. Water procedures will have a positive effect if you complain of sciatica, insomnia, and constipation. Finally, you will see other pregnant women around you and stop being embarrassed when you see your own body.

Learning to breathe deeply

The duration of the lesson is usually 1 hour, the group usually consists of 10 people. The main goal of these trainings is to acquire the right breathing skill, which will be needed at the end of the term and during childbirth. You will strengthen the muscles of the perineum and prepare them for work during the period of expulsion of the fetus. Also in the process of training you can learn various exercises for stretching and relaxation.

In complete safety

In order to engage in such groups, you do not have to be able to swim. Sessions are held in a specially designated place, the water temperature in the pool is 30 ° C. Particular attention is paid to compliance with hygiene rules. Before starting classes, you should get a medical certificate that there are no contraindications to water procedures.

Classes are held by a swimming coach or an obstetrician with a special education. When and in what rhythm to start is up to you.

Childbirth in the water?

Immersion in water can significantly alleviate pain from contractions, help to relax and even out breathing. Childbirth in water is practiced in some maternity hospitals and clinics - there are special rooms equipped with a bath or pool. The future father can be in the water with his wife: he sits down behind and helps the woman in the process of childbirth, supporting her under the armpits.

When to start preparing for childbirth?

• Classical training: from the 7th month.
• Yoga: from the 5-6th month or earlier, if you feel tired.
• Sofrology: closer to 5 months or earlier if you are worried about anxiety.
• Bonapas method: you can start in 6 months (4 sessions of 2 hours or 6 sessions of 1.5 hours).
• Pool: during the entire period of pregnancy.
• Prenatal singing: from the 1st trimester, when the fetus is able to pick up sounds through bone conduction. From the 5th month he begins to hear with his ears.
• Music therapy: you can start at any time, but best from the 6th month.
• Haptonomia: from the 4th month, that is, shortly before the expectant mother begins to feel the first movements of the fetus.
• Acupuncture: you can start at any time, but it is especially important to go through the sessions in the last three weeks. This will help restore the energy balance in the body, gain confidence and calm before childbirth.

Prenatal singing: vocalises in a close circle

Impact on mom and baby

Prenatal singing has a beneficial effect on breathing, tone of the abdominal muscles, muscles of the perineum and pelvis. It allows you to express your feelings of anxiety and anxiety not through words, but through sounds. A child surrounded by these sounds is able to perceive them well. First, he hears the mother’s voice thanks to bone conduction, then, starting from the 5th month, through the ears, he reacts differently to different sounds: it depends on their timbre, melody and pitch. During the session, the child sways gently from the movements of your body, your voice “envelops” it and soothes.

How do the sessions go

You can start at any time and engage in a group. Classes begin with light pats on the body to warm it up and open all areas. This is followed by several exercises to warm up the voice, and then the singing begins. Unfortunately, in France there are few antenatal clinics organizing prenatal singing sessions. If you are unable to attend such classes, you can enroll in a choir or find a singing teacher specializing in psychophony.

After the birth of a baby, you can continue to sing to him the melodies that you sang when he was still in his stomach. This is a great way to calm him down.

Acupuncture: We Energy Saving

Despite the fact that acupuncture cannot be called a prenatal technique in its purest form, it can be perfectly combined with other techniques. Acupuncture is used during pregnancy, but so far it is rarely used to relieve pain during childbirth.

In short, acupuncture should support and restore the energy flow in the body.

According to Chinese medicine, our body has 14 so-called "meridians", through which the energy of "qi" flows. Eastern healers divide the meridians into two systems - yin and yang - 7 meridians each. In total, there are more than 800 biologically active points. If the meridians are in integrity, the qi energy flows freely along them, which means that a person is healthy and feels cheerful, full of vitality. If the meridians are damaged, the qi energy stagnates and cannot flow easily through the channels, then the person feels tired, and chronic diseases may appear in him. Acupuncture sessions activate energy production and contribute to its proper distribution.

With the help of acupuncture, you can restore the proper functioning of all internal organs. A properly conducted acupuncture session raises the mood, helps to cope with pain and aches in the body, improves blood circulation and stimulates metabolism.

The use of acupuncture during pregnancy carries a special meaning. During childbirth, the energy balance in a woman’s body changes: the yang energy collected in the gas region turns into yin. This transition is very important. Everything will go better, the more harmonious a woman felt before and during pregnancy.

Preparation of muscles of the perineum and cervix

The ideal option would be to use acupuncture at the stage of pregnancy planning, but you can start at any time. Preparation for childbirth is carried out in the last three weeks, at the rate of one session per week.

In two weeks, the preparation of the perineal muscles begins, and one week before the deadline, the maturation of the cervix can be accelerated.

There are other indications for the use of acupuncture in obstetrics. For example, if you need to change the position of the fetus and reduce pain during childbirth. But this practice is rarely used in Russia.

What do the doctor do?

A doctor (obstetrician-gynecologist) inserts thin needles into different parts of the body, except for the abdominal region. Needles are left in energetically active points for 15-20 minutes.

This is an almost painless procedure. The first sensations may seem a little strange, but your fears will soon pass, only the feeling of complete relaxation will remain.

Music Therapy: Preparing with Music

Music can have the same deep relaxing effect as yoga. Low sounds, for example, the sound of double bass, have a relaxing and soporific effect on the fetus. Therefore, music is sometimes combined with other types of preparation for childbirth - sophrologist Ney and singing.

Low and high sounds

The method consists in a combination of listening to various musical passages by a mother, in recording or “live”, and playing sounds of various heights in her own voice.

Low sounds train your breath and saturate the blood with oxygen; high - strengthen the muscles of the perineum. The purpose of such sessions is not only to learn! relax, but also develop a child’s hearing.

Classes begin around the sixth month, but you can start earlier. It all depends on desire. You can study alone, with family or in a group.

Technique Julie Bonapas: active dad

In developing her approach, Julie Bonapas resorted to methods of acupuncture and studied the effect of stimulation of certain points of the body on the state of the body. Her own method appeared in the early 1990s. It can be useful as a complement to the classic preparation for childbirth. However, the technique is still little known in the world, and you may encounter a situation where there will be no specialist in this method in your city.

What is its originality? The future dad is actively involved in the birth process.

The technique is based on the following principle: you can reduce the intensity of pain by pressing with your fingers on certain points located on our body (something like acupuncture without the use of needles), as well as using massage and relaxation.

Massage and finger pressure

Your husband can learn to find what are called “trigger zones”.

These eight points are located on the arms, legs, sacrum and buttocks; your partner will click on them during childbirth to help you deal with the pain. The goal of the Bonapas method is to create a second sensitive place and act on it so that the brain produces endorphins.

Your partner can also learn how to massage the lumbar region so that during childbirth you can help relax your tense back muscles after each bout.

I read many books about pregnancy, and I had a clear opinion about how the birth process itself should proceed. But in fact, I'm afraid at some point to lose control over myself due to pain and miss something, after which everything will go wrong as planned

Learn to let go of the situation

Of course, you would like the team of doctors to carefully deal with you and your baby. And if you are used to always and in everything controlling the situation, you will want to maintain this control here, preparing yourself for childbirth in advance, building trust with a doctor and obstetrician even before childbirth.

But you need to accept the fact that during childbirth you will not be in charge of the process: you will not make the decision to conduct an episiotomy, if there is a risk of rupture, you will not decide whether or not to give you epidural anesthesia - these questions should be decided by a team of doctors: obstetrician, anesthetist and other representatives of medical personnel.

You must “let go of the occasion” at the right time — it will be better for you and your child. This is a very important point, and you need to prepare yourself for it in advance. Calm down and accept this fact, trust professionals who have more experience.

Singing has a beneficial effect on breathing, strengthens the muscles of the abdominal cavity, and this is a great way to get rid of fears and anxieties.

The main participant in the birth process is a pregnant woman, it will depend on her how the birth will take place. It is very important to prepare for them physically and psychologically in advance in order to come to give birth and not be afraid of anything. Of course, you won’t be able to completely get rid of pain and fear, especially for those who are waiting for the first-born, but to gather all their will into a fist, tune in and give birth to a healthy and strong baby will definitely come out. In this article, we will tell women what you need to know about childbirth and how to prepare for them correctly.

Pregnancy and childbirth - this is a very big burden on the female body, to cope with which the future mother will help only good physical preparation. Every woman must always pay attention to sports in her life, not only in order to have a beautiful and fit figure, but also to make it easier for her in childbirth.

Of course, during pregnancy, a woman cannot afford to go to the gym, pump the press and perform heavy physical exertion, but she needs to do as much as possible to move, walk, swim in the pool and perform special exercises to prepare for childbirth. You can learn how to do them at home yourself, because a huge number of relevant video lessons are published on the Internet, or you can sign up at the fitness center, where pregnant women are given courses for childbirth.

If you decide to study at home yourself, then we will tell you a set of training classes that you need to perform every day. All of them are aimed at preparing the muscles of the intimate area for childbirth. In medicine, they received the name "Kegel gymnastics":

1. First you need to learn how to strain and relax the vaginal and anus muscles. It is very simple - imagine that you specifically retain urine while urinating. To do this, you need to either lie on your side or sit in any position convenient for you and try to perform the exercise. Doctors recommend starting to practice it from the 15th week of pregnancy, when the placenta has fully formed, and there is no threat of abortion. It is advisable to perform this exercise at least 30 times a day. They will help the woman prepare the cervix for childbirth and the perineum to avoid tears during natural childbirth. After such an exercise, you can lubricate the perineum with Weleda oil, an excellent remedy that is recommended for all women preparing for childbirth (it is a prophylactic for tears).

Important! Closer to the date of delivery, the doctor may prescribe you to take special pills that prepare the cervix for childbirth (they will have a softening effect on it). In no case should they be taken earlier so that the pregnancy does not end.

1. It is also very important to perform exercises for stretching the muscles of the perineum. It will be enough if you are within 10 minutes. every day you will do one of the following:

• stand with your back to the chair, grip it firmly with your hands to firmly stand on your feet, and then do not sharp, but smooth lifts with each leg first to the side and then forward - when you raise the leg forward, you can bend it a little in the knee (try while raising your legs as high as possible);
• spread your legs as wide as possible, and then do a slow deep squat (while springing for a few seconds), and then slowly rise to its original position;
• squat down, stretch your arms forward to maintain balance, and then first put one foot to the side, swaying a little on it and transferring all its weight to it, and then do the same thing on the other leg;
• stand straight, firmly pressing your heels to each other - in this position you need to try to sit down without lifting your heels off the floor, keeping your back straight;
• squat down and just walk around the room in gander for 5-10 minutes;
• during the day when you will do some homework, sit in the pose of a butterfly or a frog.

If you correctly perform all the exercises that we have described to you, then you will only benefit yourself from this:

• strengthen your cardiovascular system
• help your baby develop in the womb
• help boost your own immunity
• prepare your body for the physical stresses that you will have to go through during childbirth
• reduce the likelihood of complications during labor
• can recover quickly after you give birth

Just be sure to keep in mind that you should not overwork and get tired. If you feel that it’s already very hard for you, then just stop and go outside to get some air, just walk around slowly. In general, it is advisable if you are not sure that you can cope with the exercises at home, to be led by a trainer who will take into account your preliminary physical preparation, especially the course of pregnancy and your state of health. At any moment, a professional will provide you with qualified assistance so that you avoid the negative consequences of training.

In addition to special gymnastics, a pregnant woman must attend massage sessions that:

• relieve muscle tension in her lower back and legs
• contribute to the prevention of edema
• improve blood circulation so that the child does not suffer from a lack of oxygen
• give energy to the expectant mother and add good mood

In addition, you must prepare your breasts for breastfeeding yourself. To prevent mastitis during lactation and cracks on the nipples, you need to do the following beforehand:

• take a contrast shower more often - it perfectly massages the nipples;
• rub your nipples with ice cubes;
• rub your breasts gently with a bath towel;
• walk around the house with your chest open as often as possible so that it breathes;
• ask your husband, although you can completely cope on your own, pull the nipples so that they get an elongated shape.

By the way, in the process of preparing for childbirth and breastfeeding, you can also use special oil. Just go to the pharmacy and find out which remedy will help you on your due date.

Respiratory preparation for childbirth

Every person should have the ability to breathe correctly. It is important not only to inhale and exhale air, but also to fill them with all internal organs, every cell of your body, in order to feel good. It is especially important to be able to do it for pregnant women who are responsible for the supply of oxygen to the body not only for themselves, but also for the man growing in their tummy.

According to the reviews of women who have been trained for childbirth, you need to learn how to breathe correctly in order to alleviate your pain during labor. Do breathing exercises very carefully, because dizziness and nausea may occur. What you can learn to do on your own at home:

• Place your hands on the ribs, and then take a deep breath with your nose, and then exhale as deeply, but through your mouth. So you will train chest breathing.
• To develop diaphragmatic breathing, you need to learn how to breathe air through the diaphragm, and exhale, redirecting the entire load on the stomach. Inhalation should occur within 5 seconds, and exhale within 7 seconds.
• It is equally important to train rhythmic breathing. Everything is simple here: inhale deeply the air with your chest, hold it for 3 seconds, and then take a deep breath.
• It is very important to learn how to breathe correctly in a doglike manner. Get on all fours, stick out your tongue and breathe often. If you do this during the birth process (meaning during the longest and most painful stage), then it will be much easier for you to survive this difficult stage.

Childbirth: psychological preparation

Pregnancy is not only a physical burden on the body, but also a psychological one. In women, hormones that affect the non-psycho-emotional system constantly make themselves felt. The expectant mother can cause her to cry, get nervous, act up, and then calm down dramatically. But if in the process of bearing a child this is not very scary, then during childbirth it will be necessary to reorganize and calm down. Therefore, psychologists recommend that for every 9 months every woman who expects the birth of a baby take psychological training for childbirth. They help a woman not only put her nervous system in order, but also realize that she will soon become a mother.

What else can help a pregnant woman to prepare for childbirth before she gets to the hospital:

1. Sign up for a group for pregnant women, which conducts classes on various topics related to childbirth and caring for the baby. Talking with women who are in the same position as you will benefit you.
2. Read as many different books as possible, participate in forums and discussions. Engage in self-education to feel more confident when you give birth. Of course, because of stress, you can forget something, but after you see your baby on your chest, you will immediately remember everything.
3. Go to yoga. It will help you to properly adjust to childbirth, imagine them, visualize the moment when your baby appears, who with its tiny arms will hug you.
4. Relax more often. Go for a walk, listen to pleasant music, relax, get positive emotions in order to always feel balanced and calm.

Try to prepare for childbirth comprehensively during pregnancy, but if something does not work out, do not be discouraged. All knowledge will come to you with experience in the process of educating a little man. The main thing is to take care of your health, because the well-being of the child, which counts on you, depends on you.

Video: “Preparation for childbirth through the eyes of a pediatrician”

Having a baby is a special crucial step for future parents. That is why a man and a woman must do everything so that the baby comes into this world desirable, healthy and happy.

Physical preparation of pregnant women for childbirth

Exercise during pregnancy is a good way to keep yourself in good shape, strengthen muscles and prepare for future stress during childbirth. If a woman was actively involved in sports before pregnancy, then in the first four months she can not leave her usual activities. However, after that it is worth reducing the load and moving on to simple gymnastics.

General rules for doing exercises

In the gym room you need good bright lighting and fresh air. A woman should buy a gym mat and a special suit. You need to exercise in a calm rhythm, measured, constantly monitor breathing and pulse (it should not be more than eighty beats). The exercises themselves should not be given hard. After doing the gymnastics it is worth sitting a little in a relaxed state.

Exercise complex

1. Sit on the floor. As you inhale, raise your hand to the ceiling, stretch. Then slowly, exhaling, bend it at the elbow and lower it down. Change hands. Perform 3 times.
2. Get on all fours and relax your back. Exhale with your torso forward to tighten your back muscles. Freeze for five seconds. Exhale and then take the original pose. Repeat exercise 5 times.
3. Sit on the floor, pull your legs as close as possible. Put your hands on your knees, as if trying to spread them apart. Relax and maintain this position for ten seconds. Repeat 4 times.
4. The same position as in the previous exercise. Just now connect the feet and pull them towards you. Grasp your knees, try to spread them apart so that your hands interfere with this. Hold out for five seconds, then relax. Do 4 times.
5. On inspiration, slowly raise your right shoulder up and to the right, make a semicircle and stop. Then take your shoulder back down and to the left. Make a circle. Repeat the same movements with the second shoulder. Try to repeat at least 4 times.
6. Stand in front of the wall, stretch your arms in front of you. Touch the wall and lean forward. Bend your arms at the elbow joints without taking your feet off the floor.
7. Place your hand on the wall, standing sideways to it. Bend your leg, and with your free hand touch the knee. Try to bend to the knee so that the back takes the form of a wheel. Freeze for a while. Take the starting position.

The benefits of this complex

When performing this simple set of exercises, a woman can significantly reduce tension in the back and pelvis, stretch the back muscles, and relieve pain in the neck and shoulders. Gymnastics will enhance blood circulation in the limbs, strengthen the muscles of the pelvis and buttocks. And, most importantly, even light physical activity will help to cheer up and tone up many of the muscles of the body of the future mother.

Preparing pregnant women for childbirth

How can a natural and painless labor be achieved? This completely logical question worries all those women who expect a small miracle and are approaching this long-awaited moment every day. The answer is quite simple. This is the preparation! First of all, this is psychological preparation. It is necessary to overcome all fears and simply not be afraid, because fear causes tension in the body, which in turn causes severe pain. Pain entails fear. It turns out just a vicious circle, because fear and pain are interconnected. The worse, the more painful.

The human body is structured in such a way that any negative emotions, including tension, aggression, and irritation, command the brain to produce catecholamine. This hormone is called the stress hormone. It has a negative effect on the woman’s body, that is, it constrains her movements, which leads to great pain during contractions.

Therefore, pregnant women need to learn to relax in advance in order to avoid painful childbirth. Training is best done to the sounds of your favorite music, as your favorite tunes allow you to relax the most. The higher the degree of relaxation, the better the effectiveness of the contractions. During the fights, it is best to tune in to a positive wave, and think about something good. This will maximize relax your body and relieve muscle tension.

Women who have passed through childbirth can confidently say that contractions are increasing in nature and are more felt in the sacral region, as well as in the abdomen. Contraction is a strong muscle tension.

Constantly thinking about pain in the brain, a program for pain is laid. This aggravates the sensations and therefore you should direct your consciousness in a completely different direction.

It is all possible. For example, during the exercise, there comes a moment when, it seems, there is no more strength left. But something makes us completely switch our attention and there is a feeling of a new surge of strength.

In general, the fight itself should not be perceived as severe pain, but as simple muscle tension. If you configure yourself in the right way, then the process of having a baby will be much faster and easier. This has already been proved not only by scientific research, but also by the personal experience of women in childbirth.

If a woman feels insecure, then it is worth going to special courses for expectant mothers, which can be called differently and work in maternity wards, maternity hospitals, etc. Not only the expectant mother, but also the future father can come to such courses.

Program for preparing pregnant women for childbirth

Key topics for pregnant courses

• Moral preparation for future birth and the appearance of the baby.
• Relaxation skills between contractions.
• Breathing exercises (will help to maintain strength during contractions).
• Preparation for partner birth.
• How to care for a newborn baby (bathing, feeding).
• How to breastfeed a newborn.
• Legal and organizational preparation: how to get sick leave, leave, benefits from the state.

A school for preparing for childbirth is also communicating with other pregnant girls, discussing problems, and a collective search for solutions to them. The training of expectant mothers is carried out by various specialists: obstetricians, psychologists, pediatricians, fitness instructors, lawyers.

Proper preparation of pregnant women for childbirth is the key to the birth of a healthy baby. Upcoming labor is no less important than bearing a child for 9 months. A physically and psychologically prepared pregnant woman is able to control her behavior, reduce pain during contractions, prevent the baby from oxygen starvation during childbirth, and promote the work of an obstetrician doctor in every way.

Numerous preparation courses for childbirth, which you can come with the father of the unborn child, are called upon to help a woman decide. Group or individual lessons help a woman to reveal all the nuances of an upcoming event.

Prenatal preparation is especially important if the current pregnancy is the first.

Preparing pregnant women for childbirth

Physical training continues throughout pregnancy:

• tempering procedures provide a preventive complex not only to counteract the diseases of the pregnant woman herself, but also protect the unborn baby from diseases;
• special physical exercises help increase the elasticity of the muscles of the peritoneum, vagina and perineum, which will undergo increased stress during labor;
• mandatory preparation of a woman for childbirth includes a set of breathing exercises that help to breathe properly during contractions and attempts;
• it is necessary to prepare the breast for feeding the baby in order to avoid the formation of painful cracks in the nipples.

Preparation for childbirth: what you need

• walk in the fresh air for at least 30 minutes daily;
• visit the pool at least 1-2 times a week;
• use a contrast shower, alternating cool water with moderately hot;
• take air baths in warm weather;
• do rubbing with a wet sponge followed by rubbing the skin of the body with a dry towel until red.

Recommended Pregnancy Exercise Pack

Preparation for an easy birth with the help of physical exercises is to protect the perineum, cervix from tearing:

• stand facing the back of the chair, holding both hands, you should swing your leg to the side to the maximum available height. After 5-6 times the legs are recommended to alternate;
• crouch on legs wide apart, performing spring downward movements in the lower position;
• walk with a goose step;
• alternately compress and relax the muscles of the vagina, lingering in each position for 1 minute;
• raise the leg bent at the knee joint to the chest as high as possible. Alternate limbs after 5-6 times;
• starting from week 30, massage with any vegetable oil of the perineum should be applied to prevent it from rupturing during childbirth.

Exercises should be done, taking into account the physical capabilities of women. Do not be zealous if fatigue appears.

The complex of strength exercises for pregnant women necessarily requires coordination with a gynecologist.

Preparing a mother for childbirth

Breathing exercises help prevent toxicosis, nausea, circulatory failure, and low blood oxygen levels.

Breathing exercises in preparation for childbirth:

• fixing the position of both hands on the ribs, a deep breath is taken and exhaled;
• breathing with the support of a given rhythm: inhalation-exhalation takes 5 seconds, the delay between them is 2 seconds;
• frequent breaths should be taken for 1-2 minutes;
• use of the diaphragm method of breathing with the stomach.

Put your hand on your stomach, controlling its movements: on a slow breath, the stomach sticks out to the maximum, on a full exhalation it falls off.

Ideally, the exercise is repeated as many times as a woman's full age. But during pregnancy, you should start with 1-2 approaches, gradually increasing the amount in 2-3 days.

Nipple preparation

To prevent cracking of the nipples with frequent feeding of the baby, it is recommended to take all available preventive measures:

• taking a shower, it is recommended to direct a rarefied stream of water to the area of \u200b\u200bthe nipples;
• alternate cool and hot water during water procedures;
• sew a piece of burlap into the bra from the wrong side;
• rub the nipples with a terry cloth;
• do stretching exercises, simulating the movements of the baby when feeding.

Cracks in the nipples expose the baby to the risk of infection, while causing pain to the mother.

Psychoprophylactic preparation for childbirth

Preparation for childbirth is inconceivable without a woman’s psychological attitude towards the normal result of the birth process. Fears and phobias will pass without a trace, if a woman in labor carefully examines the upcoming maternity process, she knows what is best to do in each case, so as not to endanger the life and health of the child in vain. Significant assistance is provided by preparation courses for childbirth, which are attended by specialists in their field of high category. Usually the staff includes teachers psychologists, experienced doctors who know everything about childbirth.

The psychology of a pregnant woman undergoes various changes in connection with the following factors:

• emotions prevail over the mind in connection with a change in hormonal balance;
• fear of responsibility for the baby’s life, fear of doing something wrong;
• fear of the patrimonial process due to lack of knowledge;
• doubt about the competence of medical personnel;
• self-doubt.

Prevention of childbirth includes:

1. Communicating with other pregnant women who are going to have a procedure for the first time, or who already have similar experience, helps you choose suitable preparation courses for childbirth. Among the variety of ways in which you can give birth to a child, you need to choose one that is most suitable. Then decide on the choice of teachers who are able to skillfully prepare a woman for childbirth, talk about caring for the baby in the postpartum period.
2. Preparation for childbirth can independently be carried out by reading special literature, which is presented on the shelves of bookstores, on the Internet, in public libraries. Each expectant mother selects all books to read according to her interests and commitments.
3. Childbirth, psychological preparation is unthinkable without auto-training techniques. Repeating daily phrases that the current pregnancy will end with the successful birth of a healthy baby, you can program all the upcoming events with a happy ending. For the best effect, it’s useful to write posters with positive phrases, placing them in such a way that you can read what was written, doing various daily activities: in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in the hallway, in the room. Gradually, a person himself believes in attitudes.
4. Visualization of childbirth helps keep you in a good mood. Imagining the future successful completion of the birth process, a healthy laughing baby, a trouble-free future, a woman avoids stress and anxiety, which can negatively affect the course of pregnancy.
5. No less important is the psychological mood of the woman carrying the baby. If possible, you need to pamper yourself with goodies, go on a visit, walk on the street, devote time to your favorite pastime. All this helps to get rid of panic fear of the upcoming event.

Full-fledged preparation for childbirth, what you need to know about the anatomical features of the female body at the time of birth, helps a woman in labor to get rid of her own insecurity and panic.

Labor activity occurs in each woman individually, but usually lasts from 2 to 20 hours. The first pregnancy has a longer process than subsequent ones. The generic process is divided into 3 periods:

1. The cervix begins to open, reaching a size of about 10 cm. The process is accompanied by painful contractions, which are gradually separated by a shorter time interval. This is the main part of prenatal preparation, lasting from several hours to several days.
2. Then attempts begin, with the help of which the woman’s body tries to push the baby out. If the child’s place does not tear on its own, so that amniotic fluid flows, it is pierced with a special device. The greatest pain accompanies the process of moving the baby along the birth canal. Attempts last about 30 minutes.
3. The patrimonial process is completed by the passage of the child's place, which is completely painless. At this point, the woman can relax and rest.

During labor, a woman will benefit from all the knowledge gained in the courses or on her own.

Accompanying the maternity process with proper breathing, maintaining calm, following all the orders of the doctor, the woman protects herself and the baby from harmful consequences.

Planning your desired pregnancy

The birth of a child is a significant event in the life of every family, so it is important that the pregnancy be preplanned.

To exclude the risks of giving birth to a weak baby, one should prepare for childbirth six months before conception:

• normalize your diet by switching to natural products without harmful ingredients. Your menu must be equipped with all the necessary components for the development of the baby in the form of fats, carbohydrates and proteins;
• be sure to walk at least 3 km daily. This helps to pacify, strengthen the nervous system of the child;
• according to the doctor’s appointment, it is necessary to take vitamins useful for the full physical and mental development of the child;

If you decide not to agree on a birth with a specific doctor and did not choose a specific maternity hospital, while your pregnancy proceeds without complications and does not require early hospitalization, the ambulance will take you to the maternity hospital on duty (the main thing is to call a medical team when first contractions).

If the pregnancy goes well, then already at the 39th week the pregnant body begins to intensively prepare for the birth of the baby. On the eve of childbirth, the following changes in the body of a pregnant woman are observed:

• Pressure on all organs, and the bladder is most affected.
• The appearance of nervousness.
• The appearance of bloody from the genital tract.
• Minor weight loss.
• Departure of the mucous plug.
•   or liquefaction of the chair.
• Increased appetite.

  The following signs indicate the onset of direct labor activity:

•   lower abdomen
• constantly intensifying frequent contractions occurring at equal time intervals,
• discharge of amniotic fluid.

  When these signs appear, you can safely go to the maternity hospital.

Natural birth preparation

  This option is chosen, which does not involve surgical intervention and drug stimulation, extremely responsible future mothers who think about the health of their child and take into account the negative consequences that a stimulated birth can lead to.

Baby benefits

• Low risk of developing respiratory diseases. So, the compression of the chest of the baby helps to prepare the lungs for independent breathing.
• Stimulation of the cardiovascular system.
• Getting protective during passage through the birth canal. Such bacteria, colonizing in, play a crucial role in the formation of balanced.
• Readiness for the emotional contact of the baby with his mother. The fact is that during natural birth, the baby receives endorphins, which help to quickly and comfortably adapt to life outside the womb.
• The information that gets crumbs during childbirth is minimized.
• Elimination of the negative effects of drugs used for cesarean section and stimulation of labor.
• Contact with the skin of the baby and mother. This contact is responsible for the exchange of necessary hormones.

Benefits for Mother

• Fast recovery of the body.
• The shortest stay within the walls of the hospital.
• An emotional upsurge due to the fact that a woman was able to give birth on her own (this positively affects the psychological state of the woman in labor).
• Absence or minimization of the risk of complications in future births.
• Exception postoperative.
• Putting the baby on the mother’s chest immediately after birth.

Contraindications

• A narrow pelvis or its abnormal forms that impede the passage of the child.
• The presence of a tumor or cicatricial changes on, in the vagina and perineum.
•   in the area of \u200b\u200bthe vagina and vulva.
• Transverse or oblique position of the fetus in the womb.
• Placenta previa, which overlaps the internal uterine pharynx.
• Too much mass of the fetus and a delay in its development.
• Umbilical cord presentation.
• The presence of severe placental insufficiency, that is, a condition in which the function of the placenta is impaired, which entails its structural changes.
• Various diseases in the presence of which childbirth is dangerous for the state of health of both the woman and the child (we are talking about a high degree, post-traumatic, infectious diseases, vaginal,).
• The presence of large sizes.
• Unreadiness of the cervix to the process of childbirth during full-term pregnancy
• Preceding births performed using cesarean section.

  All of these signs are indications for cesarean section (otherwise, the risk of birth complications is extremely high).

Birth pain
  Many women do not want to give birth naturally (that is, with minimal drug intervention), because they are afraid of labor pain, which performs an important function during childbirth.

During contractions (in the absence of the use of medications), natural pain relief occurs, greatly facilitating labor. During such anesthesia, analgesic hormones are released into the blood of the woman in labor, stopping or reducing the onset of pain.

It is labor pain that activates maternal instinct. Please note that the baby also experiences pain at birth, in addition, this process cannot be anesthetized. Therefore, mothers who want to live together with this child this difficult and painful moment, often refuse.

Finally, labor pain activates the mechanisms of the so-called bonding (or non-verbal communication between mother and newborn), which brings mother and baby closer together.

Partnership preparation

  To date, partner birth is a fairly common occurrence, since the birth of a child is undoubtedly one of the most important events in the life of any family. However, the decision “to give birth with her husband” must be approached as responsibly as possible, since for an unprepared man the process of procreation can be a real shock.
Partnership Terms

1. The desire of the husband. Moreover, it is important that he himself take the initiative, and not succumb to the persuasion of his wife. If the husband is categorically against being present at the birth, you should not convince him of this, let him better prepare the family nest for the arrival from the maternity hospital of his wife and baby.

1. Family harmony. A woman in labor should not be shy to seem unattractive to her husband at the time of delivery or too aggressive.

1. Preparedness of the husband. Before deciding on joint labor, it is advisable to familiarize the husband with the stages of the course of labor. Special courses for pregnant couples, video materials, special literature, as well as a conversation with a doctor who will be giving birth will help in this. The husband must understand that his task is not just to be in the same room with his giving birth to a soul mate, but also to actively participate in the sacrament of the birth of the baby (we are talking about both physical and moral support).

1. The absence of fear of blood, at the sight of which a man should not lose consciousness or self-control.

1. Positive attitude. The husband must clearly understand that childbirth is real magic.

1. The readiness of both parents for certain discrepancies in the course of the birth process with already established ideas. So, childbirth can pass quickly, and can drag on for several days, can be painless, and can be accompanied by severe pain. The main thing is to strictly follow the instructions of the medical staff.

1. A set of tests passed by her husband, as well as necessary things. So, men who have tested for RW and HIV, HBS and HCV, as well as undergoing fluorography, are allowed in the maternity room. Some maternity hospitals may require therapist’s opinion regarding her husband’s health status. Of the things the future dad should take removable shoes, a bottle of water, something to eat (childbirth may be delayed), a camera or a video camera, a disposable bathrobe, a medical cap, a gauze bandage.

Husband's practical help
  There are three periods of childbirth: labor, childbirth, expulsion of the afterbirth. At each of these stages, the husband should behave differently, but the main thing is to maintain calm and self-control.

Contractions
  This is the first and longest period of childbirth, during which a nearby husband helps to establish the regularity of contractions. So, if in 30 minutes there are three to four contractions, you can go to the hospital. Within the walls of the maternity ward, the husband helps the woman in labor to comfortably settle in.

Being with his wife in the prenatal ward, the husband should encourage her, set her on a positive outcome of childbirth. At this time, it is very important to properly set up the wife’s breathing, which can go astray due to pain. And here the husband by personal example should establish the rhythm and pace of breathing, which will be copied by the woman in labor. Inhalation is through the nose, and exhalation is through the mouth. It is proper breathing that nourishes the body with oxygen, calming the pain syndrome.

During the birth of a pregnant woman, it is advisable not to drink water. But to dissolve a piece of ice or moisten your lips with water is quite possible. And here, the husband’s help is invaluable, especially if the woman in labor experiences severe pain that does not allow her to independently move around the ward.

But still the main task of the husband is to alleviate prenatal and birth pain. To do this, it is recommended to do anesthetic massage, consisting of the following manipulations:

• lightly stroking the lower abdomen,
• more intensive stroking of the sacro-lumbar region with palms or fists,
• pressure on small symmetrical dimples, which are located on the coccyx (directly above the buttocks),
• massaging the inner thighs.

  To reduce pain, you need to walk more during contractions. And here, the husband’s help is invaluable, because who, if not him, will give you his strong shoulder, will listen to complaints and groans. With increasing contractions, the woman in labor often changes her location, so the husband should be prepared for such manipulations.

Birth of a child
  This stage is characterized by the appearance of attempts (or contractions of the uterus), contributing to the advancement of the child directly along the birth canal. With the advent of attempts, a woman in labor is transferred to the Rodzal or laid on a special chair. The husband at this time helps to take the correct position: so, the head of the woman giving birth should be bent so that the chin is near the chest. Now the husband takes a place at the head of the chair and continues to breathe correctly with the woman in labor. In addition, he becomes the link between the medical staff and the woman in labor (often the husband obeys better than doctors).

It is important to talk with a woman in labor, to encourage her, while wiping the sweat from her forehead and carefully listening to the instructions of the doctors. The result of well-coordinated joint activities of the couple and the medical staff is the birth of the long-awaited baby. With this dad, a large part falls, consisting in cutting the umbilical cord!

Expulsion of the afterbirth
  This stage of childbirth is already without the participation of her husband, who at this time is busy with his newborn baby and various organizational issues related to the transfer of mother and baby to the postpartum ward.

Partnership childbirth allows the child from the very first minutes of his stay outside the womb to feel a close connection not only with his mother, but also with his father!

It should be borne in mind that today there is no such legal basis that would completely and fully control the activities of maternal schools that are not medical organizations. For this reason, no one checks how and what is taught at such courses, because the services they provide are called “educational activities”, which do not require a license. Therefore, it is extremely rare for pregnant women dissatisfied with courses to present their claims at the legal and legal levels.

Conclusion: it is necessary to approach the choice of courses, schools and centers for pregnant women with the maximum degree of responsibility, checking the education of instructors and doctors, because often the role of doctors, psychologists and teachers are people who have nothing to do with these professions.