10 Things To Do In Your Last Month Of Pregnancy

Hitting that final month in your pregnancy is a milestone. Excitement, nerves, anxiety all kick into high gear with the realization that, after all these months of waiting, your baby will be here pretty darn soon. If the month of your due date has finally arrived, these are a few things to start doing in order to get yourself ready for B-Day... and none of them have anything to do with packing a hospital bag.

1. Practice Your Breathing

Hopefully you’ve been doing this for several weeks already but, if you haven’t, it’s time to get started!

• Concentrate on taking slow, deep breaths. Inhale for four counts; exhale for four counts. Breath in through your nose until you feel your belly rise and back out through your mouth. Channel your inner horse (now that’s a strange phrase) and let your lips flap together. Do me a favour and actually do this, okay? Then it won’t feel so foreign when you’re doing it IRL.

2. Relax Yo’ Face

Training your body to release and relax will benefit you big time when you’ve started the birth process. Why? Because coaxing your body into a state of relaxation is KEY to labour efficiently.

• Several times a day, roll your shoulders back and pull your shoulder blades down and back. Let your arms hang like spaghetti noodles. Shake out your legs. Loosen your jaw and let your mouth gently hang. Visualize your entire face drooping as a result of being soooo relaxed.

3. Don’t Stop Moving

I know that the last month of pregnancy is a doozy. Things are, like, unnaturally heavy which causes a strain on the rest of your body. You feel sore. Your hormones are working overtime as your body prepares for birth which means you’re exhausted, irritable and maybe even nauseous. All that aside, don’t give in to the urge to spend the next 4 weeks (or so) horizontal. This may not be what you want to hear but I’m going to say it anyways: stay on your feet as much as you can! Stay active to keep your body loose (as opposed to tight). It doesn’t have to be intense to be beneficial! Keep moving in whatever way works for you.

• Walks - slow or brisk - are great. If it’s cold outside, go to a mall and do laps.

• If you’re still able to exercise, there’s no reason to stop. Keep goin’, you #fitmom, you! Just remember to be aware of how everything feels. If it hurts, stop immediately. Now is not the time to push it.

• Pick a few gentle yoga poses and do them every night to keep your muscles limber (also another chance to practice breathing).

4. Rest

So I just finished telling you to not stop moving and now I’m telling you to rest? As much as your body needs to keep moving, it also needs physical rest to rejuvenate itself in order to prepare for the marathon of birth.

• During the day (nighttime doesn’t count), follow the 50/50 rule - 50% rest and 50% moving. If that sounds like too much, aim for 60/40.

5. Visit Your Chiropractor

Okay, so a little bias of mine (if you want to call it that) is that I love chiropractors, especially during pregnancy. If you’re only going to see a chiro at one point in your life, as you approach your due date is the time to do it. They can adjust your body so that your pelvis is properly aligned. It’s a very gentle process (please find a chiropractor who is trained in Webster’s Technique). Often our pelvis shifts, or even twists, during pregnancy. Making sure your pelvis is aligned correctly can make for easier passage for your baby when the time comes.

• Time your appointments strategically so that you will be able to get two visits in before your due date (earlier if this is your second baby). Aim to have both appointments completed by 38 weeks or just over. Schedule another one for your 40 week mark and if you haven’t given birth by then (which you probably will not) go to the appointment.

6. Bounce on a Birth Ball

If you can, try to spend around 30 minutes every day on your birth ball. Try a mixture of these exercises:

• Roll your hips in a circular motion (switch directions)

• Gently bounce up and down

• Rocking your pelvis forward and back

7. Wash Your Baseboards

Ok, it’s not so much about making sure your baseboards are clean (although that is an added benefit to this one!). It’s just a really good excuse to spend several hours on your hands and knees which is a great exercise to get your baby in a good position for birth. If positioning is of particular concern for you (maybe you suspect your baby is back-to-back), head over to the Spinning Babies website (www.spinningbabies.com) for detailed, step-by-step instructions on their most efficient strategies to help with fetal positioning.

8. Positive [Birth] Vibes O-N-L-Y

At 36 weeks, I want you to think critically about everything birthy you expose yourself to. Positive birth talk and stories only. Let your mama’s wise words come back to you: “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” If this person you’re talking to doesn’t have anything nice to say about birth or their birth experience, it’s time for them to stop talking. Advocate for yourself and your upcoming experience. Tell them you need to press pause on this conversation but will be happy to come back to it after you’ve had your baby. Or just tell ‘em to zip it. Whichever route you go, I won’t judge.

• Do spend some time watching positive births or reading about positive birth stories. Pump yourself up for what’s about to come. Get excited!

9. Go For a Massage

Visit a registered massage therapist who is trained to work on pregnant women. Massage loosens your muscles, helps you and your body relax and increases blood flow. Plus, it will help mitigate any soreness you’re experiencing. Schedule one massage once a week from at least 37 weeks until you give birth. Keep in mind that registered massage therapists (specifically in the South Delta area) are in high demand. Book your appointments ahead, you can always cancel them if you need to.

10. Forget Your Due Date

The average first time mom gives birth around the 41 week and 2 day mark. The term “due date” is really nothing more than a, half-educated, guess. Knowing when your baby has been gestating for 40 weeks is great. But it does not tell anything about when your baby will arrive. So, for your own sanity, treat your 40 week date as just another day in pregnancy paradise. Don’t count down to it. Help yourself manage your expectations: plan that you will still be pregnant at 40+ weeks.

Here’s a little mental trick: schedule something to look forward to at your 40 (and a half) week mark. Something you can only do sans newborn baby and that’s little more extra than a pedicure. Looking forward to something else beyond baby (not to say that there’s anything that could top the arrival of your new baby!) is a great way to distract yourself. Plus… in my personal experience, every time I did this, I went into labour before I could enjoy it.

There you have it - 10 easy things to do during the last month, or so, of pregnancy to get your body and your mind ready for birth. And if you get to the point where you’re just sick of waiting, I’ve got you. Head over and read my blog post about my Tried, Tested and True Natural Induction Strategies!

Have questions? Just want to learn more? Take my private childbirth education prep sessions. These sessions are in-person (not just watching a pre-recorded segment) and give you opportunity to ask questions or deep dive into topics that interest you. Learn More!

Now get out there and do it, birth boss.

But What Does a Doula DO?

But what does a doula do? I know, I know. It’s the million dollar question and the answer is full of misconceptions, depending on who you ask (if you ask me it’s more like what doesn’t a doula do!).

By definition, a doula is a woman who holds a certain degree of knowledge about birth and the birth process. She utilizes her intuition, training and experience to guide, or coach, women through the birth process. Doulas have no formal medical training but that’s ok! Their role isn’t to provide medical advice or support (we’ll leave the clinical stuff to the doctors and midwives!). Rather, they are there in a physical and emotional capacity - during pregnancy, the birth and postpartum.

And physical and emotional support? It’s not just fluff. Doulas provide physical labour relief through massage and touch (hey, hey counter-pressure!) and emotional relief through reassurance and constant, continuous care. Many first time parents have the expectation that their doctor or midwife is at their disposal for the duration of their birth. And while it’s true, your doctor or midwife is around, they typically only check in with you periodically in order to to confirm progress (the exception to this being homebirth where a midwife is in the vicinity throughout the birth but might be occupied with other duties to prepare for baby’s arrival). A doula, on the other hand, is there for you the entire time. Your wellness and comfort is her only mandate.

Here are some of the *standard* ways a doula works for you in the birth process:

• Ensuring you, and your partner, are kept nourished through food and drink

• Making sure you are emptying your bladder with frequency (sounds silly but… it’s important)

• Using hot/cold therapy to keep you comfortable

• Suggesting new positions to try to ease the discomfort of your sensations/efficiently move your baby down, down, down (DOWN!)

• Reassuring you that what you are feeling is normal and that your body is doing exactly what should

• Coaching and reminding you to advocate for your body, your baby and your experience

• Using massage and counter pressure to alleviate intensity of sensations

• Keeping your birthing space a place of comfort and calm

• Adhering to your birth preferences

• Making sure your partner’s needs are met - giving him peace of mind that you are with someone who you feel safe with so that he can take breaks to eat, sleep, etc.

• Anything else required to make sure your birth experience is the best it can be

And if you’re thinking that a doula’s job starts and ends with birth, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. Some of a doula’s most important contributions take place before the birther has entered the birth process. Ideally, a doula will support their client for the majority of their pregnancy; offering reliable and evidence-based information and providing comprehensive education on topics like physiologic birth, pain management and medically assisted birth options, unexpected outcomes, practical postpartum expectations for mother, father and infant. Laying this groundwork is important and it facilitates an environment where women enter the birth process from a place of confidence and self-assurance.

Before you cast doulas aside as a fad, consider this: the doula is a position steeped in tradition and history with the role during dating back to the Ancient Greeks. The best part? Present day evidence corroborates assertions that having a doula present greatly benefits birther and partner. Amazing statistics like shorter labours, less likely to require medical-assisted deliveries, less chance of cesarean, less likely to use pain medication or other interventions, and overall more positive birth feelings about the experience have not only legitimized, but exemplified, the traditional role of doula in modern day birth.