Last Trimester Prep for Labor
All of the things have been purchased, tags cut off of an entire fall catalog of baby clothes, and the counters are so baby proofed you couldn’t puncture a tomato. Now what? From my time as a doula and the fact that most people living within the final weeks of pregnancy want to get the ball rolling as smoothly as possible - here are three things you can start doing in that final trimester to work towards that goal. In no particular order we’ll talk about what it is, why it’s helpful, and how to get the full benefits!
Perineal Massage
First up let’s address the elephant in the room, tearing. It does happen, no one wants it to, here’s what we can do to lower the odds of it happening. Perineal Massage is a gentle massage of the area between your birth canal and your bottom that helps to stretch and relax the tissues — reducing the chance of tearing during delivery. By improving the elasticity of the skin with gentle pressure and massage, not only is the risk of tearing lowered but it can also make a difference in terms of healing as well!
Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
This one you may have heard of in terms of inducing labor - here’s what I always tell my clients to clear that up. The herbal tricks to get things moving will only work if your body is ready. Those pesky last weeks of pregnancy are when your baby’s lungs fully mature and they get into position for the big day. Other than in case of a medical emergency or event, one of the best ways to have a shorter labor is to have a little bit longer pregnancy to give your body time to do the bulk of the work! Now, we can play a part in giving our bodies tools to pull it all together. Red Raspberry Leaf tea is one of those tools - by strengthening your uterus it is easier to achieve those longer, stronger, closer together contractions we look for. And can give you some extra endurance during the pushing stage!
Dates (the fruit, not the kind that ended with the ‘back massage’ that got you pregnant)
I’ll be honest, they’re not everyone’s cup of red raspberry leaf tea (get it?) but they do serve a purpose. Feel free to get creative with them too! Make a smoothie, cover them in chocolate and peanut butter, wrap them in bacon - what ever makes them tolerable for you is the way to go. If you are someone who keeps a close eye on their sugar levels, be mindful of that as well that while the sugars are naturally occurring - they are still sugar. Some research states that dates act similarly to Oxytocin within our bodies, the loooove hormone that creates the powerful contractions that bring your baby out, which reduces the need for Pitocin (the artificial version). They are also full of both potassium and magnesium, our star players when it comes to nutritional needs for labor. Between them they prevent muscle cramps, aid energy metabolism, improve sleep quality, and maintain healthy blood pressure! What do you think? Is it worth trying?