The work your body does to prepare for labor and delivery is unfathomable and challenging. Naturally, your body will progress as intended to reach the ultimate goal of holding your precious bundle of joy. But the work your mind requires should align with your birthing wishes and demands. You will want to make a concerted effort to prepare your mindset. In this article, we discuss various mental preparation tips to help you achieve the water birth you want.

Practice Birthing Affirmations

Unfortunately, many view birth as a medical emergency rather than as a natural, biological process. This means you will need to rewire your mindset to trust the process. You can train your mind to refocus its perspective on birth with affirmations that begin to shed light on the journey.

Consider practicing your affirmations throughout your pregnancy, so these statements feel meaningful and honest during the big event. You can write down things that inspire you and positively impact you on note cards to recall them as time progresses. To help you get started, consider the following statements:

• I am calm
• I trust my body and my baby
• Inhale and exhale

It’s essential to note these affirmations will be personal to you and your experience, and there are no right or wrong answers. Reminding yourself to inhale and exhale is particularly effective!

Use Hypnobirthing Strategies

Hypnobirthing strategies help you release stored tension within the body and lingering fears surrounding childbirth. Naturally, when the body begins to feel fear or anxiety, it will tense up, and this can cause a disruption to the progression of labor. Through effective hypnobirthing strategies, you can harness your ability to manage these feelings, alleviate the mind, and lean more into trusting the process.

Invest in a Doula

A doula is a childbirth coach, and their function as an external asset is undeniably beneficial. While this individual cannot practice or provide medical care and advice, they can provide an immense amount of mental and emotional support to the mother and her partner. A doula understands birth on a physiological level; because of that, they can help you walk the depths of labor to keep you aligned with your vision.

Create a Relaxing Environment

You would be surprised at how much your environment will impact your ability to relax with ease. The place you set your water birth pool will need to work with you rather than against you. Take plenty of time setting the scene in those final days and sprinkle in all the joyous touches that help you relax. A few common things to contribute to your environment include:

• Fairy lights for mood enhancement
• Flowers that resonate with you
• Candles
• A rocking chair
• Soft music
• Sentimental items
• Birth affirmation note cards

Eat Nourishing Foods

The baseline for overall well-being and adaptability is adequate nourishment. Ensure you do your best to stay the course with a balanced diet before labor. And consider the things that provide you with strength, energy, and a focused mind. This may also include a vitamin regimen that works for you. Try not to skimp on proper nourishment because the physical demands of labor will require calories and energy from the right sources.

When it comes to mentally preparing for a water birth, there are not many rules. But it’s critical to equip yourself with all the things that work best for you and take into consideration the hard work you’re doing. Use your pregnancy as a place of preparation so that when the time comes, you don’t have any lingering to-dos and can enter a state of flow with your labor.