A Life Changing Experience -- Childbirth

Few moments in life are as pivotal or emotional as the one when a woman first finds out that she is expecting a baby. The only moment that can top that one is that day when she gives birth to her newborn. Forty weeks of pregnancy may seem to fly by in the blink of an eye, but there is plenty of time to prepare yourself for delivery day and brining home your baby.

One of the first things a woman can do to prepare for welcoming home her new baby is buy and install a federally approved rear facing infant car seat. Hospitals require women bring their car seats in for inspection prior to departing with the baby so they can check the seat and make sure it is safe enough for baby. If you’ve installed the car seat yourself, but are worried that it’s not done properly, call your local police station for help as someone there should be trained to properly install them.

Decorating a space or room in your home for a nursery is another step that is fun and satisfies an expecting mother's nesting needs. Putting together a crib and filling a dresser with baby clothes will sure to help a mother feel truly ready to bring their baby home.

Another great preparation tip for expecting women is to create a birth plan. A birth plan is where you can outline how you’d like your delivery day to go. Your plan is not set in stone, so remember to be flexible and that the medical team has your best interest in mind if something doesn’t go the way you envisioned it. Speak to your doctor about the different pain management assistance that is available through your hospital to find out what options you're comfortable with. You should also speak to your doctor about optional procedures such as circumcision and cord blood banking that you may be interested in. Cord blood banking is the collection and preservation of the baby’s umbilical cord blood. Families choose to save their babies cord blood because the stem cells found within could potentially be used in the treatment of certain medical conditions, for the child or possibly a sibling.

On the day of delivery there is going to be a lot going on in the hospital room, and having some small comforts of home may help a woman feel more relaxed during her labor. When packing your bag for the hospital, think of not only bringing clothes for yourself and your newborn to go home in, but think of things to have during labor to help you stay relaxed. Maybe you have some music you’d like to play or a favorite book to read while you wait for your labor to progress. Anything that will help you stay relaxed and prepared for delivery is what you should pack.

Delivery day is a day full of excitement and a little nerves, but do your best to stay calm and relaxed as possible; childbirth is a natural process for a woman and with a great medical and support team around you, you can be sure that you are in good hands and can get ready for the excitement of motherhood.

"This article was written by Katie Moore. Katie is an active writer within the blogging community who discusses maternity, motherhood, prenatal health, childbirth and other topics within this niche.  If you have any questions or would like to connect with Katie please contact her via twitter @moorekm26."