Parental Playground

Halfway There! - What to do next?

You've been eating healthy, staying fit, managing your newly-formed mood swings with finesse, and probably fought off nausea like a pro. You've made it through that first trimester, and now the real planning starts!

Around 5 Months into Pregnancy...
• Consider possible names for your child:
  • Check out our Naming Nirvana Forum for ideas or opinions on baby names!

Around 6 Months into Pregnancy...
• Rehearse labor procedures
• Discuss with baby's father or your coach:
  • Who you'd like to have at the hospital and at the house (if they're available)
  • Who to call after birth - list by priority - include hours it would be okay to call

Around 7 Months into Pregnancy...
• Plastic on bed (under sheet), in car, etc (in case water breaks - it breaks before labor in approx 15% of pregnancies...it's most likely to break, and result in a large amount of discharge, while lying down)
• Take plastic with you on trips, etc.
• Eat less, more often
• After eating - sit up for approx 1 hour - may help to avoid heartburn
• Wear supportive bra
• Read to baby in womb
• Play music for baby in womb
• Stop riding bike (easy to lose balance)
• Tour of hospital - birthing rooms, nursery, lounge, etc.
• Explain to family and friends what kind of assistance you might like during labor and delivery, in hospital, and after getting home
• Make arrangements to have your other kids, pets, plants, etc. taken care of when you go to hospital
• Give your other children a doll to practice on
• Let your other children help prepare for the new baby
• Avoid having your other children go through big changes at same time new baby comes home i.e. changing from crib to a bed, changing rooms

Around 8 Months into Pregnancy...
• Wash pet toys in baby soap approx. 1 week before bringing baby home
• Make arrangements with doctor and hospital regarding:
  • Admitting procedures?
  • Through Admissions Office during day?
  • Through Emergency Room at night?
  • What's needed for admission?
  • Pre-register - some hospitals let you do this online.
  • Enema?
  • Discuss what is done with the baby after birth:
  • Father cut cord?
  • Tests
  • Will Baby be taken to nursery right away?
  • Bean bag chair available?
  • Mirror for Mom to see birth?
  • Who can be present (i.e. husband, family members) if C-section is performed?
  • Scrub suit(s)?
  • Drinking and eating in labor/delivery room?
  • Fetal monitoring (i.e. heart)
  • How will contractions be monitored?
  • Pelvic exams
  • IV - In what cases would it be used?
  • Antibiotics (i.e. for prolapsed heart valve)
  • Options for induction of labor?
  • Epidural (or retain option of having epidural) - an epidural may slow down or even stop labor (contractions) - statistics indicate that you're more likely to have a C-section if you have an epidural (1/5 of births are C-section, which is considered very safe, but natural birth is considered safer) - an epidural results in almost no pain and reduces the chances of experiencing so much pain that it negatively influences your beginnings with your baby
  • Nubain or similar drug (takes the edge off)
  • Whether other medication(s) might be advisable, e.g., antibiotics for prolapsed heart valve
  • Administering synthetic hormones to speed up labor (i.e. if epidural slows it down)
  • Stay in one bed and one room for labor and delivery?
  • Positions for labor
  • Drinking and eating in labor/delivery room?
  • Episiotomy
  • Forceps?
  • Suction device?
  • Alternative birthing procedures i.e. LeBoyer, water immersion?
  • Rooming in? Is baby allowed to sleep in mom's room?
  • Early discharge policy?
• Pediatricians:
  • Recommendations?
  • Will hospital call pediatrician at appropriate time?
  • Visiting hours?
• Make arrangements for pediatric care
• Schedule consult(s) with pediatrician(s) about:
  • Breast-feeding - it may help protect against diarrhea
  • Vaccinations
• Pack things to take to hospital