Planning the birth of your baby

Seems obvious for most women but it is important to plan where the baby will be born, this is an important decision and it is one that should be discussed between you, your partner and a qualified medical professional.

Most new mothers are advised to have their first child in a hospital or birthing centre this is purely precautionary in case there are any complications, all mothers with high risk pregnancies will be strongly advised to give birth in hospital many of which will have a caesarean.

It is a good idea to go to the maternity hospital and see what they offer, they can vary enormously so it is worth taking the tour of several before deciding where you want to give birth.

Some woman with their second or third child choose to have a home delivery this is fine if done with medical agreement and with the help of a qualified midwife, some choose to have a communal birth so that their friends and family can be present at the birth and can share in the experience, this isn't for everyone, most woman want the minimum of people around them when the are in labour, but every one is different.

It may also be the case that you have been advised or chosen to have a caesarean, in this case the date and time will be known and it is easier to plan for. If you choose to have your baby at home the midwives will be on stand by as the due date approaches, it will be a case of getting someone to contact them when you go into labour, speed dial comes in handy here.

If you are having your baby in hospital then obviously you need to plan the route, it is worth driving it a few times with your partner just so they are sure where you will have to go and where you will park, it will help reduce the panic on the day. If you are going to use a taxi to get to hospital put the number on speed dial and try to call them as soon as the contractions start it may take time to get them to you, if all else fails call an ambulance.

It may happen that you get to carry out this trip more than once as some woman suffer from Braxton Hicks contractions, this is where the body is preparing for labour and the contraction feel real but the woman is not in full blown labour, it is always better to be checked out by a medical professional so it is worth treating this as if it were the real thing.