What to do at the end of pregnancy when you want labour to start
Congratulations on reaching your due date! Or maybe you’re here because you’ve reached 37 weeks and knowing that baby could arrive any minute is driving you wild!
It’s totally normal to be fed up at this point. All those aches and pains, the trips to the bathroom in the night, wondering if that back ache was a sign of something or just one of the pleasures of late pregnancy.
The final weeks of pregnancy can be physically and mentally exhausting. You may be feeling fed up, uncomfortable and impatient for your little one to arrive. But you’ve got this!
As you near the finish line, it’s important to take care of yourself and your baby. Take the time to relax and rest as much as possible. This will not only help you feel better physically, but it will also help keep your oxytocin flowing, which is essential for labor and birth. So, pamper yourself with a warm bath, a massage or a good book.
Remember, too, that pregnancy is a journey, not a destination. Patience is key during this time. Your baby will come when they’re ready, and it’s helpful to trust your body’s natural process rather than spend your time questioning why labour has not kicked off yet.
Your body has grown and nurtured this little life for nine months, and when it’s ready to bring them into the world, it will crack on with it! Never in the history of anything has someone been pregnant forever!
So, keep your head up, pal. You’re a badass who has accomplished something incredible. You’re about to meet the little one who has been growing inside you for all these months. It’s an amazing, life-changing experience that you’ll never forget. Keep your focus on the end goal and know that you’re almost there. You’ve got this!
We know waiting for your little one to arrive can be a bit nerve-wracking, so here are our top 10 tips for spending time after your pregnancy due date:
Enjoy these last few days or weeks of carrying your little one where you can. we don’t expect you to love every minute but do try to find little pockets of joy where you can. Cherish the moments of feeling your baby move and kick inside you. Appreciate each hot drink you enjoy and each meal you eat with two hands. This last bit may feel like it’s dragging on forever, but before you know it, your little one will be in your arms and it will all be rushing by.
Watch funny movies: Laughter is the best medicine, so why not enjoy a good comedy to lift your spirits? Not only will it take your mind off it and help you to relax, it will also get that oxytocin going too!
Take warm baths: A warm bath can be so soothing and help you to relax. You can add some essential oils or bath salts to create a spa-like experience at home. If you wanna have multiple baths a day because that’s where you feel comfortable taking the weight off your body, then you do you mate! Take something to watch, listen to or read and chill out!
- Bake a cake: Baking can be a fun and creative way to spend some time. Plus, you’ll have a delicious treat to enjoy afterwards! Baking is a good way to spend time up on your feet to aid gravity without exerting yourself and we know that eating your favourite treats is yet another way to get your oxytocin going.
- Get a massage: Treat yourself to a relaxing massage to ease any tension or anxiety you may be feeling. This is a great way to help your body and mind unwind. It will get oxytocin flowing to help start labour if the time is right and help you ease some aches and pains.
- Go out for meals: Enjoy a nice meal with your partner or friends. This is a great way to spend quality time and take your mind off things. It will also aid oxytocin production and give you fuel for your upcoming labour if that’s on the way. If you don’t fancy getting dressed to go out then a takeaway will do the trick too! Let’s face it, perhaps these sweatpants are all that fit you right now and you wanna stay comfortable at home!
- Spend time with your partner: Take advantage of this quiet time before your little one arrives and enjoy some loving time with your partner. This is the last time that your family unit will be as it is right now. Very soon there’ll be a new human in the mix and the dynamic will change up for good. If it’s just you and your partner, try to find joy in the peace and quiet that you’re able to get just now without thinking of what baby needs next. If you feel up to it, some sex or at least skin to skin and closeness could even get things going.
- Do some exercises to get your baby into position: Gentle exercises like walking or prenatal yoga can be a great way to get your baby shifting in your uterus without much thought and make sure that they are pointed in the right direction! Sometimes it’s the position of baby that has meant labour hasn’t kick started yet. Be thankful that it hasn’t as if baby is in a less than optimal position it can make labour longer.
- Pamper yourself: Take some time to indulge in some self-care activities like getting a pedicure or a new haircut. You’ll feel refreshed and renewed. It could be a full on trip to the salon but it could even just be popping on a face mask and painting your nails. This is a time to remember that you are important and that it’s not just all about getting the house ready for baby and waiting for their arrival
- Stay active: Keep moving! Even if it’s just a short walk around the block, staying active can help improve your mood and energy levels. Do we think you have to leave the house for this? Nope! It could be sticking Just Dance on the Switch, playing your favourite tunes for a kitchen disco, a Youtube pregnancy yoga video or bouncing away on your ball with a tub of ice cream! It’s all movement baby!
We hope these tips help you to pass the time and feel good while you’re waiting for your baby to arrive.
You’ve got this, even when you don’t always feel like it. It’s okay to have a wobble. to cry and to feel like you’ll be pregnant forever.
These are all signs that this is coming to an end. Labour may even be starting and you have no idea yet!
Here are some signs labour is starting…
Here's a recent review of our Hypnobirthing Digital Pack if you're after some birth prep to pass the time and improve your confidence.
1000% recommend. I cannot thank these amazing ladies enough.
I panic downloaded the digital pack at 37 weeks pregnant and watched the 12 hours of footage at my own pace within a week. It helped me further prep and get in the zone for the birth of my first child. Even though it was the first time I had given birth. I felt I knew what was happening every step of the way and this felt incredibly empowering. I watched the pack along side my birth partner too and felt he did an amazing job looking after me because of what we had learnt in the process of the digital pack.
Thank you thank you thank you xxx
