5 Things You Must Know Before Going Into Labour

Moms- and dads-to-be spend nearly 40 weeks planning for the arrival of their babies – but once the contractions start, the urge to panic can be overwhelming! Here’s a checklist of questions you should be able to answer before the big day:

1. Know What Your Medical Aid Covers
It’s important to find out in advance what your medical aid will cover relating to the birth: for example, how many nights are you allowed to stay in the hospital, and will they pay the anaesthetist if you have a epidural?

2. Know The Route To The Hospital
Make sure you’ve driven the route to the hospital several times so that it becomes second nature – and have a back-up plan in case of heavy traffic!

3. Have A Plan For The Other Kids
If this isn’t your first baby, make sure you have plans for taking care of your other children. Make sure you have someone reliable and trustworthy lined up who can be called on short notice to baby-sit.

4. Have Your Suitcase Packed
Most hospitals will supply you with a list of things to bring along for both yourself and the baby. Make sure your bag is packed a few weeks in advance, so you don’t have to worry about this if you go into labour earlier than expected.

5. Communicate Your Birth Plan
It’s important to know what you want from your labour: Do you want access to an epidural for pain relief? Who do you want to be with you through the birth? Do you want to breastfeed immediately after delivery? Make sure you and your doctor are clear on the answers to these questions – but be flexible; in a medical emergency your doctor may have to deviate from this plan for the sake of you and your baby’s health.