Preparing Your Body for Birth – Your Pregnancy Experience

Gail Janicola, a birth professional and author, talks to us about preparing your body for labor. Everyone has different approaches to health, fitness, nutrition and exercise during pregnancy. The important part is to listen to your body all the time. What’s right for one person is not necessarily right for somebody else.

Labor and delivery is an endurance event

During pregnancy, you may not feel like you’re doing anything, but your body is working hard to create a human being. Your mindset around this will determine what is right for you. If your underlying thought is to have a health baby and to be healthy throughout your pregnancy, you’ll be motivated to tap into helpful resources. Find the books, the people, the trainers and experts to help you with fitness and nutrition during pregnancy.

It’s like training for a marathon.

Your body needs to be ready to give birth – an event that potentially lasts for hours. This isn’t a science; most of this is common sense. But prepping and preparing for the day of your labor during your pregnancy – will help you to have the easiest birth experience.

On the day of your labor, you want to manage the pain and intensity of contractions – and to push your baby out beautifully. This will absolutely be influenced by what you do during your pregnancy, and all the things you do to get ready for your birth. Please pay attention. It’s going to be worthwhile!

Our Expert: Gail Janicola is a Certified Childbirth Educator, a Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, a Pre and Postnatal Corrective Exercise Specialist, in addition to holding the position as instructor for Long Island Doula Association’s doula training program. She has been a “birth-worker” for over 25 years, as the founder of Moms On Top, an education and coaching resource for pregnancy and childbirth.

In addition, Gail is an author of the new book “The Ultimate Birth Experience” – How to take control and proactively choose the birthing options that are best for you and your baby.