Preparing Together

Today we are blessed to be able to have our husbands with us in our birthing room. This is such a special privilege. But with that privilege also comes responsibility. For husbands and wives to be ready to work together in the birthing room, they need to prepare together during pregnancy.

God has given us each other as life partners, and pregnancy and childbirth are part of that life. With my five pregnancies in Louisville, I was blessed to take a Mama’s day out to prepare for my births. With our sixth baby, Jim and I really made time to prepare together, and let me tell you, it made a HUGE difference! Life had been quite different than we had expected and we needed to take time to share what was going on in our hearts as we prepared for our sixth child.

It was hard, emotional and messy.

But it allowed Jim to know where I was and allowed me to know where he was. It drew us closer together.

Something we sometimes forget as women is that childbirth is stressful for men as well, though in a different way. They are the leaders of the homes and there is a lot on their shoulders as they prepare to provide for and lead another person. Men also have the natural desire to rescue and keep those they love from pain. Pregnancy and birth is a time when they can often feel helpless as there is little they can do to rescue us from what is happening. This is hard for them!

As their helpers, we then can help them by sharing our hearts, what we are hoping for, what we are fearing as well as learn with them what is normal and abnormal, what options there are and discuss your desires for labor.

This is not a one woman show!

How can you prepare together?

Each of you pray individually and strengthen your relationship with God daily

Pray together regularly

Talk with each other regularly- talk about everything, but also make space to discuss fears and frustrations as well as desires for birth and what your desire for your family to be like post baby is

Dream and Plan together

Be open and honest

Practice relaxing together- This helps in preparing for birth and teaches you what you need him to do to help you relax during labor

Have fun together

In preparing together and going through birth together, it will strengthen your marriage as you learn to love and serve each other to welcome new life.

How do you prepare with your husband?

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