Can I just say it? As amazingly miraculous as it is, being pregnant is HARD!! It’s physically, emotionally and mentally exhausting, and when we get to those final days… it can be a real mind game. It’s a strange place to be, knowing your baby could arrive any day or not for a couple more weeks. And what makes it even more difficult is having random signs that labor could possibly be approaching – baby dropping, losing your mucus plug, having a strong nesting feeling, increased braxton hicks and more.
Pregnancy is HARD. The final days of pregnancy can be super HARD.
Coming from a mama who carried all four babies past 40 weeks (the first two to 42 weeks), I totally empathize with any other VBAC mom who just can NOT anymore at the end of pregnancy.
So, let this be my letter to you, our team’s 5 best tips for coping with the final days of pregnancy before your VBAC baby arrives.
1. Rest
Here is your gentle reminder that labor is usually not a sprint or a race, but it could certainly be a marathon. The end of pregnancy (and the very beginning of labor) is a time to rest, rest, rest. Conserving energy is the name of the game! I know you may feel the urge to nest – cross a few more things off your to do list, scrub the floors, make one more freezer meal and get that last load of baby laundry folded – and doing a bit of that is certainly ok. But more than anything else, this is the time to sleep in, move slowly throughout your days, take naps, put your feet up and allow yourself the space and time to rest.
Someone reminded me once that you get more sleep with baby inside than with baby earth side, and it just hits differently when you think about it that way.
2. Find mental clarity & peace
I am a big believer that your mental state directly influences when labor begins and how it progresses. This is the perfect time to reflect and find out where you’re at mentally. Are you holding onto fears about labor, birth or motherhood? Are there other things stressing you out about your environment, work, finances or relationships? If there is something bothering you or nagging at you, now is the time to unpack those feelings.
We love the idea of seeing a therapist, journaling, meditation, listening to positive birth stories (like those on The VBAC Link Podcast) or even doing a fear release.
Also, connecting to the present moment and season can be helpful. As difficult as it may be to remain patient, try reminding yourself that you’ll never experience this in this same way again (especially if this is your last babe).
3. Do things you love
As a way to feed your soul (and help distract yourself), remember to create moments of joy. You deserve to fill your cup right now, in fact, you need it. And doing things that you truly love, things that make you feel most like yourself, can help your mind and body relax as preparation for labor.
Here are a few ideas to fill your final days of pregnancy with joy:
- play with older big kids
- sip your favorite tea from your favorite mug
- browse those cute shops downtown
- grab a treat from your favorite bakery
- binge your favorite show
- dig into a book you’ve been meaning to read
- get fresh air and sunlight each morning
- stroll along your favorite trail
4. Walk
And speaking of strolling… something that is so beneficial for your mind and body right now is walking! We have some really great info on the benefits of walking during pregnancy + how to find good walking shoes in our article 5 Products That Actually Make a Difference in Your VBAC Pregnancy, but essentially, walking is so helpful! Walking at least five times per week can improve movement, mobility, alignment, baby’s position, endurance, mental health and more as you prepare for labor.
Try these tips to help you fit walking into your busy schedule:
- get out first thing in the morning before it gets too hot (or before the rest of your kiddos wake up)
- block the time on your family’s calendar, like any other important meeting or appointment
- create a labor playlist and start listening to it on your walk
- use this time to listen to positive birth stories, affirmations or that audiobook you’ve been wanting to read
- splurge on a new pair of walking shoes
5. Unplug
One thing that never helped me as I waited for labor to start was getting a barrage of questions from my (very well-intentioned) family & friends. Everyone wanted to know if I was still pregnant, how I was feeling, when I was going to get induced, how long my doctor was going to “let” me go, if my birth plans had changed… and more. Again, I always appreciated that people were thinking of me, but there’s nothing that makes you question your plans more than when everyone you know is questioning your plans!
Whether it’s well-meaning family & friends, seeing that your college friend delivered her baby right on time or scrolling by yet another newborn photo session on Insta… sometimes what you need most in those final days is to just unplug.
- Be direct with family & friends, explaining that you will let them know when there is news to share about baby’s arrival.
- Let your partner be the main communicator with family & friends.
- Know that it’s ok to unfollow, unfriend, silence or block pages or people that aren’t serving your peace and patience right now.
- Take a break from socials for a while, possibly even deleting the app/s from your phone, at least until baby arrives.
- Set your email’s “out of office” a bit earlier than you originally planned.
- Only play music, listen to podcasts and watch reels that make you feel more confident, encouraged and excited for birth (not more anxious, uncertain or fearful).
- Put your phone down altogether (but keep it close by if you go anywhere by yourself… you never know when the big moment might happen!).
Being pregnant is hard. Waiting to meet your baby as pregnancy comes to a close is really hard. I hope you’ve found these tips for coping with the final days of pregnancy to be helpful and life-giving. We’re rooting for you, we believe in you and you are never alone!
And I promise… someday you’ll look back and wonder how it all went by so quickly. 💙
As always, I’ll leave you with this affirmation and reminder…
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