21 Labour And Delivery Tips By New Mums For New Mums

Been there, done that.

We’ve asked 21 experienced mums to share the best tips on labour and delivery. This one’s for the new mummies out there.

21 Labour And Delivery Tips

A complete, filling meal is always good.

“Always eat something, and a full meal at that. I mean, you can never really do anything on an empty stomach right?” – Teo Hui Lin, 32

“Unless you want to get a butt ache, push from your butt. But if you don’t, use your abs as if you’re doing a crunch, even if they’re not existent!” – Aarin Rodriguez, 35

“Ok sure, the doctor actually gets the baby out but it’s the nurses that are around 24/7 on the days leading up to your labour (my gynae only came at the last few minutes of pushing). Those nurses are the ones guiding and reassuring you. So it’s them you should get chummy with.” – Elizabeth Lim, 33 

“Fun fact- pooping actually helps fasten the labour process. So would you rather push for 3 hours or poop and get the baby out in half and hour? Your call!” – Hanifah, 29

“Half the time or maybe, most of the time, you’ll be clueless but trust me, it’s better to be clueless in class than in the delivery room.” – Amanda Lee, 29

“Get an epidural, but wait until you’re like 5-6 cm dilated to do it, when labour is well-progressed.” – Priyanka, 33

“Save the strong front for the years to come. This is the time to cry, scream, yell and everything else that you’re capable of.” – Diyanah, 30

#8 Forget “labour” or “delivery” plans

“I mean, really? In all my years of being alive, nothing ever goes as planned. Be flexible. Take it from my experience. I thought my firstborn was going to be a natural birth and turns out, he came out two months early via emergency c-section!” – Foo Yi Ling, 34

“Early! Start packing once you’re at week 34. Ease the last-minute stress wherever you can. Yes, you’ll never know if your baby’s going to come out THAT early.” – Wan Xin, 28

“Talk to your doctor in the hospital about signs of postpartum depression, anxiety, and OCD. You NEED that knowledge.”

– Hafizah, 27

“C-section, vaginal or drug free, it doesn’t matter. Do what suits you and your baby. It’s not a contest.” – Siyathma, 29

“Yes, by that I mean don’t think the experience is going to be glamorous or romantic. I mean sure, it’s going to be beautiful but are we missing out on the entourage of nudity, puking, pooping, and pain here?” – Naomi Tham, 32

“People ARE going to see you naked and yes, there will be a lot of them. It’s all part of the process!” – Cynthia Koh. 30 

“It’s your first meeting with your bub and it’s COMPULSORY to get that on camera. Don’t even try to argue with me on this.” – Fatin, 31

“Hypnosis methods might actually result in unmedicated labour!” – Devi, 29 

“Adult diapers for after the birth work great. You sleep so well not worrying about bleeding all over everything.” – Nasuha, 25

“Think of the pain as productive. Imagine that each contraction is helping to bring your baby out- it might lead to less pain.” – Kimberly Chua, 36

“Look into home birth, birth centers, hospitals, pitocin, epidurals, vaccines, doulas, breastfeeding, circumcision, etc. Know the risks and benefits and why it all happens the way it does. KNOW EVERYTHING.” – Maria, 29

“The fastest confidence booster is knowing that you’re in charge and in this case, you clearly are. Don’t be afraid do unleash that inner diva!” – Lynn, 30

“Nothing is more comforting than the touch of a mother’s hand. Having your mum there next to you, encouraging you all the way will be one of the best decisions of your life.” – Nabilah, 35

“Fear and anxiety are the worst kind of enemy that your mind can hold. Having your body tense up will make labour so much harder. Always remind yourself that this is totally normal, everything will be fine.” – Michelle Goh, 26

Mummies, do you have any useful tips for new mums? Share them with us!

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Also read: Pregnancy week 32: Your week by week pregnancy guide