New mom’s guide: How to prepare for birth

Preparing for childbirth as early as possible will help you handle any issues that may arise and ensure that this most important time in your life goes as smoothly as possible.

As Your Child’s due date approaches, you may feel excited and anxious about the arrival of your little one. THAI StemLife has created a checklist to help you feel more confident and reduce your worries. Here’s how you can prepare for childbirth:

• Choosing a hospital and birth plan.
  When considering a hospital for the birth of Your Child, in addition to evaluating the capabilities of the obstetricians, you should look for a hospital that is close to home, easily accessible, or located along a familiar route. This ensures the safest and most convenient travel to the hospital in case of an emergency, ensuring the safety of both you and your baby. Each hospital offers various childbirth packages, and you can assess which hospital suits you best based on distance, travel convenience, and financial capacity.
  
• Consulting your doctor about delivery methods.
  Regarding the birth plan, you have the right to choose your preferred method of delivery. Currently, there are two main types of delivery: natural vaginal birth and cesarean section. Generally, if you have a normal pregnancy without risks or complications, doctors will recommend natural birth as the safest option for delivering Your Child. However, if the doctor finds issues such as the baby being too large or the cervix not opening, a cesarean section will be necessary.
• Learn the basic steps of childbirth.
  You should start learning about the different stages of labor around the 20th week of pregnancy. This includes understanding the phases of labor and learning breathing and relaxation techniques that can help you manage pain. You can study from reliable online videos or attend prenatal classes that specifically prepare you for childbirth.
• Prepare a bed for your baby.
  During the first 6 months after birth, your baby should sleep in the same room as you and your partner, but not in the same bed. This precaution is to prevent the risk of accidentally rolling over onto your baby while sleeping, which can cause suffocation and potentially lead to death. The baby should sleep on a firm mattress, and you should ensure there are no toys or other items, such as stuffed animals, especially near the head area, as these can obstruct the airway and cause overheating, increasing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
• Financial planning and insurance for your child.
  Having a child comes with significant expenses, so parents should create a comprehensive financial plan. Manage debts as quickly as possible and estimate the costs of raising a child throughout their life to plan savings appropriately, avoiding future financial issues.In addition, planning health insurance for your child is crucial since newborns have weaker immune systems and are more susceptible to illness. Many families start planning their child’s health care from birth. Newborn health insurance can provide coverage starting from the time in the womb, from 15 days after birth, or from 30 days after birth, depending on the terms set by the insurance company.
• Learn about stem cell storage.
  Storing stem cells is like a life insurance policy for Your Child from birth. If in the future your child falls ill or has an accident, the stored stem cells can be used for treatment. Medical reports have consistently shown successful treatments of various diseases with stem cells, such as leukemia, lymphoma, cerebral palsy, and severe spinal cord injuries.

However, mothers interested in storing stem cells should research the reliability of the company providing the service. It should be a company with experience in using stem cells in real-life rescue situations and offer 24-hour operations to support emergency treatments.

Careful preparation for childbirth not only helps reduce the mother’s anxiety but also ensures she can effectively handle any issues that arise when the most special day arrives.

Mali’s trusted partner
THAI StemLife is Thailand’s first and largest stem cell bank and the only one with real-life-saving cases. They are the only provider in Thailand that operates 24/7 for traumatic brain injury emergencies.