To Birth & Beyond: The Benefits of Birth Preparation
Preparing for childbirth is one of the most meaningful steps an expectant mother can take to support a smoother, safer, and more positive birth experience. While pregnancy brings remarkable changes to the body, labour and delivery require intentional preparation physically, emotionally, and mentally.
At Ova Women’s Health, our Birth Preparation Program helps women gain the confidence, knowledge, and pelvic floor control needed to navigate labour more comfortably and reduce the risk of complications. This blog explores why birth preparation matters, how it supports the body before and after delivery, and why pelvic floor physiotherapy plays such a pivotal role in ensuring a smoother childbirth experience.
⭐Key Takeaways
Birth preparation reduces fear, tension, and uncertainty by helping women understand each stage of labour.
Proper pelvic floor training can reduce the risk of tearing, learn different techniques of pushing, improve pushing efficiency, and support a faster postpartum recovery.
Breathing, relaxation, and pain management strategies increase confidence and comfort during delivery.
Research shows that structured birth preparation can shorten labour, reduce interventions, and improve maternal satisfaction.
Pelvic floor physiotherapy provides personalized guidance on positions, pushing mechanics, postpartum healing, and perineal protection.
Why Preparation for Birth is Important?
1. Understanding the Birth Process
One of the most significant aspects of birth preparation is understanding the stages of labour. Knowing what to expect during each phase can reduce anxiety and increase confidence. Expectant mothers who are well-informed about the process can make better decisions and communicate more effectively with their healthcare team.
2. Physical Readiness
The body undergoes significant changes during pregnancy, and preparing physically for birth, whether it is vaginal or cesarean, is crucial.
Our program emphasizes enhancing control over the pelvic floor muscles, which are crucial during childbirth. Learning to effectively control these muscles can help mothers manage the relaxation and contraction of these muscles, reducing the risk of tearing and promoting a quicker postpartum recovery.
Preparing mothers for birth should go beyond traditional Kegels. In our “Birth Preparation Program” at Ova, expecting mothers learn:
How to effectively control their pelvic floor muscles to facilitate the baby's movement through the vaginal entrance.
Effective pushing techniques.
Optimal birth positions.
Strategies to reduce the risk of perineal tearing.
Early postpartum care strategies
Our comprehensive approach ensures that mothers are well-prepared for a smoother and more confident birthing experience.
3. Emotional Preparation
Birth is both physical and emotional. Guided preparation helps women understand:
How to regulate the nervous system
How to manage fear or tension during contractions
The role partners can play in calming and supporting the labouring mother
When and how to advocate for comfort, mobility, and choice
Calm, centred breathing patterns also make pushing more effective and controlled.
4. Pain Management Strategies
Birth preparation provides mothers with tools such as:
Breathing and relaxation techniques
Visualization
Massage and counterpressure
Position changes
Hydrotherapy
Awareness of medical options such as epidurals
When women understand available tools, they make informed choices that align with their goals and values.
Benefits of Birth Preparation
1. Reduced Labour Duration
Studies have shown that women who engage in birth preparation programs often experience shorter labour durations. This is likely due to better physical conditioning and a greater understanding of the labour process, which allows for more efficient progression through the stages of labour.
2. Enhanced Birth Experience
Prepared mothers often report:
Greater confidence
Better control
Less fear
More satisfaction with the birth process
Knowledge turns uncertainty into empowerment.
3. Lower Risk of Interventions
Effective pelvic floor preparation may reduce the likelihood of:
Forceps or vacuum extraction
Cesarean delivery due to stalled labour
Excessive tearing from uncontrolled pushing or muscle tension
The pelvic floor functions best when trained to coordinate and release rather than simply “tighten.”
4. Faster Postpartum Recovery
A prepared pelvic floor and core:
Heal more efficiently
Experience fewer symptoms of heaviness or pressure
Reduce the risk of postpartum incontinence
Support better mobility and comfort in early motherhood
Preparation sets the foundation for long-term pelvic health.
5. Improved Infant Outcomes
A smoother, less stressful birth can contribute to:
Better oxygenation
Improved Apgar scores
Reduced the likelihood of birth trauma
A calmer early postpartum period
What Our Sessions Offer
At Ova, our "Preparation for Birth" program includes:
✔ Pelvic Floor Training
Targeted exercises that teach coordination, release, and strength, not just Kegels.
✔ Educational Workshop
Detailed explanations of pushing mechanics and birth planning.
✔ Breathing & Relaxation Techniques
Evidence-based strategies for managing pain, reducing tension, and improving oxygenation.
✔ Partner Support Training
Guidance for partners so they know how to assist with comfort, positioning, and emotional support.
✔ Postpartum Recovery Guidance
Early strategies for healing, core care, and pelvic floor restoration.
❓FAQs About Birth Preparation
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Most women benefit from beginning around 28–32 weeks, but starting earlier allows more time to learn and practice techniques.
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Yes. Assessment and treatment are gentle, highly individualized, and safe throughout pregnancy.
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Yes. Learning how to relax the pelvic floor, practising perineal strategies, and adopting optimal birth positions can significantly reduce the risk.
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Yes. Cesarean births still require postpartum pelvic floor and core recovery. Preparation improves mobility, breathing patterns, and healing.
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Absolutely. Partners learn how to support comfort, reduce pain, and assist during contractions and pushing.
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Yes. We teach evidence-based pushing strategies that protect the pelvic floor and support smoother delivery.
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No. Many women preparing for subsequent births want a different experience, reduced tearing, or better control.
Why Choose Ova Women’s Health in Burnaby, BC?
Birth preparation is not “just about exercises,” it’s about understanding your body, your pelvic floor, and how to work with your physiology during one of the most significant events of your life.
Here’s what sets Ova apart:
✅ Extensive clinical experience in pregnancy and birth preparation
We have supported hundreds of pregnant women through pelvic pain, labour preparation, pelvic floor training, and postpartum recovery.
✅ Advanced, evidence-informed pelvic floor physiotherapy
We guide you through safe pelvic floor training, perineal strategies, optimal birthing positions, and hands-on techniques tailored to your needs.
✅ Holistic, whole-body approach
We address posture, breathing, core strength, mental preparation, and nervous system regulation, not just muscle exercises.
✅ Personalized care for every pregnancy journey
No two bodies are the same. We assess your symptoms, your pelvic floor function, and your birth goals to create a program that fits you.
✅Supportive, calm, and private environment
Our clinic provides a safe space where you feel heard, respected, and empowered through every step of your pregnancy.
✅Trusted by women across Burnaby, Vancouver, & the Lower Mainland
Women travel to Ova for specialized pelvic health care, exceptional birth preparation, and compassionate support throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
Ready to Begin?
Don’t wait. The sooner we start, the sooner you can feel stronger and more supported. Space is limited due to high demand, but if you’re ready to take the first step toward lasting pelvic health, we’re here to help.
📌Related Blogs on Our Website
➡️Ultrasound Therapy for Clogged Milk Ducts
➡️Restoring Strength and Stability After Childbirth
➡️Understanding Diastasis Recti
➡️Lower Back Pain During Pregnancy
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