You can spend hours doomscrolling baby checklists, pretending that you’re preparing for the baby. You research prams, compare cot mattresses, and work out what you need to pack in your hospital bag. But the problem is: none of that will help you prepare for the moment when labour starts. It’s not even going to help you cope when your baby is here.
The truth is, preparing for birth isn’t about the stuff you can buy. It’s about the tools you carry inside you—the ones that will help you stay calm through contractions, trust your body, and feel grounded when everything around you feels uncertain.
Here’s the checklist I wish someone had handed me in early pregnancy: the things that actually make a difference when it comes to birth and beyond.
Mindset Prep for Birth: How to Prepare Your Mind in Early Pregnancy
- Learn how birth actually works
You need to understand the physiology of your body—the hormones, the uterus, the rhythms. Knowing this helps you work with your body, not against it. Understanding what is happening in your body is essential for mindset and body prep for labour. - Face your fears early
Rather than putting your head in the sand and letting fear grow and fester, face it head-on. Get curious, name your worries, and learn how to release them. The sooner you start, the better. - Start changing your mindset
Instead of “I hope I can do this,” say, “I know I can do this.” Birth will throw obstacles your way, but knowing how to deal with them makes you feel in charge. Changing your mindset takes time—it’s a muscle that needs developing. Starting early allows you to shift your mindset and build the confidence needed for a calm, confident birth.
Body Prep for Birth: Relaxation and Mindful Techniques for Labour
- Practice your breath
The most underrated tool on any birth checklist is your breath. Start now—even if just for a minute daily. Slow, deep breaths calm your nervous system: inhale for four, exhale for more. - Make relaxation a habit
We’ve grown into beings who find relaxation hard, but your body learns through repetition. Find ways to relax: dim the lights, light candles, play soft music, take a bath, get a massage, or listen to hypnobirthing tracks. Simple relaxation techniques for pregnancy can make a real difference. - Build trust in your body
Massage your bump, connect to your baby, and tune into how your body feels as you slow down and relax. These practices train your mind and body together, part of your birth preparation checklist.
Movement Prep for Birth: Exercises to Prepare Your Body for Labour
Photo by Yan Krukau
You’ve got that birth ball—but don’t just bounce on it. Use it intentionally to help your body prepare. Gentle exercises to prepare for labour help your body feel ready and support optimal baby positioning:
- Hip circles & pelvic tilts
Keep your pelvis mobile and help your baby get into a good position. - Squats & lunges
Gentle, supported squats (with a birth ball at your back or holding onto something) and side or reverse lunges open your hips and build leg strength. You don’t need to go deep—just a little each day makes a difference. - Cat-cow stretches
On hands and knees—or sitting on your birth ball—arching and rounding your back relieves tension, keeps your spine mobile, and helps your baby settle. - Walking & swaying
Simple but powerful. Walking keeps circulation flowing, and gentle swaying helps your body learn rhythmic movement for labour. - Fascia release
Massage tight areas—hips, lower back, thighs and feet—with a hard ball. Keeps muscles supple and ready for labour. - Leg swings
Holding a chair or countertop, swing each leg forward/back. Opens your hips and encourages baby into an optimal position. - Calf stretches
Lean into a wall or doorway, stretching each calf for 20–30 seconds. Improves circulation and supports upright labour positions. - Forward-leaning inversions
Kneel and lean forward onto a birth ball, couch, or bed. Gently shifts baby into a good position and opens your pelvis. - Child’s pose / Puppy pose
Resting into these stretches releases lower back and hip tension while calming your nervous system.
Even a few minutes a day of these movements trains your body for birth. Think of it as gentle preparation—not exercise—helping your body and baby settle naturally into the best positions. Walking, swaying and stretches are essential body prep for birth.
5-Minute Daily Relaxation Routine for Early Pregnancy Birth Prep
Even a short daily routine of mindset and body prep for labour trains your body and are the perfect way to prepare for birth in early pregnancy.
1. One Minute: Slow, Deep Breathing
- Inhale for 4, exhale for 6–8.
- Focus on softening your shoulders and jaw as you breathe out.
2. Two Minutes: Gentle Stretch or Movement
- Hip circles, pelvic tilts, cat-cow on your birth ball or puppy pose on the floor.
- Move slowly and notice how your body feels.
3. Two Minutes: Mindful Connection with Your Baby
- Place your hands on your bump.
- Breathe slowly and notice movement.
- Visualise sending calm, loving energy to your baby.
Optional: light a candle, play soft music, or listen to a short hypnobirthing track. Even 5 minutes daily trains your mind and body to relax and builds confidence for labour.
What to do now?
The good news is, you don’t need to flounder in overwhelm when preparing for the birth of your baby. These simple steps can make a real difference to how you feel in pregnancy and how your body moves in labour.
If you’re worried about the pain of childbirth, or putting off thinking about it because you assume you’ll just “play it by ear” on the day, know that it’s completely normal to feel unsure. Starting now gives you focus and builds confidence. Early pregnancy gives you the time to embed ideas, shift your mindset, and actually feel it in your body. The more prepared you feel, the more you can look forward to birth with excitement rather than dread.
Researching birth and having a plan to move your body and calm your mind are very different. Doing these practices daily trains your mind and body together.
That’s exactly why I created the Radiant Mums Club: a space to practice, try things out, and get helpful guidance while you’re still in early pregnancy. It gives you so much more than a standard antenatal course, and if you want to deepen your understanding even further, a hypnobirthing course can be a great next step.
If you’re ready to feel calm, confident, and in control for birth, this is the place to start.
Courageous Births and Beyond Empowering Calm, Confident Birth 