In this lesson we will discuss:  

• Tips for packing your birth bags 
• Choosing where to give birth
• Communicating your birth preferences effectively
• Your health and wellbeing in the 3rd trimester

There are several tools to support you, including: 

• Pregnancy checklist
• Birth bags packing list
• Choosing where to give birth tool
• Birth environment checklist
• Birth preferences template

Unless you have been advised differently by your midwife or doctor, generally the best place for you during the 'latent phase of labour' is at home.

It can be frustrating to turn up at your chosen birthplace, only to be told 'you're not in established labour' and be sent home. So, this lesson will explore what the latent phase is, coping strategies to help you stay at home and when to go to your chosen birth unit (or call the midwives to come out to you, if you're having a homebirth).  

• Practical tips for the latent phase of labour
• The role of your birth partner
• Natural coping strategies and medication options for labour
• When to call your midwife 

There are a number of tools to support you, including: 

• Birth positions booklet
• Birth partners strengths exercise
• Birth positions video
• Massage techniques for labour video

In this lesson, we explore physiological labour and the birth of your baby. Expanding on some of the topics already covered in the first two lessons. 

• What to expect in each stage of labour: your body and your care
• The role of your birth partner
• The first few hours with your baby
• Monitoring offered during labour

We refer back to a number of tools introduced in modules one and two, such as the birth preferences template. 

This module includes a lot of topics many people want to avoid, which is understandable. However, it's probably one of the most important modules on the course! Whilst the majority of people will have a spontaneous, vaginal birth, the statistics show that many will need medical support to birth their babies.

Watching the videos in this module will enable you to make informed choices if you are offered any medical interventions. It will help you create a flexible set of birth preferences for all scenarios and prepare coping strategies ahead of time. We will discuss:

• Induction of labour, assisted births and caesarean sections
• Coping strategies for managing change
• Why babies may need a neonatal unit
• Your birth partner's role and coping strategies

We refer back to a number of tools introduced in modules one and two, such as the birth preferences template. Additional tools to support this lesson include: 

• B.R.A.I.N decision-making tool