Pregnancy Preparedness: Top 10 Rules to Live By

Although it is great if your OB-GYN helps clarify and explain the varied aspects of preconception and pregnancy, there's nothing like the detailed education of studying the process of childbirth itself (for mom and dad). Be aware that some classes and books have a decided agenda or point of view, for example, downplaying epidurals and other pain management as an unsatisfactory alternative to more natural approaches. This sort of thinking won't bother you if you're set on trying a natural childbirth, but if you're unsure, the denunciations of modern pain relief can make you and your partner feel anxious or guilty. At this stage of the game, focus more on the basics of the process. Later, when you get the good news that you are indeed pregnant, you can start making decisions as to how you'd like to deliver.