Getting ready for a new baby is not just buying things, setting up the nursery and packing your hospital bag.  Here are some things you are encouraged to do to get ready for the Big Day:

1. Read up and Research
Know what to expect, learn about pregnancy, labour, new baby, etc.  In fact, what happened was that Richard was the one who did most of the research, and he told me what he learned.  I find that this is a good way to get the husband involved.  You have to read widely, not only about the pregnancy and labour process, but also on parenting techniques and practices.  The key is to read widely.  Do not just go for what your friends recommend, or what is popular or 'in vogue' at the moment.  It might not work for you or your baby.  As I said, every baby is different.  Every family is different.  There are basically two camps of parenting philosophies, so it is best that you read on both camps and then decide on what you want to adapt and adopt.

Reading up and arming yourself with information is one of the ways that you can protect yourself from post-natal blues.  You will have more realistic expectations and hopefully, will be armed with some knowledge on what to do.  At least you will not be completely helpless and you will not be at the complete mercy of supposedly more experienced people who give you contradictory advice.

I am very surprised by the fact that there are so many intelligent, well-educated women that I have met, who are contented to be in complete ignorance when it comes to things pertaining to babies and breastfeeding and motherhood.  They rely almost completely on what their mothers tell them, what their mothers-in-law tell them, what their confinement nannies tell them, or what their doctors tell them.  Yes, these people are more experienced or more knowledgeable and their experience can come in real useful, but you have to be responsible for you own actions.  No point, e.g. blame other people for giving you pressure to wean, when you give in to persuasions to feed formula.  They don't know better, but you could have known better if only you do the necessary research beforehand.

2. Birth Plan

Do you know that you do not have to have an episiotomy, or pain relieve, or having yourself strapped down by all the monitoring gadgets, have housemen examine you, or have male doctors examine you, etc?  I didn't know that.  Wish I found out about it before I gave birth.

Doing a birth plan 'forces' you to think through the entire labour process and decide how you want it to be.  You should not be left the the mercy of circumstances (or the hospital).  To learn a bit more about birth plans, check out my article, Birth Plan.