Great Birth and Labor Projects for Home Birth and Unassisted Birth

With the increasing popularity of home birth and unassisted birth, many women are asking the question "what should I do to keep busy while in labor?" A growing trend is the "labor project," also known as a "birth project." This is a project that the mother can do while in labor to take her mind off of things and keep her busy until the baby is born. Some mothers save certain crafts for their labor project, or they may put off doing something until labor gets going. It can be a great way to stay distracted and be productive at the same time.

Craft projects for the baby are a great idea. One mother told a story about how she put off painting her rocking chair until she went into labor so that the chair would be ready for her to rock the baby in once he was born. If you can sew, making baby toys for your little one is also a good idea. It's probably best not to wait to make important things, however, such as diapers and other necessities. Knitting projects are fun or you could work on a quilt for your new little one.

Some mothers, like me, choose to save a chore or two for impending labor. If you have something you need to get done that has been piling up, it might make a good labor project. We have mold here that grows rather quickly and clean clothes will mildew within days. My project, then, is to wash all of the baby's things while in labor so that they will be fresh and clean when my baby arrives.

Other popular chores to get done in labor include cleaning the house, mopping the floors, doing the dishes, or organizing a room. If you have a messy closet, save cleaning it until you are in labor. Gardening is also a perfect activity. You will feel productive and ready for birth by the time you are done. Don't take on chores that are overly difficult or that will tire you out. You need all of your energy for the birth of your baby, so avoid wearing yourself out in the early stages of labor.

Donating to Goodwill is a great project. Everyone has things in their house that they do not need and can get rid of. Gather some empty paper bags or cardboard boxes together and spend some time while in labor going through your home and getting rid of all of the old junk that you do not need. Include clothes, old toys, excess kitchen gadgets and dishes, mismatched socks, old shoes, excess bedding, and shabby items. It will make you feel great to get rid of it and donate it to someone in need who could use it more than you can.

Are you an organizer? Save a fun organizational activity for labor. If you have a cluttered area in your home, organize items into bins and containers. Make handmade labels for your drawers, cupboards, and shelves. You could paper your drawers, line your cabinets, or create a filing system for bills and mail.

If you plan on making your own birth announcements, save this activity until you go into labor. It will be even more exciting to make them when the event is so imminent. This craft also uses very little energy, so you will have plenty of spunk left in you when it comes time to push that baby out.

Mild exercise is great to do when in early labor. Many mothers go for a nice relaxing walk with their partners or with their dog. Walking helps the hips and can loosen muscles in the pelvic area for birth. The swinging action is good for you. Other mild exercises such as swinging your hips and dancing or doing stretches and yoga are also excellent ideas for early labor projects.

If this is your first baby and you have been given or purchased all new baby items, take this time to remove everything from the packages, store, and organize them in the baby's room. If you are using a crib, save the crib set-up for your labor project. Unwrap all of the baby's new clothes and get the car seat ready in the car for baby's arrival. It will feel just like unwrapping all of the baby's birthday presents on his or her first birthday.

Whatever you decide to do for your labor or birth project, remember not to strain yourself or use up all of your energy. Birth is probably the hardest thing you will ever do and being productive while saving up as much energy as possible is a smart thing to do.