The 10 Best Things I Did For My Home Birth Prenatal Care
Let’s be honest, if you’ve ever Googled “what to do during pregnancy,” you’ve probably seen the same list a hundred times. Take your vitamins. Don’t eat sushi. Buy a body pillow the size of a small canoe.
But when you’re planning a home birth, the real magic happens in the less obvious choices. The ones that don’t always show up on checklists, but that shape your confidence, energy, and readiness in the most powerful ways.
Because home birth prenatal care isn’t just a box you check or a list of lab tests. It’s the way you love and care for your whole self — body, mind, spirit, and heart — from the very beginning.
Looking back on our journey, these were the choices that helped us feel grounded, joyful, and deeply supported as we prepared to welcome our baby.
Let’s get into them.
1. Choosing Midwifery Care That Aligned With Our Values
One of the most pivotal shifts in our journey was transitioning from OB care to working with midwives. What we gained wasn’t just a different provider — it was a completely different experience of being seen, heard, and honored.
Our visits were spacious. We weren’t rushed. There was time for conversation, emotion, and genuine connection. That sense of relationship-based care became a foundation for how we wanted our birth to feel — connected, informed, and centered on trust.
2. Consistent Chiropractic Support
Weekly chiropractic visits were not on our radar at the start of pregnancy, but they quickly became one of our favorite forms of support.
Adjustments helped relieve physical discomfort, encouraged optimal baby positioning, and gave me a renewed sense of alignment and ease in my body. It also became a weekly ritual where my partner and I prioritized wellness together — a rhythm of intentional care that supported both of us as a team.
3. Prenatal Yoga as Sacred Space
For me, prenatal yoga was never about pushing or performing. It was about presence.
Each practice gave me the chance to tune into my breath, listen to my body, and connect with my baby. It helped me stay grounded and responsive to what I needed that day — whether it was gentle stretching, emotional release, or just a quiet moment to be still.
That consistent connection carried into my birth experience, helping me stay calm, open, and trusting in the flow.
4. Staying Active — Together
Movement became one of our love languages during pregnancy.
From strength training in the first trimester to daily walks in the third, staying active helped me feel strong and capable. It was also a bonding experience with my partner — an opportunity to move our bodies together, clear our minds, and check in emotionally without needing many words.
It reminded us that this journey was ours to walk side by side.
5. Spending Time in the Water
There was something deeply healing about being in water during pregnancy.
Floating in a pool, soaking in a warm bath, or even standing under the shower with soft lighting and music became ways for me to reset, release tension, and connect with the rhythm of my body. It gave me a glimpse into what laboring in water might feel like, and made me even more excited about our home birth plan.
Water became a teacher — offering relief, support, and a quiet kind of joy.
6. Natural Tools and Remedies
One of the most empowering parts of pregnancy was learning how to support my body with natural remedies.
We explored everything from red raspberry leaf tea and magnesium soaks to slippery elm, witch hazel, and even a raw potato compress (yes, that’s a thing — and surprisingly effective). What mattered most was the sense of sovereignty it gave me. I was learning, experimenting, and choosing what felt aligned for my body and values.
These tools weren’t just physical — they represented trust in the body’s innate wisdom.
7. Nourishing Myself With Intention
Nutrition became less about rigid rules and more about awareness.
I paid attention to how food made me feel — physically, emotionally, and energetically. I leaned into meals that offered nourishment and steadiness, while also allowing space for flexibility and joy. And yes, that included the occasional croissant or comfort food that simply brought me peace.
This approach to eating felt like a deeper form of listening and honoring.
8. Practicing Hypnobabies and Guided Meditation
Mindset was a huge part of our home birth prenatal care.
Each day, I listened to affirmations and hypnosis tracks, not just to prepare for labor, but to rewire how I thought about birth entirely. Over time, those words — “my body is safe, my baby is safe” — became part of my internal dialogue.
This practice gave me a deep well of calm to draw from when things got intense. It wasn’t just information — it was embodiment.
9. Saying Yes to Support
This one took some practice. I had to unlearn the belief that receiving help meant weakness or inconvenience.
Friends brought meals. My mom folded laundry. A neighbor dropped off freezer snacks “just in case.” These seemingly simple gestures reminded me that community is part of birth. Accepting love and help before the baby came helped us soften and prepare to receive even more in the postpartum space.
Support isn’t just for emergencies. It’s for everyday life — especially during transitions like this.
10. Doing the Inner Work
Pregnancy opened a door to deeper self-inquiry.
Journaling. Honest conversations. Releasing old fears. Naming desires. Exploring our vision for parenthood. All of this became part of our care — not as an afterthought, but as essential preparation.
Because the version of me that would walk into labor needed more than physical strength. She needed clarity. She needed tools. She needed space to evolve.
You Get to Define What Prenatal Care Looks Like
If there’s one message I’d love for you to take from this, it’s this:
Your prenatal care gets to reflect you.
It can be relational, not clinical. Warm instead of sterile. Intentional rather than default.
Let yourself explore what feels supportive and true. Let your prenatal care be a reflection of how you want to feel in birth, in parenthood, and in your own body. You don’t have to follow a template — you get to create your own rhythm of care.
And in doing so, you’re not just preparing to birth your baby. You’re preparing to stand in your full power.