It can be a very exciting time as delivery day draws near and in order to make it the most positive experience possible for you and your spouse, there are a few important considerations to make.

Be Prepared

Pack a hospital bag for you and baby, attend a hospital tour that includes a viewing of the delivery room and post-delivery room - ask lots of questions, familiarize yourself with the driving route to the hospital, alternative routes and drop off and parking policies.

It‘s also a good idea to check with your hospital and health insurance provider about what paperwork you may need to bring in or fill out, and if there’s anything you can do in advance. You don't want to add any stress or additional tasks for yourself on the big day. Being prepared will help keep you calm and keep the process as seamless as can be.

Delivery Aides

Check with your hospital what delivery aides they allow. Some hospitals will let you bring in your own music, give you access to an exercise ball or let you bring your own, provide access to a shower or bathtub, allow your spouse or another significant other to attend with you. Any delivery aid you can think of that might help you through the labor experience or make it more comfortable for you – ask about it. But be sure to ask well in advance about your particular hospital of choice's policies to minimize frustration on the day of delivery.

Big Decisions

Spend time with your spouse talking through important decisions related to the birth, like for example cord blood banking. Since collecting your baby’s cord blood can only be done at the time of birth, you’ll need to decide and make arrangements ahead of time to ensure the collection happens and you don’t miss out on this one time opportunity.

Talk with your doctor about blood banking and decide if it’s right for your family. Other decisions to discuss might involve whether you want to call family right away, bring in the video camera, and so on.

Plan for Siblings

You want to be sure to have a child care plan in place for your other children. Reach out to a number of trusted caregivers for your younger children, or make a plan to drop them off or have them picked up by another family. Have their phone numbers accessible, go through routines and most importantly, be sure you have back up plans in case the initial caregiver planned is unavailable.

Katie Moore is an active writer within the blogging community who discusses maternity, motherhood, prenatal health, child birth and other topics within this niche.  If you have any questions or would like to connect with Katie please contact her via twitter @moorekm26.