Playing the baby waiting game: How should Meghan pass the time?

The Duchess of Sussex should stay as active as possible, and indulge in pampering and date nights as she waits to go into labour, a birthing expert suggested.

Amy Delicate, a National Childbirth Trust (NCT) antenatal teacher, said: “Rather than bringing on the birth, it’s about passing the time as gently as possible and letting the birth happen in its own timeframe.”

Ms Delicate added: “Some mothers tell the NCT at this time, they want things to happen quickly, they’re uncomfy, they’re impatient.

“But some people feel they need more time to get ready.”

How can Meghan pass the time as she prepares for childbirth?

1. Nesting

“One of the things some parents like to do is those last preparations in the home,” Ms Delicate said.

From batch cooking favourite meals and stocking up on healthy snacks to organising the nursery, Meghan is likely to be nesting in her new home Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Estate.

2. Staying active

Keeping as active as possible is an important way of getting women ready for giving birth.

Ms Delicate said: “If Meghan or other mums have been doing things like yoga or swimming or walking, try to keep doing those.

“Being active can really help prepare for birth.

“It can help the baby’s head to engage in the pelvis and help move a woman towards going into labour in a more gentle way.”

3. Relaxation

Mothers-to-be should also make sure they relax prior to the birth.

“Meghan should take time to put her feet up and conserve some energy, not only for labour and birth but for when the newborn arrives,” Ms Delicate said.

“Some people see that relaxation as time to pamper, like a hair cut or nails, or whatever helps them feel more relaxed.”

4. Date nights

Harry and Meghan may want to make the most of their free evenings together by booking in some date nights.

The NCT expert said: “I encourage parents to enjoy the time they’ve got before baby arrives – date nights or going to the cinema, having supper with friends – things they might not so easily be able to do when baby is here.”

She added that relaxation and happiness are important as they help produce the oxytocin hormone which brings on labour.

5. Reviewing the birth plans

The final countdown to baby Sussex’s arrival could be used to check over any birth plans, Ms Delicate suggested.

The duke and duchess could look at any last-minute questions they have with their consultant or midwife, or alter their preparations depending on how Meghan is feeling.

6. Listening to your body

“A woman’s shape and how comfortable she feels can almost change on an hourly basis at the end of pregnancy,” Ms Delicate said.

“What a woman might have been able to do in yoga poses yesterday might be very different today.”

She advised Meghan to check in with her care team and to look out for changes in activity, twinges, pain and the start of contractions in her final days of pregnancy.