DO prepare both physically and mentally. Jones went on 30-minute walks throughout her pregnancy. She also prepared with prenatal yoga and positive affirmations, such as “I trust my body; I follow its lead” and “My mind is relaxed; my body is relaxed,” which she read each morning and night. “I really tried to look at birth as a natural process, telling myself that women have been giving birth for eons, that my body will know what it’s doing, and not looking at labor as ‘pain’ but as ‘progress’ — one step closer to my baby being born,” she says. “The mental preparation ended up being the most important for me.”

DON’T starve yourself. “I highly recommend eating a good meal before you leave home,” Peifer says. “My husband made me scrambled eggs at 4:30 in the morning. I needed the energy and it was worth the chance that I’d poop during pushing.” I couldn’t agree more. I downed an egg sandwich at home during early labor, then snacked on toast, Jell-O, and, when I was at the hospital, the kind of electrolyte jellybeans used by marathoners. I may or may not have pooped during pushing. At that point — somewhat surprisingly — I didn’t at all care.