Before the days of hospital births, women gave birth at home, sometimes in their own beds. There was little they did to prepare, as they often gave birth, rested a few short hours, and then got on with things. They would probably have preferred to rest more, but they simply did not have that option in most homes. Today, you can have your baby at home, in a hospital, and sometimes, you may have it wherever you are because baby comes before you can get anywhere. No matter where you go or end up, you can do some childbirth preparation so you are ready for just about anything.
If you are giving birth at a hospital, you can do what many like to do today for childbirth preparation. Most hospitals host classes that teach women what will happen when they give birth, if they are having their first child, and how to handle the pain through breathing and other non-drug related techniques. Not all women want to go drug free, but there are childbirth preparation classes for those that want to do it, or at least give it a try before they consider any pain relief.
Those that are going to give birth at home have some childbirth preparation to do as well. They have to decide where they want to have the baby and who they want to assist them. Some hire a doula or midwives to assist at home. This is normally quite safe as long as you are not having a high risk pregnancy. If you are, you should consider using the hospital just in case you or your baby need medical intervention. Otherwise, a home birth can be just what you wish for you and your baby. A midwife can help you with many of the details and will be there for you when you call.
Sometimes, babies come before you can get to the hospital or before your midwife or doula can arrive. This may mean that you are on your own. You and your spouse (or other partner) should know what to do if labor is progressing too quickly and you have to give birth on your own. Most good books on pregnancy have information on this type of childbirth preparation that you can read through, study, and have on hand if something happens. This is always great information to have if someone you know and are around a lot is pregnant too. This childbirth preparation will make it so you can be helpful, even if you don't want to be. Some babies simply come quickly and don't care where you are.
You will pay a lot of attention to your own childbirth preparation, but you also want to make sure your spouse or partner is ready to help you out. Have them attend classes with you, and encourage them to find out more about what they can do to assist you while you give birth. They should know where your older kids are going (if you have any) when you go to give birth, what they should bring with them when they take you in, and who to call if needed. They can even watch videos of birth as childbirth preparation if they want to be better prepared as to what you are going to go through.