This information will definitely come in handy
If you’ve found this article as the result of a frantic Google search, you must be getting pretty close to your delivery day. And, as many women do, you are probably starting to freak out a little. With all of the attention focused on the coming baby, it is all too easy to forget about what happens when the baby actually comes, right?
While you’ve surely read many books about pregnancy and childbirth, most – if not all – of those publications probably left out a few key tidbits that you should know about.
More a trickle than a deluge
Once you’ve given birth, you’ll realize that the majority of movie screenwriters have no clue, especially when it comes to water breaking. Your water (the amniotic fluid) might rupture in a gush, but that only happens 8-10% of the time. If it ruptures at all, it may break high up, which would result in a slow trickle that feels as though you’re intermittently peeing… yes, a little confusing since you might have some stress incontinence toward the end of your pregnancy. In general, your amniotic sac is much more likely to stay intact until you’re in active labor, if not longer.
The “worst” part may not be that bad in comparison
In your mind, you’ve probably decided that the delivery is going to be the worst, most painful part of childbirth. But you can blame Hollywood for this one too. It’s quite possible that you’ll need to put the most effort into managing the pain of contractions during first stage of labor (the part before the pushing) and the actual birth may be a cakewalk compared to it.
You doctor may not be there until the end, if at all
If all things go as planned, and your caregiver is an obstetrician, she or he may not show up until you are pushing, depending on whether or not they are in the hospital when you get there and during the time you are laboring. In most cases, you are greeted and attended by nurses. If you haven’t already, you’ll need to talk to your physician to find out about the other MDs who will be on call. If you are using a midwife, she will likely show up shortly after you arrive, if she is not already there, and she will be present throughout your labor.
No birth is the same for everyone
By this point a co-worker, relative, or even a complete stranger has probably told you a horror story about somebody they knew who was in labor for 43 hours. It’s true that some women have tough deliveries. However, you rarely hear about women who go into labor and have the baby in 10 minutes. That happens too. You just need to be prepared for anything and let nature take its course.
Your body was designed for this
The thought of giving birth may terrify you, and the actual act may seem impossible, but that’s all in your mind. If your body could talk, it would say “I’ve got this.” However, your body DOES expect that you’ll give it a hand. If you just lay there and assume others will “take care of you”, you are putting yourself at a huge disadvantage, increasing the need for medical intervention, and increasing the chances for a long, difficult, more painful labor.
Want to feel better about the big day? Want to have control over your birth experience and greatly reduce your anxiety around it? A class can help ease your mind and give you and our partner the most valuable information you’ll ever receive. Learn about my childbirth education classes.
