You may feel like you don’t need to know that much about the birth process. Midwives and doctors will know how to help you. However, I know from many mothers who have been there that if you know what you are going to encounter in advance, you will be more calm and relaxed during the birth process, and this is what is needed most during the critical moment of labor.
The answers to the following 7 questions are what expectant mothers want to know most, and they will make you feel more secure during childbirth.
1. How do I know labor has started?
Some women feel irritable on the day of delivery, a clear signal from their body, while others experience symptoms such as a racing heart, fever, or headaches. Additionally, some people may experience a loss of appetite or be very hungry, and may experience diarrhea or severe constipation. At this time, the cervix also began to slowly open, more fluid flowed out, and the pelvis and lower abdomen began to feel pulling pain. Pressure in the vagina and bladder is also a sign that labor is about to begin.
When bleeding or amniotic fluid increases, it\’s time to go to the hospital, and labor pains begin to become regular. There is a golden rule that can help expectant mothers determine whether to start labor: this rule is 4:1:1, specifically: pain occurs every four minutes, and each pain lasts for 1 minute. This labor rhythm lasted for an hour.
Another sign that labor is about to begin is when the expectant mother begins to experience excruciating, severe pain.
Another simplest sign is that the expectant mother feels that she wants to see her baby. At this time, she should trust her intuition! Labor may begin soon.
2. I am worried that I am not qualified for the heavy labor task of childbirth. What should I do?
It\’s completely normal to have fears about childbirth. Expectant mothers can prepare for labor by calming themselves down through relaxation exercises. Here are some details about childbirth to help you overcome your fears:
*The labor pain before delivery gradually intensifies and does not come suddenly, so expectant mothers can adapt to it slowly.
* There are intervals between contractions. At that time, the expectant mother does not feel any pain (except at the end of labor) and can take advantage of the gap to take a good rest.
*In addition, labor has a time limit. Each labor is one step closer to birth. Labor is truly over when the baby is lying in your arms.
Many studies show that a woman\’s sensitivity to pain continues to decrease from the 20th week of pregnancy until delivery. The reason is that the human body secretes a hormone that has an opiate-like narcotic effect. Having a successful birth doesn\’t mean you have to endure severe pain. Many methods and medications can be used to relieve pain, such as acupuncture, breathing, painkillers, local anesthesia, etc.
3. How long does childbirth take?
Statistics show that women spend an average of about 12 hours1st baby was born, 8.5 hours for the 2nd baby. But this does not mean that women have to endure more than 10 hours of non-stop pain. Everyone\’s situation is different. Generally speaking, labor is faster when you are in a familiar environment and with people you trust.
Some mothers-to-be have shorter labors but have high pain intensity, while others have less pain but require more time to complete labor. Therefore, expectant mothers should let nature take its course and not feel pressured.
How long labor takes varies from person to person and can be inherited. So, you might as well ask your mother what her birth experience was like. You can also learn about the birth process of your aunt and grandma, which will be of certain help to you.
Your sensitivity to pain has little to do with how long your labor lasts, but you can be sure that labor will end at the first cry.
4. Who will be with you during delivery?
There are many options. Some people think it should be the father of the child. Because your baby\’s father is with you, you can experience the birth together. However, there are some expectant fathers who cannot bear such a scene, so it is best to arrange for them to wait outside the delivery room.
Some people also believe that women should be accompanied by female relatives or friends who have had childbirth experience. Because they\’ve been through the process, they can give you some helpful help without being overly nervous.
In addition, you can also choose professional doula services provided by the hospital. These doulas are experienced medical personnel or midwives. They bring a sense of security to mothers, shorten the delivery process (according to statistics, the first delivery is shortened by an average of two hours), and liberate fathers who are not qualified to accompany delivery. With their guidance, your delivery will be smoother! Of course, this service also requires additional charges.
During a caesarean section, if companionship is allowed, it is best for the expectant father to choose one that is closer to the expectant mother. Even if you are not standing directly in front of the delivery bed, you should choose a place where the expectant mother can see it. Emotions help.
5. What should I do if the delivery encounters a stagnation?
Labor can be restarted by adjusting breathing, relaxation, and movement accordingly. This break is great because we know childbirth is hard work and women need time to recover briefly.
Can you sleep during labor pains? It\’s almost unthinkable, but one in five women manage to do it between contractions. Painkillers can also promote sleep. Expectant mothers don\’t have to endure all the pain during labor, so taking some painkillers or techniques can help them feel better.
Breathing, relaxation, and movement can help you get through labor pains. For example, during the opening period of the uterus, the expectant mother can sit on an exercise ball and bend her body backward to allow easier breathing, with a midwife or expectant father sitting behind for support. This exercise is very simple and easy for any woman to doBoth sexes can be used during childbirth without prior study. And this movement is not only helpful for pain relief, but also helps the baby accelerate the sinking of the pelvis.
6. My water broke. Should I go to the hospital immediately?
Throughout pregnancy, many women wonder what to do if they lose a lot of amniotic fluid before giving birth. In fact, it is very rare for amniotic fluid to cause diarrhea when the water breaks, so don’t worry too much. Plus, you can rest assured
, the obstetrician and gynecologist will check whether the baby\’s head has entered the pelvis before the due date. When the baby\’s little head has descended into the birth canal, the amniotic sac has ruptured, and amniotic fluid has flowed into the birth canal, you should go to the hospital at this time. If the water breaks too early, many days before the due date, and the fetus has not yet entered the position ready for birth, it will be more dangerous. Because at this time, the umbilical cord will slide into the vagina before the baby, and the baby\’s head behind is pressing on the umbilical cord, impeding the flow of blood. Therefore, at this time, the mother should be sent to the hospital lying down to ensure that the umbilical cord is not compressed and that the supply to the fetus can continue.
7. Can I use an oxytocin injection to control the progress of labor?
If labor does not progress, consider using an oxytocin injection to speed up labor pains. Another situation that requires inducing labor is when labor starts out normally, but suddenly the labor pains disappear, or the rhythm of the labor pains is very slow. Even if the labor pains are very weak, intravenous oxytocin needles are also needed to promote labor.
The rate of intravenous injection should be tightly controlled so that the woman does not feel out of control. If the frequency of labor pains is too high, the drip should be slowed down or even stopped to make the intervals between labor pains longer. Expectant mothers should communicate with the nurses in the delivery room in a timely manner based on their physical condition to remind them to pay attention to how the expectant mother responds to the oxytocin injection.