Im not going to sit here and lie to you and say that labour is a breeze. If it was it wouldnt be called labour, it would be called heaven. But the fact is, child birth is both one of the most scariest and exciting times in a womans life,
all rolled into one. Who ever thought it would be possible to experience so many different emotions all in such a short period of a few hours? I know with my labours, I went from being scared, to frustrated (that it was taking so long lol) impatient, full of beans to dead tired to full of beans again, angry, annoyed, in pain to not in pain (ahhh i love epidurals lol) and finally, after a long wait, pure joy, untainted love, and elation. No mother can ever tell you what it feels like to give birth, because for everyone its different. Some of us have better experiences than others, and some you just want to slap across the face for having the perfect 40-minute long natural birth that 'didnt hurt a bit'.
So anyway, enough rambling, what happens when youre in labour and about to give birth?
Well firstly, call the hospital and let them know youre on your way. Dont waste too much time as you never know how long a labour will last, especially so if you live a fair drive from a hosptial. For crying out loud, if you live in Sydney, dont use public transport, there is no way you will get to the hospital in time! Not that many people do use it to get to the hospital, but just in case lol stranger things have happened.
Anywho, once you reach the hospital, unless youre dead sure that the head is coming out like RIGHT NOW, leave your bag in the car and make your way to the labour ward. A midwife will check you over and see how far dilated you are, and may either tell your support person to go get your bag as birth isnt far off, or she will send you home to rest until the contractions get a bit worse.
If it turns out that your support person has been sent down to the car to get your bag, your midwife will get you comfy, ask if you need to go to the loo, and more than likely perform a urine test, then hook you up to all sorts of wierd and wonderful machines, but most probably for the beginning, just hook you up to a CTG, which are two big bands that go around your tummy to measure your babys heart rate and check its movements. After a few minutes of monitoring you and baby, they will take it off you and leave you to rest. They will also routinely check your blood pressure and dilation again and again and again, and bring you water, and a meal if its meal time. Other than frequently monitoring you they will leave you be for nature to take your course, and to answer any questions you may have. Remember, if there is anything at all that you are unsure about, just ask them. They will be only too happy to help.
Once its time for your baby to enter the world, dont panic. There is nothing to worry about, and have faith in your midwife or obstetrician, as they have delivered many a baby time and time again. The best thing you can do is relax between contractions, and if youve decided on pain relief, take advantage of what theyve got to offer. (I'll do an article on pain relief later.) Also, keep your fluids up, as you tend to get very hot during labour, and especially the transition period which is just before the baby crowns. (head comes out.) A good idea (so long as you dont have high blood sugar levels or diabetes) is to suck on barley sugar during your labour, and drink strong red cordial. It gives you lots of energy for the birth.
Upon reaching the transition stage, (this usually happens when you are fully dialated (the cervix is 10cm when fully open), and this is the classic part they always show in movies, where the woman is screaming and panting and moaning, and looks like something posessed by the devil. This is so dramatised its not funny, and noone ever has a transition period like that. Yes some mothers threaten to castrate their husbands, but its really only a period that lasts about 15 or so minutes, and then its all over and by this stage you will already be pushing and have long forgotten about the pain and will be all excited about meeting your little newborn. A few pushes later and your baby will be laying on your chest having its very first cuddle with you. What an exciting time that you will never forget!
Now back to the medical side of things. While you are having your first cuddle, most new mothers, if they consented to it, will have their syntocin injection, which is usually given in the thigh, and a few minutes later you get to deliver the placenta. The reason the syntocin is administered is to separate the placenta from the uterus, and help make it easier to deliver. The midwife/obstetrician then takes the baby from you to perform all the normal testing that a baby undergoes after birth etc weighing, measuring, making sure it has ten toes and only one head etc and during this time you will give one last push and out comes the placenta. If you need stitches it is done then, and only takes a few minutes, and they normally give you a local anaesthetic, or none if you had an epidural, stitch you up, hand back your baby for another cuddle, then pop you in the shower to clean yourself up, and off goes your new little family down to the maternity ward to be with all the other new mothers and babies.
Ta-da! All done!
(January 2007) (
