Labor and Delivery

It hasn’t been easy, but you have made it to the end of your pregnancy and now you are getting ready for labor and delivery. Your doctor will go over everything with you, if they haven’t already, and answer any questions that you may have.

Make a list of questions you think of while at home so you won’t forget to ask the doctor when you see them next. This will help you be more prepared when it is time to deliver your bundle of joy.

Labor is your next step. There are generally four stages of labor. The first stage is dilation. The second stage is when the baby drops down into the birth canal and is born. The third stage is delivery of the placenta after the baby is born. The fourth stage of labor is recovery.

Labor is different for everyone so don’t let people scare you with their labor stories. This is a period of time when the baby gets ready for birth and your body prepares you. Pain is different for everyone. Even if you planned not to take pain medication during labor, don’t be afraid to ask for it if you need it.

There are several pain relievers out there that are available and safe for women in labor. Some of those medications would be sedatives, tranquilizers and narcotics, either orally or through intravenous.

Pain management will play a key role in how much pain medication you will need. During this time you will need to remember the proper breathing techniques that you practiced while exercising. These breathing techniques will help you relax and make it possible to handle the pain as it becomes intense.

During this time you may try to relax between contractions by having your partner message your lower back or parts of the body that are hurting. During labor your body is preparing for delivery. As your uterus contracts, your cervix will dilate until it has opened enough for baby to come through.

If labor doesn’t progress like it should, your doctor may decide to perform a cesarean section. This is done by making a small incision under the navel above the pelvic area. This incision will be just the right size to deliver your baby and the placenta. Then the doctor will suture the opening while you hold your baby. The recovery from a cesarean section is usually an extra day in the hospital.

The time that it takes to heal from a delivery, either vaginal or c-section, is minimal unless problems arise. After your baby is born you'll be feeling a lot better.

Labor and delivery is something that you can customize to make it memorable. Some people prefer more than one person in the labor room with them while others prefer to deal with this part of their pregnancy in private. However you decide to customize it, just make sure that you are satisfied with your choices. The less stressed that you are the easier your labor will be.

This is an emotional time for everyone, including family and friends who want to be involved in your baby’s life. Remember that you can’t please everyone. so make sure that you are happy with the decisions you made with your labor and delivery. Childbirth is a wonderful experience especially once they put your baby in your arms. You soon forget about the pain as your heart fills with joy.