When I was pregnant with my first, family and friends flooded me with congratulations and well-wishes. As felicitations slow down to a steady trickle, the horror stories started; the excruciating long labour, usage of forceps and vacuum, and so on. It was bothering me quite a bit until at one point of time, my mother took hold of me and told me the most important thing every pregnant woman should know; that every healthy woman has the innate ability to give birth without external intervention. Our bodies are equipped to give birth naturally without drugs.
God has designed our bodies to know what to do for some things like wound-healing or fighting off a cold. When it come to giving birth, I still think that doing it as how nature meant it to be, to be the best way. This is, however, only for mothers who are not facing any medical complications during the pregnancy or labour.
If you are planning for a drug-free natural delivery, these are the main areas to be aware of.
Induction of Labour
Induction might be recommended for various reasons, so it is crucial for the mother to evaluate if the reasons for doing so are valid. Unless there is a real reason to do so, do not opt to be induced. Your doctor cannot switch labour on at will. Putting drugs into your body to force contractions will result in adverse reactions that will block the body's natural mechanisms from functioning correctly during labour.
Despite the side effects from the procedures and drugs, induction without cervical ripening will greatly intensify the contractions within a short period of time, resulting in more intense pain. Research also shows that induction in first-time mothers considerably increases the likelihood of a Caesarian section.
There are several natural ways of inducing labour that are gentler to our bodies. If you are past your due date, your obstetrician might offer a 'membrane sweep' during the final few antenatal appointments. Your O.B. will 'sweep' with a finger around the your cervix to separate the membranes from the baby. Usually, this brings on the release of prostaglandins which could bring on labour. This could be done a few times and should by right be tried before you consider other options of induction.
Usage of Epidural
Epidural seems to be a popular choice of pain relief during labour. I have heard and read of many good experiences with this procedure. There are, however, side effects to this procedure besides the rare postnatal back / leg numbness, etc.
Epidural can slow down contractions and thus, prolonging labour. This psychologically and physically drains the mother. Following this, it could also increase the possibility of a Caesarian section, usage of forceps and vacuum, as well as induction.
The mother will also not be able to feel the contractions coming on and will not know when to push. Women on epidural will need to rely on doctors and nurses when it comes to pushing. This is called 'purple pushing' or directed pushing. It increases the chance of a tear at the perineum and it is most difficult and tiring for the mother.
Inarguably, epidural is still one of the most effective procedure in pain management for labour. Some of my friends swear by it and cannot imagine going through the last stages of contractions without it. However, before deciding on it, please be aware of the potential side effects that could be detrimental to your plan for a natural birth.
Fear is your Enemy
Childbirth IS painful, but the majority of the pain happens during the 'active labor' phase. This is when the contractions come fast and thick and your body is stretching the cervix so the baby can move into the birth canal out into the world.
Avoid getting admitted too early into the hospital. Most doctors will just check your dilation and ask you to come back if you are not ready. Some mothers get admitted too soon and ended up in the hospital bed, strapped to monitors for more than 10 hours. This is extremely taxing mentally with all the flurry of activity in a highly-pressured environment. Be aware, however, of the situations when you need to go to a hospital immediately, e.g. leaking of fluids, abnormal bleeding, etc.
You will hear many different versions from different people. The best thing you can do for yourself is to read up on the stages of childbirth and what each of their tell-tale signs are. This way, you will understand what your body is going through when your labour starts. In addition to that, you and your partner can make an informed decision should any complications occur during labour.
During labour, remind yourself that the "real pain" is just momentary. For me, having my husband with me helped. I was able to scream and rant at him between contractions and he was there to comfort me when there were no nurses about. After everything was over, we were able to revisit the events that unfolded and it significantly bonded us. He was appalled with the goriness of it all, but he was glad he was there when our baby was born.
Lastly, relax and believe that your body knows what to do. Pray hard and hope for the best!
For more information on birthing naturally, please visit: www.givingbirthnaturally.com/.
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