By Dr Vasudha Lagadapati
Pregnancy is a beautiful combination of pain and gain. It has its own share of worries and complaints. Many pregnant women wish to have a normal delivery, but not everyone can have it since one has zero control over emergencies. As per the ‘Healthy People 2020’ statistics, about 85% of pregnant women can achieve an unmedicated, normal birth.
A vaginal delivery is when a person gives birth through their vagina. It’s the most common method of childbirth. During a vaginal birth, the uterus contracts and opens the cervix, pushing the baby out through the vagina (or birth canal). A vaginal delivery occurs most often between weeks 37 and 42 of pregnancy.
A healthy body leads to a healthy pregnancy. This begins before conception, such as regularly taking prenatal vitamins, exercising, eating healthy, and maintaining a healthy weight. Once you are pregnant, continuing a healthy lifestyle makes you the best candidate for a healthy and stress-free pregnancy.
Healthy eating during pregnancy will help your baby develop and grow. It’s important to eat a variety of foods every day to get the right balance of nutrients that you and your baby need. To maintain a healthy pregnancy, approximately 300 extra calories are needed each day. These calories should come from a balanced diet of protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. About 8-11 kg weight gain during pregnancy is ideal.
Light exercises throughout pregnancy can help you build not only good stamina but also keeps you active during this period. Strengthening of pelvic muscles ensures a smooth delivery. Kegels are particularly helpful. Pelvic stretches and tilts, deep squats, or aquatic pregnancy exercises can open your hips and make your pelvic muscles stronger. Always exercise under the supervision of a qualified expert. Exercise done wrongly can be bad for you and the baby.
Educate yourself well about the process of delivery and labor. Prenatal classes will throw light on natural pain management techniques like breathing, relaxation, and other natural labor management techniques such as epidural analgesia, inhalation of Entonox (mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide gas).
Create a stress-free environment. Negative thoughts and emotions can affect the labor process. Meditate, take a walk, listen to upbeat music, and try to create a more positive environment around you. Practise breathing techniques. A positive thought process will also help you focus on what you need to do during labor.
If not indicated, try to avoid induction of labor. Go to the hospital only during active labor. It is helpful for pregnant women to know the difference between true and false labor.
Most pregnant women feel mild contractions before true labor begins. These are called Braxton Hicks contractions, which:
Other signs that labor is near are:
Lightening: This happens when your baby’s head drops down into your pelvis. Your belly will look lower. It will be easier for you to breathe because the baby is not putting pressure on your lungs. You may need to urinate more often because the baby is pressing on your bladder.
Bloody show: If you have bloody or brownish discharge from your vagina, it may mean your cervix has begun to dilate. The mucous plug that sealed your cervix during pregnancy may be visible. This is a good sign.
Your baby moves less: If you feel your baby is moving less, call your health care provider, as sometimes decreased movement can mean that baby is in trouble.
Your water breaks: When the amniotic sac (bag of fluid around the baby) breaks, you will feel fluid leaking from your vagina. It may come out in a trickle or a gush.
Diarrhoea: Some women have the urge to go to the bathroom often to empty their bowels. If this happens and your stools are looser than normal, you may be going into labor.
Nesting: You will feel a lot more energetic and the need to organise everything. Plenty of women feel the sudden urge to nest right before labor starts. This is a natural phenomenon which signifies that you are ready to welcome the baby.
In true labor, your contractions will:
labor typically lasts for around 12 to 18 hours for first births and around 8-10 hours for subsequent ones.
Vaginal delivery is also possible for women with one previous caesarean section and for twin pregnancy (if both twins are in cephalic presentation).
A vaginal delivery offers several benefits to both the mother and the baby.
Unless there is a medical condition, you should opt for a natural vaginal birth over a caesarean section. It’s better to stick to nature’s tried and trusted way of birth than to unnecessarily opt for surgical methods.
Dr Vasudha Lagadapati
Consultant – Obstetrician
MBBS, MS, FMAS
BirthRight by Rainbow Hospitals, Financial District, Hyderabad
This article was published in association with Rainbow Children’s Hospital.