9 Things you must know before giving birth for the first time

After nine months of pregnancy, you are now just one step away from finally being able to meet your little angel. What's more, if you are currently pregnant with your first child, you may feel nervous about labor and first-time delivery.

We've listed the questions you may have about childbirth, and provided answers that will ease your worries.

Will I be conscious when my water breaks?

You may not even notice that your water has broken and wake up surprised to find ruffles on your sheets, if this happens at night. If it breaks during the day, you might think you've just peed in your pants - it's normal for late-pregnancy urine leaks due to the baby's head pressing on your bladder - but most women will quickly notice that it's not urine. The sensation and smell of amniotic fluid is different from that of urine. Sometimes, the amniotic fluid can gush a little, which requires you to quickly change clothes, but then it may not come out again due to the position of the baby's head blocking the opening of the uterus so that the fluid will only come out again if you change positions. Sometimes, the water breaks only slowly dripping.

A ruptured amniotic fluid indicates that you are ready to give birth, but you don't need to panic in rushing to the hospital. In general, your waters will break During labor, not early. All you have to do if your water breaks first is to call your doctor. This means that you will be ready to give birth within the next 1-2 days. If your water breaks before contractions start, that most women will start giving birth within 24 hours.

What are the signs that it's time for childbirth?

There are many signs that signal you that labor is imminent, such as a mucous plug, a baby dropping or "slumping down," and a crampy feeling accompanied by common cold symptoms; but generally you will rely on the duration of the contractions becoming longer, stronger, and closer together over time. Contractions are tightening of the uterine muscles and can last anywhere from about 45-90 seconds at the end of labor. Your stomach becomes very hard during the contraction and then softens again. At first the contractions are not painful but will become very strong as labor progresses.

Many women get "fake" contractions. These false contractions don't open the cervix and don't get you to go into labor right away. The difference between false contractions, aka Braxton-Hicks contractions, and real labor contractions is that labor contractions don't go away when you change positions or drink water, and they become longer, stronger, and more frequent in duration. Often times women start realizing that labor has actually started when the contractions are about 5 or 6 minutes apart and are painful enough that you have to stop what you are doing at the moment.

Women are given enough cues to help them realize that they are expecting a baby in the near future. Talk with your midwife or doctor about signs of labor and any situations that require you to call or go to the hospital immediately.

When to go to the hospital immediately?

For those of you who are about to give birth for the first time, and in the absence of medical assistance, it is advisable to immediately go to the hospital when the distance between contractions is about 3-4 minutes, for 1 minute at a time, and the pattern persists for one hour (4-1-1).

You will be in contact with your doctor or midwife before that time so that you will not do anything reckless to let you give birth at home. If you prefer to minimize interventions, it can be helpful to stay home during the early labor stages. Doctors and hospital staff will only send you and your partner back home to wait if it comes too soon. Many couples worry about getting to the hospital on time, but you shouldn't worry if you follow the 4-1-1 guidelines above.

First births occur within 24 hours on average - babies born in taxis are rare for first-time mothers. Talk to your doctor or midwife about when to leave and what to do at home before you actually leave so that you don't have to worry too much.

Isn't it better to just give birth at home?

Mothers who choose to give birth for the first time at home carry a higher risk of stillbirth or SIDS than those who choose to give birth in a hospital / birthing clinic. Furthermore, 45% of planned home deliveries end in medical intervention requiring the mother to be transferred to the hospital during labor.

Can I use anesthesia during childbirth?

No one can deny that giving birth is very painful, and every mother is different in how she experiences it. Instead of being terrorized by pain, think about your possible options for coping with it. Some mothers know right away that they will choose an epidural or some other type of painkiller. Some choose to wait and take action as needed, while others want to experience natural childbirth without pain medication.

Health professionals have raised objections to the use of epidurals (injections into the dura mater of the spinal cord, providing a complete numb sensation below the waist), because their ideal normal delivery is one without intervention. Medical intervention is more likely once you are in the maternity ward. Many obstetricians and women will argue that adapting to pain is a personal choice, and even if that choice increases the risk of other types of medical intervention, the decision will not be regretted (if the alternative is suffering).

Ultimately, the decision on how you choose to deal with labor pain rests entirely with you as the person going through the whole process.

When should I start pushing?

According to the Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, reported by the Health Line, once your cervix is ​​opened wide (about 10 cm) your doctor or midwife will start instructing you to push. If you haven't / don't receive pain medication, the urge to push will be very strong. For most women, it feels better to push than to put it off. Pushing is instinctive and as hard as you feel necessary.

If you get an epidural, you won't experience pain, but you will feel pressure. Coordination of your muscles will be a little more difficult to work with to push effectively so you may have to rely on the guidance of your nurse, midwife, or doctor to start pushing. Most women with an epidural can push very effectively and will not need the help of forceps or a vacuum extractor to deliver their baby. If you are very numb, sometimes the nurse or doctor will advise you to take a short break while the uterus continues to push the baby down. After a while, the epidural effect will diminish, you will feel better able to push, the baby will slump further down into the birth canal, and labor can continue.

To push effectively, you will need to take a deep breath and hold it in your lungs, place your chin on your chest, and pull your legs up toward your chest as you push. The same guidelines apply if you are giving birth in a squatting position. You use the same muscles to push the baby out as you do to push for bowel movements. Certain muscles are very strong and effective in helping deliver the baby. If these muscles are not used, labor can take a lot longer than usual. Check here to understand more details about the stages of normal labor.

What if I have a bowel movement during labor?

It is normal for you to defecate accidentally during labor. There's no need to be embarrassed, as doctors and midwifery staff are used to this - and it's also part of their job to clean it up during the procedure.

When you push the baby out, there's a good chance that other things will follow. Usually not much - expectant mothers often have a urge to go to the bathroom in late pregnancy and tend to go back and forth to the bathroom during early labor. If you don't get an epidural, the instinct to push for the first time will be very similar to the feeling of urging to defecate at a critical moment. Some women can't feel the urge to push, but if you feel it, go for it. In all likelihood, the feeling of urgency is your desire to get the baby out immediately - and no one else.

What if I want to have a cesarean section?

Clinically, almost everyone tries to persuade mothers to avoid Caesarean section, aka C-section because of the high risk and longer recovery time. A caesarean section is also often performed during childbirth when the mother is feeling frightened, and professionals should take steps to ease the patient's anxiety rather than fulfill her demands. But on the other hand, a person often wants certain things for certain reasons. This, again, is your personal choice as the person going through the process. Find out what happens during a cesarean delivery here.

When can I start breastfeeding my baby?

After your doctor / midwife has finished checking your baby's overall status (Apgar test, cutting the placenta, taking a blood sample) - this can be done while you are holding him - you can start breastfeeding as soon as possible.

In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that healthy babies be "placed and remain in skin-to-skin contact with their mother immediately after delivery until the first successful breastfeeding." There's no need to panic if your baby seems to have trouble finding or settling on your nipple right after birth - he may just lick your nipple at first. Most babies will eventually start breastfeeding in about an hour, given the opportunity.

Don't be shy about asking a caregiver or nurse to help you start breastfeeding while you are still in the birthing room (or recovery room, if you had a cesarean section). Then, when you are transferred to the postpartum unit, there may be lactation consultants available for breastfeeding guidance. You must first find out what resources are available at the health facility where you live. Make sure to ask for all the help you need.

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