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6 Delivery-Day Jitters
It's normal to be nervous about labor. Fear of the unknown, along with stories shared by well-meaning but slightly clueless friends, can drive even the most levelheaded mom-to-be to bite her nails. We put the most common fears into perspective.
Worry #1: A Painful Labor
This may be your top fear. "Let's put it this way," my best friend Julie told me, "I wanted an epidural when my pregnancy test came back positive." Kara Corridan, of Springfield, New Jersey, used to have nightmares of being carted off to the delivery room screaming in agony.
Contractions do hurt, says Jennifer Krupp, M.D., maternal fetal medicine fellow at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. But there are many, many options for managing pain, "including narcotics, epidurals, other medicines -- and nonpharmacologic options, too, such as walking around, being in the tub, and changing positions," she says. That means, for the most part, how much pain you undergo is well within your control -- with a doctor's assistance.
As for Corridan, "the reality was that a few hours after I was induced, my doctor said, 'So, you ready for your epidural?' " she recalls. "I said, 'Already? I'm not really hurting yet.' And she said, 'I don't need to see how much pain you can take -- do you?' " (In fact, many mothers-to-be report that induction is slightly more painful due to increased contractions.) Corridan still regards her doctor as "my hero."
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I felt the doctor reach in and yank it off and i felt the pressure from my youngest son's head as he crowned and came out. that was the most painful part i had even after my first son. my husband's family is known for big babies, so i am definitely going to get an epidural this time around as well!
4/26/2011 10:50:44 PM Report Abusewhen i went into labor i got the epidural and i was in heaven, i slept alot of the labor without feeling any pain. i went in labor again at 11pm and my youngest came at 2 the next afternoon. it was longer because i had a leep done when my oldest was about a year old and had the scar tissue still from it.
4/26/2011 10:50:23 PM Report Abusethis is my third baby. I had an epidural for both my boys. my oldest son i was in hard labor from 11 that night til 7 that morning. they gave me an epidural but the doctor sadly did not do it correctly, luckily i didnt have any complications, i just felt EVERYTHING! i felt every contraction, i felt him coming out, me tearing, them cutting me, and stitching me back up. I found out i was pregnant with my second son and i wanted the epidural but thought why, it didn't work last time.
4/26/2011 10:49:39 PM Report Abuseyou don't actually have to tie off or cut the cord. Babies benifit from getting all the blood the cord has to offer. My second child didn't get her cord cut until 45 minutes after the birth and she's as healthy as can be... Evidence supports waiting at least until the cord stops pulsating before cutting it. It's better to leave intact until you have something steril to clamp/cut it with.
6/16/2010 06:09:46 PM Report Abuseand by the way all I had time for was a pain pill and nothing else. Its not as bad as everyone says it is. Its actually the best without an epidural or anything strong...contractions are painful but worth it..
5/27/2010 09:59:11 PM Report AbuseI have had two girls and now pregnant with my first boy. I agree with the doctor. The only reason I almost had my last child in the car is because Im the mom that waits until the end to go to the hospital. I started haveing contractions @ 4:00am. I laid around and waited until 8:30am to go to hospital. I arrived @ hospital @ 9:15.My baby girl was already crowning when I got there.I pushed 2 times and there she was. As u can see I dont go until it's really time.
5/27/2010 09:56:29 PM Report AbuseHi my name is Karla my due date is 07-04-10, yes!! I know a independence day baby how cute,with my first daughther I didn't get any kind of medications for pain during delivery was a natural birth and I regret it know because the pain was amazing...... so I making sure this time to get a pain -free delivery if is posible.. So Mom's to be out there if you choose a natural delivery be prepare for a lot of pain, tho in the end is so worth it you get to see ur baby and the pain is gone...........
5/25/2010 11:32:04 AM Report Abuse