You are already aware of the drill, you have read it a thousand times and talked to your healthcare provider a hundred times more, but nothing can prepare you more for this than yourself. Labor is different for each woman, and therefore here are some things that you should have your mind set in for.
- When your water breaks: Most women confuse, their water breaking with incontinence but there are some who just hear a popping sound. Some women even had water gushing down their legs and others had their healthcare providers burst their bubble when they started labor. Just be prepared during the end of your pregnancy, as its one of the signs that soon you would be in labor.
- Passing on of the mucus plug: Some women pass off the mucus plug days before their labor actually starts. It’s exactly what it is called as, a plug made of mucus which protects the fetus when it’s in the womb. It can come out in chunks or pieces or all together, however, if it happens, it’s just means that you need to be prepared for labor.
- What labor feels like: Your labor pain depends on the position of the baby. For some moms, it felt like period pains and for others felt a continuous surge of pain. If the baby is placed at the posterior position, with the back to the woman’s spine, the labor might feel more like backache.
- Everybody poops (including your baby): You poop while you are pushing. Not only that, you also fart (a lot) and pee. What no one tells you is that your baby poops too. Known as the meconium, the baby poop is blackish, green in color.
- Epidural pains: Most women opt for epidural to get relief from pain, however, to receive epidural, you need to be 4 cms dilated, be in the right condition to receive the shot, and the speed of your labor has to slow enough for the healthcare provider to follow protocol.
- Inflammation or Hemorrhoids down under: All that pushing and straining is bound to have inflammation and tear. Most women don’t realize it during labor but after care and maintenance of hygiene is of utmost importance.
- A case of the black eyes: Also, known as the ecchymosis, this is another result of all that strain your body undergoes during all that pushing and straining of labor. This is basically bursting of your blood vessels in and around your eyes. It’s quite normal and would go away after some time.
- After the baby is born: Breastfeeding can be difficult initially, mainly because you would be tired after all the pushing and babies can really clamp on. Remember that you need to recover after child birth and therefore feel free to assign jobs to friends and family members.
- Feeling the jitters: Don’t freak out if you are jittery after giving birth. Most women go through this too, and it has nothing to do with feeling cold. The shakes are due to the immediate hormonal shifts that are occurring in your body.
- Being stuck in bed: If you are going to have a C-section, you might have restricted movement after the procedure. Also, after epidurals, most healthcare providers do not allow much movement. So, arm yourself with some books, music, etc. which can help you relax before and after the procedure.
- Post baby sweats: Don’t freak out if you have tremendous night sweats, even after you have delivered the baby. This happens because the body’s estrogen level drops radically, and this messes up the body’s temperature regulation. Don’t worry, as things get back to normal within a month.
Inspite of all the gross, gore and the ugly facts, once you are a mother and you have your bundle of joy in your arms, you will completely forget everything else. How else would you define the instant bond, the overpowering love that you feel for your baby once you see him or her.
