Every woman has a different childbirth experience. One experience may not necessarily mirror what childbirth entails or how long the process can be. Some women labour for shorter hours, others experience long labour while some do not go through labour at all.
For those who go through labour, it’s painful as the muscles contract to help push the baby out. Depending on other factors, the doctor may then decide whether you’ll go through cesarean or vaginal birth. However, you can choose either cesarean or vaginal birth but at the end of the day your medical profile dictates whether you can give birth through your preferred method.
For the ladies who want to be present and fully awake during the entire birth, then an epidural is administered at the lower back.
Talk to Your Gynecologist
When you arrive in the hospital, your gynecologist will speak to you on the two option, c-section and birth, how long the process might take and what to generally expect. For cesarean section, you can either choose full anesthesia or half anesthesia. With half anesthesia comes the epidural.
You Have To Curve Your Back
We all know how hard this is for a pregnant woman especially if your belly gets really huge during pregnancy. It gets especially harder when you are in the midst of painful contractions.
The Antiseptic is Really Cold and There Are Injections Involved
The doctor will apply an antiseptic solution to your back before administering the epidural. It’s really cold and is intended to prevent infections. What follows is an injection to numb the area and a catheter on your hand from where the epidural medication will flow.
Your vital signs will be checked consistently as well as your pain level. In case you feel any pain, alert the nurse who will adjust the medication. The choice to avoid pain during birth is a personal one and should not make anyone feel less of a mother.
Statistically, epidurals do not increase the risk of birth and a lot of women choose to have it as an option while looking at the birth process. Some of the advantages of having an epidural are:
- You feel more relaxed.
- You will still feel the pressure during the process only without the pain.
- You get to witness the birth of your child without feeling pain.
This article is for information purpose only and should not be considered as Medical or Obstetric Advice. Consult an Obstetrician before making any obstetric decision.
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