Giving Birth

Written by Sandy Ball

Giving birth is a magical moment in most mothers' lives, yet many fear it the first time it happens to them. What will happen? What should you do to prepare? Should you be scared? While there are many questions, perhaps the most important thing to do is to educate yourself on the entire process so that there is no risk of not knowing. Every woman will experience something different and unique during birth. The risk of complications is low, in most cases, in the United States and other western countries. Yet, knowing what is happening will help to breathe a bit easier when the day arrives.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about giving birth. If you have further questions, do talk to your doctor about them. They are more than willing to help you to relax during this time of your life.

Will It Hurt?

Perhaps the most asked question is this. Giving birth is a unique experience to each woman, and while for some it is much easier than for others, it nearly always involves some pain and most women are not comfortable while giving birth. Yet, today there are many ways to help mothers to forgo some of this anxiety and pain. For example, you may be asked if you would like medication that can be used to help numb the pain and remove all feeling from that region of your body until after the baby is born.

For other women, this is not something they want to go through, preferring a natural style of birth. In that case, do consider other solutions such as meditation, natural remedies, and breathing exercises, all of which can help you to reduce some of the pain. While giving birth is usually a painful situation, your body is built for it and can handle what is likely to happen. Talk to your doctor about your plans for medication, too.

What Will Happen?

Again, every woman is a bit different, but the general process of giving birth is the same. Once your cervix dilates to the appropriate level (which for most women is ten centimeters) it has prepared to give birth. Prior to this time, your body will go through a process of contractions, which feel very much like muscle cramps that grab around your abdomen tightly. Through these, the cervix dilates, which allows for the opening to open wide enough for the baby to be born.

Once this happens, your doctor is likely to talk to you instructing you how and when to push. Pushing is simply a method of bearing down on the lower area of your body, squeezing the area in order to push the baby down through the opening and out. While most people think that this is the most painful part of giving birth, it usually is also the fastest portion, assuming that your body and baby are working together. Once the baby has come through, your doctor will ensure its health, provide for anything it needs and may even ask if Dad wants to cut the baby's umbilical cord.

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