Unbearable contractions, endless bleeding, obligatory episiotomy, suffering for the baby? Reports of normal childbirth are so frightening that many women panic when they imagine this possibility.
But are things that terrible? Ok, it's true that sometimes they can be quite bad. But it is very likely that humanity would not exist to this day if normal birth were so impossible, right?
When pregnancy is healthy and there are no hindering factors (such as the position of the baby or some complications with the umbilical cord), normal birth is the best option for both mother and child. If you're still scared, check out some experiences that women who have already brought children into the world through the vaginal canal would like to share:
1. You may not notice the first contractions
If you look on the internet about birth contractions, you will find reports ranging from something like mild menstrual cramps to the feeling that your body will be split in half.
However, pregnant women experience so many types of sensation (bladder compression, trapped gas, baby moving?) That the first contractions may go unnoticed. And that's good news: If you're not sure what contractions are, then are they bearable? at least at the beginning of labor.
Read also: 7 exercises that help you prepare for a normal birth
2. What does it really mean? 18 hours of labor?
Some pregnant women are terrified when they read reports of mothers who have spent 12, 18, 22 hours in labor, imagining that they have been lying on a stretcher all this time forcing the baby out.
In fact, what happens is that most mothers count labor time from the first contraction to the moment the baby is born. But that does not mean that they have been in pain or have been pushing all the time! Even contractions can be spaced for an interval of hours in the early stages of labor.
3. You can have a normal birth even if you are afraid of blood
Can't you even see a simple finger cut because you faint at the slightest sign of blood? So be aware that this is not an impediment to normal birth if this is your wish.
Is it possible to give birth without necessarily having to look at what is going on outside your vaginal canal? even more so if you choose to deliver under anesthesia. Normal childbirth is not synonymous with horror movie scenery.
4. Recovery requires care, but worth it
After giving birth through normal childbirth, you may feel a lot of tiredness and body aches, especially in the perineum. Even if he has not cracked, this area can become sensitive from the pressure on the baby's head, causing it to sting when peeing.
Read also: Humanized Childbirth: The Resumption of the Protagonism of the Pregnant Woman
Fortunately, are there ways to ease these discomforts, such as making cold compresses and pouring a glass of water over the vulva when urinating? This dilutes the urine and decreases the burning in the region.
Nonetheless, recovery from normal birth is faster and requires less hospital stay than cesarean, so both mother and baby can go home early. Still, there is less risk of infection and bleeding, and the uterus returns to its original size faster.
5. No experience is the same as another.
Her friend went through 20 hours of labor, felt terrible pain and ended up having a cesarean because she did not have enough dilation. Her cousin almost gave birth in the car because she had virtually no contractions and did not even realize that the baby was about to be born.
Yes, no experience is the same as the other, because each woman and each baby have different organisms and different moments. So isn't it worth being scared of hard birth stories? just as you shouldn't feel inferior or guilty if things don't go as you planned.
The most important thing right now is to trust your nature (your body knows what it is doing!) And choose exclusively what is best for you and your baby. You are a unique pair, unlike any other, and this must be respected.
Read also: Normal Birth: A Realistic View of Everything You Need to Know from Pre to Postpartum
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