Painless delivery  Painless delivery Becoming a mother is the start of a wonderful journey. The amazing bond that you have shared with your unborn child during the nine months culminates with the arrival of your bundle of joy. However, the crossing over often involves an excruciatingly painful birthing process. First-time mothers-to-be often fear natural birth. While earlier an elective C-section was the only alternative available, modern medicine has brought about some revolutionary advancements that can help bring the pain during childbirth down to an acceptable level. Painless delivery or ‘Epidural analgesia’ is nothing but an option for normal delivery ?What is Painless Delivery Painless delivery can be achieved using a form of regional anesthesia that provides pain relief during natural labour. Epidural anesthesia is administered through an injection on the lower back of the mother. The drug takes about 10-15 minutes to take effect. This is a good option for women with a lower pain bearing capacity, who would otherwise opt for a C-section ?How Is the Epidural Anesthesia Administered You may be required to sit still with your back arched while you are given the epidural. The doctor will catheterize your lower back by inserting a thin tube into the lower part of your spinal cord. The needle is removed, and the catheter is taped into place so that the epidural anesthesia can be administered during labour. The epidural is administered once you are in active labour and works by numbing your pelvic region and everything below it while you remain conscious. However, you should be aware that it does not offer 100% pain relie The Advantages of Epidural Painless delivery gives women a chance at experiencing natural childbirth, with very little intervention. It has helped in bringing down the number of elective C-sections in India Women are given an option to take an epidural during labour if they feel they are not able to bear the pain, are exhausted from pushing or in case of any emergencies that may require an urgent C-section By alleviating pain, it allows the mother to focus on the delivery. It is an aid for relaxation and can prevent exhaustion and irritation experienced by most women during childbirth, thereby reducing the risk of developing post-partum complications It helps the baby descend easily by relaxing the pelvic and vaginal muscles It also helps in lowering the blood pressure of the mother, which otherwise can shoot up to dangerous levels during labour delivering room an area in a hospital equipped for delivering babies 2. a room or area in which deliveries are made or received, as the section of a public library where books are taken out or returned When to go to the hospital or birth centre If it's your first pregnancy, you may feel unsure about when you should go into hospital or a midwifery unit. The best thing to do is to call your hospital or unit for advice If your waters have broken, you'll probably be asked to go in to be checked If it's your first baby and you're having contractions but your waters have not broken, you may be advised to wait. You'll probably be asked to come in when your contractions are regular strong about 5 minutes apart lasting at least 60 seconds If you do not live near your hospital, you may need to come in before you get to this stage. Make sure you know the signs of labour and what happens. Second babies often arrive more quickly than the first, so you may need to contact the hospital, midwifery unit or midwife sooner. Do not forget to phone the hospital or unit before leaving home, and remember to take your notes If you're planning a home birth, follow the procedure you have agreed with your midwife during your discussions about the onset of labour. Make sure you know the signs of labour What to expect at the maternity uni Maternity units vary, whether they are in hospitals or midwifery units, so the following is just a guide to what is likely to happen. You can talk with your midwife about what's available at your local hospital or midwifery unit, and what you would like for your birth Your arrival If you carry your own notes, take them to the maternity unit admissions desk. You will be taken to the labour ward or your room, where you can change into a hospital gown or other clothes of your own Choose something that is loose and, ideally, made of cotton, because you'll feel hot during labour and may not want to wear anything tight Examination by the midwife The midwife will ask you about what has been happening so far and will examine you, with your permission. If you're having a home birth, this examination will take place at home. The midwife will ask to: take your pulse, temperature and blood pressure, and check your urine feel your abdomen to check the baby's position, and record or listen to your baby's heart probably do an internal examination to find out how much your cervix has opened, so they can then tell how far your labour has progressed – tell your midwife if a contraction is coming before they perform this examination, so that they can wait until it has passed These checks will be repeated at intervals throughout your labour. Always ask about anything you want to know If you and your partner have made a birth plan, show your midwife so they know what you would like to happen during labo Delivery rooms Most delivery rooms have easy chairs, bean bags and mats, so you can move about in labour and change position. Some have baths, showers or birthing pools. You should feel comfortable in the room where you are giving birth Some maternity units may offer you a bath or shower. A warm bath can be soothing in the early stages of labour. You may like to spend much of the labour in the bath, as a way of easing the pain Water births Some maternity units have birthing pools so you can go through labour in water. You may find this helps you to relax If labour progresses normally, it may be possible to deliver the baby in the pool. Speak to your midwife about the advantages and disadvantages of a water birth. If you want one, you'll need to make arrangements well in advance Read more about what happens during labour and childbirth More in Signs of labour Signs that labour has begun What happens at the hospital or birth centre Inducing labour Premature labour and birth |
Cesarean Cesarean A caesarean section is a surgical procedure in which a baby is born through a cut made in the mother's abdominal wall and uterus. A baby will need to be born by caesarean section if there are serious problems that prevent the baby being born by a normal vaginal birtth In most cases, vaginal births or natural births can be safer than cesarean births, more commonly known as c-sections, but that doesn't mean that c-sections aren't safe. C-sections are a common procedure and sometimes may be a better and safer delivery method for the parent and baby depending on the situation esarean deliveries were initially performed to separate the mother and the fetus in an attempt to save the fetus of a moribund patient. They subsequently developed to resolve maternal or fetal complications not amenable to vaginal delivery, either for mechanical limitations or to temporize delivery for maternal or fetal benefit The leading indications for cesarean delivery (85%) are previous cesarean delivery, breech presentation, dystocia, and fetal distress :Maternal indications for cesarean delivery include the following Repeat cesarean delivery Obstructive lesions in the lower genital tract, including malignancies, large vulvovaginal condylomas, obstructive vaginal septa, and leiomyomas of the lower uterine segment that interfere with engagement of the fetal head Pelvic abnormalities that preclude engagement or interfere with descent of the fetal presentation in labor Certain cardiac conditions that preclude normal valsalva done by patients during a vaginal delivery . Fetal indications for cesarean delivery include the following Situations in which neonatal morbidity and mortality could be decreased by the prevention of trauma Malpresentations (eg, preterm breech presentations, non-frank breech term fetuses) Certain congenital malformations or skeletal disorders Infection Prolonged acidemia :Indications for cesarean delivery that benefit the mother and the fetus include the following Abnormal placentation (eg, placenta previa, placenta accreta) Abnormal labor due to cephalopelvic disproportion Situations in which labor is contraindicated Preoperative management Guidelines recommend a minimum preoperative fasting time of at least 2 hours from clear liquids, 6 hours from a light meal, and 8 hours from a regular meal. [11] However, patients are usually asked not to eat anything for 12 hours prior to the procedure. [12] :The following are also included in preoperative management Placement of an intravenous (IV) line Infusion of IV fluids (eg, lactated Ringer solution or saline with 5% dextrose) Placement of a Foley catheter (to drain the bladder and to monitor urine output) |