Giving Birth

I kept an open mind about labour and delivery through my pregnancy. Actually, it is incorrect to say I had an open mind - it was more of completely blocking out all thought on the subject. I did attend an extremely useful workshop conducted by my hospital that prepped expecting parents on the symptoms, the process and exercises that come with labour. The speaker, however, did not dwell on the quantum of pain - something that was on everyone's mind. Although, she did emphasise that it is a natural process that is well within the limits of human endurance. And this was the key takeaway from the workshop.

Our baby arrived on her 38th week. The previous day was like any other day. My husband and I were chilling over a late night movie. Except, I took several breaks to take a dump. After about the 6th toilet visit, I had my husband quite worried. We then flipped through our notes from the workshop and quickly googled to check if excessive passing of stool was a sign that labour has begun. The notes were silent and in our quick scan of internet articles we found just the one website that mentioned obliquely that this could be a sign that the body is cleaning out the system in anticipation of child birth. We decided to not take a chance and took off to the hospital anyway.

As it turns out I was in labour. Although, I had dilated just 2 cms (a lot in my opinion), the doctor on call decided that it would take me a couple of more days to fully dilate. She sent me home! Now with labour pains it is impossible to do anything - once home I could not sleep or eat or sit - all I could do was simply clench my fists and curl my toes while the tide of pain emanating in my belly rolled out.

Co-incidentally, my gynaecologist called shortly after I had been sent back from the labour room because she was worried about my SGOT levels and was considering medically inducing labour anyway. We jumped at the opportunity and suggested she do this immediately. By noon we were back in the hospital. As luck would have it, I did not need any medical inducement either. This time I was already dilated 6 cms and in the next 4 hours our baby was out.

Those 4 hours were uncomfortably painful. The doctors were merciless in their exhortations to exert myself. It is so easy to simply let the pain sweep over the body and groan it out. However, the trick is to work with the pain. Breathe deep to distend the abdomen muscles and help the baby along its way. The doctors also kept insisting that what I was experiencing was 'mild to moderate' pain. I think this was a mind game to keep me motivated - I did not scream or cry thinking that the worst is yet to come. However, suddenly I was overcome by this intense need to pass stool (what is with the entire scatological aspect of delivery!!). I asked the attending nurses to help to the toilet but was unceremoniously pushed back on the bed and advised to use a bed pan. I absolutely refused at the indignity of it and insisted on being assisted to the toilet. That was when the doctor declared that the baby was due in the next 15 minutes!  I was asked to keep pushing - and yes, in about 10 mins the baby was out.

The statement in the workshop that pushing out a baby is a lot about potty pressure was true after all!

I hind sight, I feel that the process is not as painful as anticipated. The body is designed to endure this  degree of pain. And while I write this weeks after giving birth, the pain seems irrelevant and distant now. And yes, I can do it again! And yes, you will thank yourself for exercising when it comes to the delivery room!