Trying To Go Into Labor?

Those long nine months have dragged on for weeks and weeks. You cannot take it anymore, you want the baby out and you want it out now. You are like millions of other women that are exhausted of the mere thought of having to go another day being pregnant and wiped out. While this is common, there are a few rules to live by if you want to go down the path of aiming to get your baby out sooner.

First, if you are for example thirty weeks pregnant you have no business trying to get your baby out so soon. You will cause more harm than good and your infant will end up spending months inside a NICU before he or she can even go home. Instead, if you are more toward the later part of the third trimester then you can consider a few options. Some women do nothing but go for a bumpy car ride and poof, they break their water. Others, have to do everything short of run a marathon to get that process going and even then it may not be enough. Do not go to the extreme of going to drink castor oil or doing mopping the kitchen floor ten times, as you may end up hurting yourself instead. You have to remember that your baby will eventually come out when he's ready, your impatience is all that is the issue right now. Certainly pregnancy can be very uncomfortable and even on the good days, you still can't wait until it's over in most cases.

Some safer options to try out if you are close to your due date is to walk, drink or eat something spicy or as many would claim having intercourse has helped them give mother nature a boost. Walking is good for Mom and the baby, just don't overdo it. If you were fairly active throughout the pregnancy, you should be able to walk a fair distance toward the due date without any issues. Spicy foods have a tendency of waking up the digestive system, in doing so the baby moves around and eventually some say they break their water or begin having contractions.

Let's say you have made it to what you assume is the real deal and you think you have dilated and are ready to head to the hospital for the big show. Upon getting there, you may realize that there are a few things doctors want to see occurring before they allow you to start pushing. For instance, if you are before 37 weeks you may very well be sent back home. You could literally be three centimeters dilated and they will tell you to go home and come back when your contractions are around five minutes apart and you can time them for one whole hour. Millions of ladies contract, but no dilation and in these cases the doctors can give you medications to prevent further contractions and stop the labor. If your water breaks and you are close to the 37 week period or beyond it, then they should induce you and get the baby out as it is very bad to have the baby in there with no amniotic fluid. Use caution, and even though it may seem impossible try to hang on as long as you can to ensure your baby will be healthy and strong.

Questions To Ask Before Giving Birth

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There's no doubt that giving birth can be a life-changing experience. Some people say it's a beautiful way to see nature's miracles or a treasured memento about the child. I guess that's one reason why some fathers insist on filming the delivery! Other people say it's the most painful, scary and frustrating thing they've ever had to go through. I can't say which I would agree with most, but I definitely think the days and weeks (and in some cases, minutes!) leading up to the actual birth are fraught with questions and anxieties many of us didn't think about before-and You can, however, ease this tension if you know the right questions to ask your doctor well before the event! Here are a few of the important questions to ask your doctor before you go into the delivery room.

1. Who will be doing the delivery? Your own doctor, a midwife, another doctor?
2. Should I call when labor begins? Or can you just come to the hospital and have someone else call?
3. What exactly happens during a delivery? Do they use forceps or a vacuum if need be? Will they give an episiotomy? How often (and at what point) do they give a C-section? Do they monitor the baby's heart rate during the entire procedure? Will you be given IV fluids?
4. How many people can be in the delivery room with me? Who will be allowed? Some hospitals will only allow one person with the mother, while others will allow more. Some will only allow adult family members while others will let the mother bring anyone she wants. It all depends on the doctor and hospital.
5. Are you comfortable working with other professionals? Some women like to work with midwives, doulas or other kinds of 'coaches' during labor and delivery. If you have one, will your doctor allow them to be in the room with you? Does the hospital have any available if you decide you want one after you arrive?
6. Will I be allowed to walk/drink/eat/shower during labor if I want to?
7. At what point do you induce labor? Some doctors will induce labor if they have reason to believe the baby is not getting the proper nutrients from the placenta, such as a pregnancy that has lasted 42 or more weeks. Labor is also induced if the mother has preeclampsia, a potentially life-threatening condition characterized by protein in the urine and high blood pressure. There are also cases where labor is induced if the labor doesn't start within 24-48 hours of the water breaking.
8. How late in labor can I get an epidural? Some people will intend on having a completely natural childbirth but change their minds once the worst of the pangs come. Does your doctor have a 'time limit' after which you will not be able to get an epidural?
9. Will someone be available to help me breastfeed? Many hospitals have lactation coaches if you want someone to show you how to breastfeed.
10. What will happen if there are complications? Will your child be transferred to another hospital? If not, what kind of care will be given? How long will your child be in a NICU (if this happens), and will you be able to see her while she's there?

These are just a few of the questions you should ask your doctor before the time comes to deliver your baby. I know there are probably a million things going on in your head right now, but it helps to have an idea of what is going to happen before you find yourself in the delivery room.