Somewhere around 37 or 38 weeks, we will have our second prenatal visit. At this visit, we talk a little more in-depth about your birth, what your provider is saying, and what we can expect/prepare for. This is also when I teach you and your husband a few positions to try during labor that can help you relax, stretch, and/or help your baby to re-engage if we notice contraction patterns are inconsistent.
How do we predict your exact due date? Dilation? Effacement? Baby’s station? Contraction patterns? Unfortunately, none of these can tell us exactly what day your baby will come. What about how long your birthing time will be?
Just like we can’t predict what day you’ll have your baby, we can’t predict how long your birthing time will be, but we can observe and pick up on different clues throughout your birthing time that can give us an idea of how things are going. How? Dilation, effacement, baby’s station, and contraction patterns can be helpful clues, but these numbers can change rapidly or very slowly. I’ve personally been one of those mothers who went from 7cm dilated to delivery in 15 minutes! I’ve also seen mothers sit at 8cm dilated for hours. A better clue is what we call emotional signposts.
Over the past couple of months I have been intrigued with learning about what can be done during pregnancy that will lead to better birth outcomes beyond taking your prenatal vitamins. We know that birth is a physical event and is often compared to running a marathon, so it only makes sense that just as training for a marathon will help you successfully complete all 26.2 miles with better recovery, training for childbirth will result in the same.
“I don’t know how women do it without the epidural. They must have super-powers.”
“I don’t think I could do it without one. My pain-tolerance is super low.”
I'm sure you've heard this before. Maybe you've even said this yourself. But having a baby unmedicated has much less to do with your pain-tolerance and much more to do with your preparation. Mothers who *purposefully* birth their babies unmedicated spend time reading books, taking classes, listening to podcasts, following birth education instagram accounts, and often-times hire a doula because research shows that women who hire a one are 10% more likely to successfully birth unmedicated. Reference
I arrived at the birthing center at about 2:30PM. Kelli was in early labor, meeting each wave with calming, deep breaths, and smiling between waves. Leera was right by her side, along with her mother. There was rap music playing and the lights were dimmed low.
Possibly one of the hottest topics between mothers who are expecting is Epidurals. Before we talk about whether or not an epidural will help you to have the birth experience that you want, let’s talk about what an epidural is beyond the basic, “I get it, and I don’t feel contractions anymore.”
