10 Myths About Labor and Start
1. Dropping the Mucus Plug Means Labor is Close to
The mucus plug is a set of mucus and tissue that blocks off the cervix to guard infections from reaching your uterus throughout being pregnant. It’s usually a transparent, white, or barely bloody glob of jelly-like materials. When the cervix begins to dilate in preparation for labor, the mucus plug can fall out.1
One fable about labor and start is that dropping the mucus plug means labor will start quickly, however this isn’t at all times the case. Whereas cervical dilation may happen, lively labor will not be close to. As well as, the mucus plug can regenerate itself. With my first child, I misplaced my mucus plug two weeks earlier than going into labor, after which I misplaced it once more the day contractions started. Dropping your mucus plug isn’t indicator of when labor will start, because it may very well be from hours to weeks away.1
Should you suspect you may have misplaced your mucus plug earlier than 37 weeks of being pregnant, it’s good to let your supplier know. In any other case, attempt to not overanalyze what this implies about your labor timeline—it’s practically unattainable to know, and your child will come when they’re prepared.
2. You Can Solely Chew Ice Throughout Labor
You could have heard the parable that you’re not allowed to eat and drink throughout labor or that you’re solely allowed to suck on ice chips. After all, nobody is stopping you from consuming snacks or meals whilst you labor at residence. That is a part of the rationale many start educators advocate staying residence whereas in labor for so long as attainable.
When you arrive at your birthing place, it’s possible you’ll or will not be allowed to proceed to eat. After I checked in to labor and supply, my nurse introduced me a menu and advised me to order breakfast earlier than the physician put in orders to limit my meals consumption. The explanation for not being allowed to eat is that if you find yourself requiring a C-section, you threat vomiting and aspirating from sedation.
For low-risk vaginal deliveries, avoiding meals will not be needed. A scientific evaluate that checked out permitting meals consumption throughout labor revealed shorter labors and no elevated threat for obstetric and neonatal outcomes. Consuming throughout labor additionally didn’t improve the incidence of vomiting or the chance of a C-section. Discuss to your supplier about your hospital’s coverage, and advocate for your self in case you are hungry within the labor room.2
3. You Can’t Have a Vaginal Start After a Cesarean
Whereas each lady’s circumstances range, vaginal births after Cesarean sections (VBACs) are attainable in lots of instances. Many occasions, suppliers will not less than allow you to attempt to expertise labor and vaginal supply after a C-section. When acceptable, VBACs lower maternal dangers at supply and for future pregnancies. Some threat elements for an unsuccessful VBAC embody pregnancies very shut or far aside, a excessive physique mass index, and overdue.3,4,5
You probably have beforehand had a C-section and are serious about a vaginal start this time, don’t assume it’s off the desk for you. Discuss to your supplier about whether or not you possibly can attempt for a VBAC.
4. Your Water Will Break Like within the Films
Your water breaking, or “rupture of membranes,” solely happens earlier than contractions in 8 to 10 % of pregnancies. Whereas a fable about labor and start consists of water breaking as the primary signal of labor, and films typically present this, labor most frequently begins with contractions. In case your water breaks earlier than contractions, your child will possible be born throughout the subsequent few days. As soon as your water breaks, if you don’t ship, you’re in danger for growing a placental an infection, wire compression, placental abruption, and C-section.6
Many films additionally depict water breaking as a sudden gush of fluids. Whereas this will typically be the case, rupture of membranes can be a sluggish leak. This might trigger fixed wetness within the underwear and leaking of watery fluid from the vagina versus one occasion of a considerable amount of fluid. When you could also be imagining your water breaking all of the sudden and dramatically at residence and understanding it’s time to head to the hospital, it’s more likely to occur later in labor, and at that time, it’s possible you’ll not even know!6
5. C-sections are All the time Horrible
The idea of a C-section could be scary, from the precise surgical procedure to the restoration. Emergency C-sections could be notably worrying, because it was possible not what you envisioned to your start. Nonetheless, there was a major push to make all C-sections, deliberate or unplanned, extra like vaginal births. Some interventions embody enjoying your alternative of music within the working room, dimming alarm noises, having your accomplice by your facet, utilizing a transparent drape to see your child immediately, and placing your child in your chest. On the similar time, they sew you as much as make your C-section gentler and extra peaceable.7
Some girls report a better restoration with a C-section, and plenty of additionally report peace of thoughts if they might schedule their C-sections prematurely. Whereas it will not be your first alternative, having a C-section isn’t at all times as horrible as some say.
6. You Ought to Go to the Hospital at First Indicators of Labor
You’ve gotten been ready to your complete being pregnant to ship your valuable child, and now the time has lastly come. You might be experiencing contractions, and it seems like it’s lastly go-time. It could actually really feel tempting to hurry to the hospital as quickly as you’re in labor, however it could be finest to attend typically. You might be possible far more snug at residence than within the hospital, and staying residence can enable labor to progress extra shortly and naturally than in a hospital atmosphere. Should you go to the hospital too early, they could even ship you again residence.
Many suppliers advocate following the 5-1-1 rule, which means you need to be having painful contractions each 5 minutes that final for one minute every for not less than an hour earlier than heading to the hospital. This will sign you’re in lively labor.
It’s best to contact your supplier or go to the hospital when you have important vaginal bleeding, greater than recognizing, or discover decreased fetal motion. In any other case, it’s in all probability finest to attend out early labor at residence, as excited as it’s possible you’ll be to get the present on the highway!8
7. Labor is Extraordinarily Painful from Begin to End
Maybe you think about fixed, excruciating ache from when labor begins till your child is in your arms. You could have seen depictions of ladies moaning or screaming relentlessly throughout labor. Nonetheless, a lovely half about labor is the built-in breaks from the ache. Contractions final for a couple of minute, and whereas painful for a lot of girls, they finish, and you’ve got a break earlier than one other one. Attempt to take the contractions separately and visualize your subsequent relaxation between surges. I’ve heard of ladies taking brief naps between contractions or earlier than pushing, even with out having an epidural.
8. You Solely Push for an Hour
After I was pregnant with my first daughter, I keep in mind listening to the parable that the pushing a part of labor and start is usually fast. I’ve since realized that the pushing section can final from a couple of minutes to hours! First-time mothers and mothers with epidurals are inclined to push for longer. Pushing slower or extra gently can lower your threat of tearing by giving the vaginal tissue time and alternative to stretch as an alternative of break. If mother and child tolerate pushing nicely, there needs to be no restrictions on how lengthy you’re permitted to push earlier than intervention.9
9. You Should Give Start on Your Again
Analysis exhibits that almost all girls as we speak give start on their backs utilizing coached pushing. For some girls, delivering on their again permits for higher relaxation between contractions. For others, nevertheless, pushing on their again works towards gravity and pure forces. An epidural might make entering into an upright place more difficult, however you possibly can ask for assist and assistive positioning units like a peanut ball if you don’t want to push in your again. In case you are serious about pushing in one other place, don’t really feel restricted to your again. Ask your nurse and supplier that will help you attempt different choices.10,11
10. Everybody Poops Whereas Pushing
It is not uncommon to have a bowel motion through the pushing stage of labor. In any case, the muscle groups used to push out your child are like those used for defecating. Many suppliers say that in the event you poop throughout pushing, which means you’re doing it proper. Nonetheless, not everybody poops throughout pushing—some girls expertise diarrhea throughout labor and are all cleaned out when pushing comes round. Others simply don’t expertise this.
Whereas not everybody poops throughout labor, even in the event you do, it’s nothing to fret about. Your docs and nurses are used to it as a result of it is not uncommon, and they’ll clear it up earlier than anybody (probably together with your self!) ever is aware of it occurred. With the whole lot else occurring throughout labor and supply, a bit bowel motion would be the very last thing in your thoughts, belief me.
Whereas many labor and start myths have a little bit of reality behind them, as you possibly can see, they don’t apply to each mother. Assembling your start staff, educating your self on the labor course of, and discovering a supplier you belief are the perfect issues you are able to do for a secure and optimistic start. Issues might not go in accordance with your start plan, however setting targets to your labor and supply will assist issues go extra easily and positively. Attempt to discover peace because the supply day approaches, and don’t consider the whole lot you hear!
