Remember: childbirth is as individual as you are. If your currently managing a high risk pregnancy, it can be scary.
After nine long months of pregnancy, you are so close to meeting your precious bundle of joy. You may feel anxious about labor and delivery, particularly if you’re expecting your first child. On one side, there are stories of the magic and even orgasmic delight mothers experience during childbirth. On the other hand, there are horror tales of moments when delivery is excruciating, exhausting, and outright repulsive.
Everybody who hasn’t experienced childbirth wants to know what it’s like but is either too polite or too hesitant to ask. So, here I am, answering some most common labor and delivery questions you’re dying to ask but not asking:
#1: How much does giving birth actually hurt?
It’s no revelation that childbirth is painful, but exactly how painful is it? Does it hurt like a twisted ankle or like a full-blown fractured foot? According to some women, labor and delivery feel like a wickedly massive boa constrictor twisted around your belly, squeezing at growing intensity and frequency. On the other hand, some women believe childbirth pain is a distinct class in itself, and comparing that pain to any other would be a sheer insult.
#2: Do you actually poop during childbirth (in front of everybody!)?
You may wish it was a myth. However, it turns out labor pooping is actually a thing. Moreover, doctors report that this phenomenon is widespread. Professionals explain that the chances are high that any excrement in the rectum or sigmoid colon will be pushed out when the baby’s head travels through that narrow space.
Though there aren’t any guarantees if you want to save yourself from the embarrassment, be sure to relieve yourself ahead of time. And in case things don’t turn out in your favor, keep in mind that life goes on.
#3: Is labor over once the baby is out?
Not really. You’d still have relatively mild contractions, plus you’d also have to squeeze out the placenta in case it doesn’t come out automatically within a few minutes of childbirth. If you’re having a cesarean, the placenta will be removed by the staff during the procedure.
#4: Does the vagina actually tear during childbirth?
Before I break the bad news, I’ll let you recover from visualizing and feeling the dread of this question. Yes, the vagina does tear. Several studies prove that around fifty to eighty percent of women suffer perineum damage (the space between your vulva and anus). It can occur due to a surgical cut or tearing and may require a long time for recovery. What’s worse is that the damage can lead to anal or urinary incontinence and at times even permanently alters your intercourse sensation.
Regardless of all the not-so-nice details, most childbirth stories have a happy ending, with families becoming closer than ever before. After all, labor and delivery are indeed nature’s most magical and beautiful experiences.
