Giving birth is a life-changing event for every mother and it leaves an everlasting impression in your life. Every delivery is unique and you can just gain from the experience of others, but don t expect it to be the same. 
You will experience many changes in your body and will learn to take care of yourself and your growing baby as soon as you find out that you are pregnant. Pain is a part of labour that every woman has to undergo. It is the fear of labour pain that make many pregnant women opt for c-section. However there is no denying the fact that c-section is a major surgery and requires several days to recover.

Keep in mind the following tips to go in for a normal delivery:

Try to get prenatal education, which guides you about labour, birth and natural labour pain management techniques, such as breathing, self-hypnosis, relaxation and other coping mechanisms. You should check with your hospital too as most of them offer an evening or weekend course.
Pick a gynaecologist who has a history in delivering babies naturally.
Keep yourself physically active by doing mild exercises throughout pregnancy.
You should keep a calm environment in your labour room.
Don t gain too much weight as women who aren't overweight do not have much difficulty in delivering babies vaginally.
Opt for fewer rather as more tests, treatments and interventions during your pregnancy tend to interfere with normal birth. Whenever tests or procedures are recommended, you should ask about the need of undergoing such tests.
Continue with your walks as it helps in relieving the pain.
Go in for a water therapy. A shower, bathtub, birthing pool and hot compresses are other tools for easing pain and helping you relax. Spend as much time as possible in water.
Use various positions such as sitting on the toilet, kneeling, and squatting to ease vaginal delivery.
Massage/back rubs equally help in easing the pain.
You can also go in for Effleurage which is a light massage of the abdomen to ease your vaginal delivery.
Apply warm or cold compresses.
Avoid hearing negative stories about labour.
Eat a healthy balanced diet as the health and development of your baby depends on your nutrition.
Stay away from stress and anxiety. Read good books about parenting and be in the company of good lively people.
Use relaxation/breathing techniques to keep yourself calm.
Guided meditation and prayers undoubtedly will reinforce your faith in yourself to deliver a baby vaginally.
Have adequate sleep. Avoid drinking tea or coffee two hours before going to bed in order to have uninterrupted sleep.
Following these tips religiously can definitely increase your chances of having a normal delivery.

Normal Delivery - 18 Things You Must Always Remember!

Nutrition for you will never be as important to you as it is during pregnancy, because while eating you have to think not only about you, but also the development of your unborn child. However, merely eating is not enough you have to eat right. Here is your guide of what to eat and what to avoid, during pregnancy, so that your child gets the best nutrition.
Things to eat: 
1. Whole grains- whole grains, which can be found in food items like cereals, whole-wheat breads and pastas, are rich in folic acid, iron and fibers. Make sure you incorporate ample amount of whole grains in your diet to remain healthy during pregnancy.
2. Beans- beans are extremely nutritious for pregnant women, as they contain protein, fiber, iron, folate, zinc and calcium, which are much needed for the development of a healthy baby.
3. Fish- incorporate enough fish in your diet because they contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon, for example, is exceptionally good for health since it contains less mercury than other fish.
4. Eggs- eggs are rich in protein, and is also a good source of other nutrients like amino acids, vitamins and minerals, including choline which is crucial for the baby's brain development.
5. Berries- berries contain vitamin c, calcium, folate and fiber, which is important to your diet, besides being a delicious addition to your meal.
6. Low fat yogurt- sweetened yogurt is extremely bad for your health, but a cup of plain, low fat yogurt contains copious amount of calcium and is also a good source of proteins.

Things to avoid: 
1) soft cheese- soft cheese, like feta, blue cheese, brie, etc. Are made of unpasteurized milk, which contain listeria bacteria which might be fatal for you and your child. Hence, they are best to avoid.
2) undercooked or raw food-raw meat may contain toxoplasma and other bacteria. Raw eggs in sauces like mayonnaise, uncooked dough, desserts like tiramisu and salad dressings are also harmful for you. Fish in sushis or self caught fish may also contain harmful bacteria and parasites or chemicals released from nearby factories. Do ensure that your meat and fish are thoroughly cooked while dining out as well.
3) unpasteurized juices- there is always a risk of juices, which are squeezed and unpasteurized, being contaminated with e-coli or salmonella, which can be very harmful for you.
4) pre-dressed poultry- poultry that has been dressed and stuffed at the market often run the risk of being contaminated by the juices of slaughtered poultry, proving to be best breeding grounds for bacteria.
5) unwashed fruits and vegetables- toxoplasma can breed on unwashed raw foods, which also cause harm to your health, mainly in the prenatal period.
6) alcohol, coffee and unpasteurized milk- these beverages have been deemed unsafe for pregnant ladies since they can cause severe health damages.

Nutrition Tips for Pregnant Women

Reasons for spotting during pregnancy and what you can do about it

Seeing spots of blood during pregnancy is usually a cause for concern. However, it is not uncommon. The light bleeding, which is known as spotting may occur for a number of reasons.

Bleeding during the first trimester

Spotting is most likely to happen during early pregnancy and the reasons could be many, such as:

- implantation bleeding occurs during the first month of pregnancy when the fertilised egg gets attached to the wall of the uterus.

- cervical polyps ( a tumour that form on the surface of the cervix) or yeast infection may also cause episodes of spotting.

- miscarriage may be another possible reason for spotting

- ectopic pregnancy is another cause. It is the condition in which the embryo plants itself in either of the fallopian tubes instead of the uterus.

- molar pregnancy is a rare condition associated with spotting during pregnancy. When this is the case, instead of your baby, an abnormal tissue grows inside the uterus. Sometimes it can be cancerous too.

Bleeding during the second or third trimesters

Spotting may also occur during late pregnancy and the possible reasons are listed below.

- problems related to placenta like placenta previa placental abruption can also result in spotting. These are serious conditions when the placenta either covers the cervix or it gets detached from the uterine wall respectively.

- uterine rupture is the rare and unfortunate event when a scar from a previous surgery (like the removal of fibroid or previous caesarean scar bursts open and the baby slips into the pregnant woman's abdomen.

- premature labour occurs when your body is too eager to deliver the baby, usually one month before the due date of delivery.

- vasa Previa is another rare condition when a baby who is still developing has his blood vessels entangled in the umbilical cord or placenta-crossing the cervix. It is extremely dangerous because the blood vessels may burst open thus causing the baby to bleed and lose oxygen.

Here's what you can do about spotting

It is strongly recommended that you should immediately see your doctor as soon as you detect any spotting during your pregnancy. Only a well-qualified medical expert can suggest the appropriate steps to be taken, depending on your individual reasons and symptoms related to spotting.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: 6 Changes You Can Expect During the 2nd Trimester of Pregnancy

Reasons for Spotting During Pregnancy

One of the most severe forms of pain is the pain that a woman experiences during the process of childbirth. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most severe, it is believed to be 8 to 10. In the earlier days, a number of women would die during childbirth and survival was considered as a second lease of life. This belief has however, changed with the advancements in medical science. The delivery has now become an almost painless procedure.

How it works: The pelvis and the lower limbs receive nerve supply through the nerves coming out of the spinal cord. A strong anesthetic is injected into the lower back to numb the pelvis and down below. This ensures that the mother is comfortable and awake during the whole procedure and is able to see the child being delivered but has reduced pain in the lower half of the body.

What are its benefits?

The mother has a painless delivery and is conscious and able to see the process of delivery.
Significant relief from the painful experience of childbirth. The pain induces secretion of stress hormones in the mother, which adversely affects both the mother and the child.
Blood pressure is better controlled using this procedure.
Additional instruments can be used during the delivery if required without the need for additional anesthesia.
If required, the procedure can be converted to a cesarean section too, by adding an epidural catheter.
The duration of childbirth has been significantly decreased.
Suitable for patients who have preeclampsia and heart disease
It has some disadvantages too

There are minor complications, including:

This can develop after the painless delivery and the onset and intensity vary from one individual to another
Post-procedure headache
Pain at the site of injection
Difficulty during urination
The normal pushing effect by the woman is reduced due to the numbness and so vacuum may be used or delivery may have to be converted to a cesarean one.
In rare cases, there could also be a sudden drop in the blood pressure
Certain indications

In the following cases, the doctor would advise the mother to go for a painless delivery

Medical conditions like preeclampsia, high BP, or other heart conditions
Subsequent births after having had a cesarean section (VBAC   vaginal birth after cesarean)
People who have previously had prolonged or complicated labor, a painless delivery is easy on both the mother and the child
When it should be best avoided

In some cases, like the ones listed below, the painless delivery should be avoided

Women with bleeding disorders.
Women who are on blood thinners like aspirin, heparin, etc.
Women who have had prior low back surgeries
Women with neurological conditions
A detailed discussion with your gynecologist is the best way to identify, if this would work for you.

Painless Normal Delivery - Is it Possible?

Pregnancy is one of the most exciting and anxious phase in a woman s life. There is definitely an information overload from all sources i.e. family, friends, medical team, books, Internet, etc., that is dumped on the mother-to-be. The idea is to prepare her for the delivery. What needs to be borne in mind though is that each delivery is unique and there are no two women who have had the exact same experience.

However, it is good for the mother to know what to expect so that she is mentally prepared and not totally caught unawares when the actual scenes unfold. The following are the sequence of events that she should be aware of and watch out for:

With the due date nearing, she should keep a watch for the water breaking. This is passing of fluid surrounding the baby and is usually colorless and odorless. However, if it is green or brown, it is an indication that something might be wrong. Immediate medical help should be sought in that case.
Along with water breaking, contractions is the next thing to watch out for. This is due to the tightening and releasing of the uterus, indicating that the baby has begun to descend down towards the cervix. If these last for up to a minute, occur every five minutes, and persist for up to an hour, it is a clear indication that it is delivery time and you must head to the hospital.
Two sensations very prominent during delivery are pain and pressure. The pressure is from the baby passing down the birth canal. As the cervix and the vaginal canal expand to allow passage of the baby, there would be a great deal of pain and pressure. It is not just the mother, even the baby exerts significant pressure to come out of the womb during labor.
The process of the baby getting out of the womb is what is medically termed as labor and has three distinct stages to it:
The first stage has two parts to it i.e. an initial, gradual phase that may last for a few hours and a later, quicker phase. The rate of progress of delivery is steady.
The second stage usually lasts for about two hours, during which the cervix is minimally dilated and pushing begins. This stage lasts until the baby is out of the womb.
The third and the last stage is where the placenta is extracted and the umbilical cord is cut.
Some common problems you may expect include injury or tearing of the vagina or cervix, need for episiotomy, vomiting, passing of motion, anesthetic complications, etc. However, what would remain etched in the mother s memory would be the first sight of the baby.

The Top Things To Know About Delivering A Child!

Everyone has a different idea of what a mother and baby needs in the first few days after childbirth, but some essentials cannot be skipped out on. With that in mind, here are 10 childcare essential you may need right after the delivery. 

Nursing pillows: A baby may be small and seem light, but carrying them can put a strain on your arms. Since babies need to be fed very often in their first few weeks, a nursing pillow is a handy thing to have around. This allows you to comfortably support your baby while feeding them.
Breast pump: Though only a mother can produce breast milk, other people can feed this milk to the baby. A breast pump will allow you to express milk at a time convenient to you and store it in bottles to be fed to the baby as needed.
Bottles and nipples: A set of bottles and nipples are must haves for every baby. In their first few weeks, these bottles may be used to store mother s milk, but as the baby grows, these bottles can also be used to give the baby water.
Pacifiers: A baby who wants to constantly suck on the mother s nipples may be soothed with a pacifier. This can give the mother some time to rest.
Diapers: For over a year, diapers are a must for every baby. Most mothers choose disposable diapers for their convenience though others may choose cotton wash clothes as well. For the first few weeks, a baby tends to go through 10-12 diapers a day so stock up well.
Bedding: Whether you choose to share your bed with the infant or have him or her sleep in a crib, you will need at least two sets of crib sheets.
Baby bath tub: In their first few days, a baby needs to only be sponged down, but as they grow, regular baths become a necessity. A baby sized bathtub will make it easier to hold the baby while keeping them safe.
Sling: Carrying a baby in your arms all the time is not possible and hence it is a good idea to invest in a sling or front pack. This also keeps the baby close to your body and allows him or her to be soothed by your warmth and heartbeat.
Stroller: Once a child is three months old, he or she can be made to sit upright in a stroller. This gives the mother a little free time and puts less pressure on her back.
Car seat: A car seat if a must have for every baby. You could choose between rear facing car seats of convertible car seats.

10 Essentials You Need Right After Delivery

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