“I’m afraid of pooping while pushing”, “What if the umbilical cord gets stuck around baby’s neck?”… As childbirth approaches, expectant mothers often have questions they don’t dare not always ask. Sylvie Coché, midwife, answers us, without taboo.
As childbirth approaches, it is common for a pregnant woman to ask herself a whole bunch issues and that she has some worries before giving birthand even if she has already had a first child. “They are often afraid that it will hurt too much or they stress about not arriving in time to have the epidural and then think that they are not able to give birth without it”, explains Sylvie Coché, midwife. Generally, these are completely legitimate questions and fears that the future mother does not dare to raise with her midwife or her doctor. Our expert answers the 8 questions that a woman about to give birth may ask herself and gives us her advice to try to de-dramatize childbirth.
1- “I’m afraid of not having the epidural!”
Many pregnant women are convinced that without an epidural they will not be able to give birth to their baby. “With the fear of arriving too late, expectant mothers finally arrive too early, when they have to expect regular pregnancy contractions“, specifies Sylvie Coché. Result: they often have to wait, or go home.
There’s no point in worrying if you don’t get the epidural in time for the injection to take effect, it also means labor is quick. “It’s not a disaster to give birth without an epidural and women are quite capable of it. They are accompanied, we push with her, and the husband also has his role to play in reassuring and relieving them.“, details the midwife.
2- “What to do if you are thirsty or hungry before giving birth?”
When labor has started and you are due within an hourit is better not to eat, and some maternities even forbid drinking, even a sip of water. “You never know how things may evolve, and in the event that a caesarean is required under general anesthesia, the pregnant woman must be fasting, in order to avoid any risk of complications such as mendelson’s syndromewhen the contents of the stomach rise to the level of the bronchi”.
When a pregnant woman has strong contractions, she is usually not hungry. It is rather the thirst that is felt. The midwife then recommendsuse, summer and winter, an atomizer, without perfume, in order to relieve thirst without taking any risk.
3- “How to prevent the dad from fainting in the delivery room?”
Many fathers pass out in delivery room, and this tends to worry expectant mothers. “To prevent them from falling on their heads, they are offered to go outside, sit or lie down with their legs in the air and drink a fruit juice“, says the expert.
4- “I’m afraid of having stools while pushing.”
Some expectant mothers are afraid ofpushing stools during childbirth. “This happens often. But we (caregivers, editor’s note), we do not care ! They may be embarrassed vis-à-vis their spouse perhaps, but they must know that we usually“, emphasizes Sylvie Coché.
“If it really stresses them out and for their peace of mind, moms-to-be can take glycerin or do a mini-enema at the onset of labor. They will then be more relaxed. In any case, they have nothing to be ashamed of in front of us, we don’t judge them.“, she adds.
“Taking glycerin or doing a mini-enema at the start of labor can help.”
5- “I’m afraid of having an episiotomy.”
After the epidural, episiotomy is one of the main fears of future mothers. However, episiotomy is not systematic. It is the doctor in charge of the delivery who will make the decision, if the perineum is very distended, if there is a risk of very complex tearing or if there is an urgency to bring the infant out, for example. .
“Tell yourself that theepisiotomy is needed at the time, and does not hurt when performed. Moreover, when it is done discreetly, future mothers do not even realize it. On the other hand, she is painful the days following childbirth“says the midwife.
6- “I’m stressed about giving birth, how can I relax?”
The time is sometimes long between the start of contractions and the birth of the child. While waiting for the cervix to be sufficiently dilated, the future mother, and the future father too, can stress, or even be bored. To relax and pass the time, the midwife suggests play games for two, for example a game of scrabble or crosswords. To relax the atmosphere, she also advises couples to plan a playlist to broadcast during labor for a more serene childbirth. Finally, those who have time before going to the maternity ward can also take a hot bath for about 30 minutes.
7- “I am not comfortable showing my intimacy in front of strangers.”
Expectant mothers can apprehend giving birth and showing their intimacy in front of unknown people. In general, a sheet hides a minimum of your body during childbirth. “VSsome patients think that it will always be their doctor who will give birth on the day of birth, but if the delivery takes place during a shift, it will be another doctor. There too, talk about it so as not to be put at the foot of the wall“.
8- “Is it serious if the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby’s neck?”
The risk of the umbilical cord being wrapped around the newborn’s neck greatly worries future parents, who are afraid that their child will strangle during childbirth. Nevertheless, “This is very common. More than half of babies are born with the cord around their neck”, reminds the midwife.
If this type of situation happens to occur, the information recorded during the monitoring makes it possible to warn the medical profession. “And if we find out when the baby comes out, we cut the cord.” she comments. “The umbilical cord should not be demonized. Sometimes babies are even born with knots or with two or three turns around the neck, but we are used to it, this should not be the subject of anxiety for future mothers.“, reassures the midwife.
Thanks to Sylvie Coché, midwife, and author of the book “Push, Madam! Confessions of a Midwife”Editions de l’Opportun.