Labour

Labour is the final stage or can say end result of your 9months of pregnancy phase.

Labour Diet:

• Many prefer to have Almond milk or a glass of milk with ghee before going to the hospital.


• Have something light if you are hungry like Sago, glucose biscuits, beaten rice, toast jam- means have carbs and avoid fat and protein.


• You can also sip water with sugar/ glucose/ honey mixed in it.


• Even can have mishri, toffee, sweets for energy.


• If you don't feel like eating then don't, just listen to your body.


• Avoid Tea, coffee, nimbupani before going for labour.


• For me, I had my proper dinner at night and then after an hour at 11:30pm we left for hospital, as my doc asked me to get induced for I was 1 week overdue. Luckily there was no need to be induced, it all went naturally. In morning at hospital, they provided me with breakfast, so just to gain bit energy ;P I ate a hard boiled egg, a toast and soy milk.

Sign before Labour:

• Thick mucus discharge of white/pink/ brown colour and can be with bright red blood, which shows your body is getting ready for birth.


• Muscular contraction at irregular intervals


• Water Bag bursts, usually happens in 9th month especially while sleeping. So, in such case delivery preferred to be within 24hrs. Usually if go hospital immediately, they put glucose drip and to stimulate contraction. But if wait 4-5 hrs, natural contraction may start on its own,which are obviously gentler.


• Even sometimes sac doesn't burstbut just trickle which is clear and uncontrollable, wear sanitary pad and take rest at home, it might occur again, can be also with contractions. If muddy /greenish trickle then go to hospital.


• In my case, I started getting mild long interval pain(especially at night) since 5-6 days before my delivery, though on showing doctor and getting the CTC done, it was a false pain, also during thse days, had bit brownish-reddish discharge twice, so when we visited doctor I was asked to get induced.

Real Labour:

It's when you have contractions every 10mins, go to hospital. If contractions stops, then walk when you go to hospital. 

Contractions then shifts to 5mins and then to 2mins and again during birth 1-5mins.

What to do: 

• Once labour begins, be upright like stand/ kneel/ walk. Don't sit /lay.


• Usually in 36weeks, baby head fixes in pelvic basin. In case floating head and water bag bursts, then umbilical may stuck, then lie down left side or be in knee chest position.


• Walk but when contraction is felt, stop and stand with feet apart, palms on your lower abdomen and make circular rotating movement with hips. Or if near wall, stand wall facing, palms on wall at shoulder level and bring it forward by bending elbows, then push back with palm.


• If tired and labour starts, sit facing the back of dining chair with legs on each side and use the back to rest your head, when you lean tail bone should lift off.


• On hospital bed, kneel with soft thick pillow on back of your legs that's on calves, sit on pillow, and when contraction happens, rise up on your knees, hold the footboard and bend forward or make rotating circles with your hips.


• If backache and posterior baby(face towards stomach), stand with your back on the wall and press the back that hurts. OR can kneel with foot apart and hands in front like in 4leg animal pose and rotate the hip in circles.


• When in drip- Instead of lying, adjust to sitting position, close your eyes and relax, when contraction occurs, lean forward, cross your legs and place the arm in front of you, do breathing. Or if can stand, then stand and hold edge of bed with free hand and rotate hip in circular motion.


• Other person can place their palm on your lower abdomen and lower back. And also hold your hands.


• You/ your partner can even do circular massage with your fingertips in between naval and pubic hair from centre of abdomen outwards to hips and then down towards pubic hairline and up to navel. Or light massage side to side towards hips.


• If thighs are shaky - someone should massage inner and outer sides of the thigh and if legs are shaky, then massage calves.


• On the night of my labour, as I got bit free time, I did squats, walked around, sat in squat position in my labour room, and I feel that really helped in opening my cervix.

Quick Relaxation in Labour:

• Use the rest period fully to relax in between contractions . Don't be tensed/ worried.


• Relax your forehead -Pinch your eyebrows and stroke your forehead, relax your Jaw.


• Separate your teeth and your tongue in middle of your mouth.


• Relax/ Massage your shoulders, loosen your elbows, massage and relax your hand and feet.


• When contraction occurs, concentrate on keeping face relaxed.


• Do deep cleansing breath (breath deeply through nose and out through mouth) - Waist level breathing (4-6 in 30sec-breath deeply by nose and out by mouth as though flickering flame at arm's length) - Chest level breathing(10-12 in 30 sec- Place hand on chest and breathe in and out by mouth upto your hands, slow and gentle breath and place the tip of tongue on roof of mouth) - Jaw level/Out Breathing (20-25 breaths in 30secs - Simple say the word 'Out' with stress on 'T'.


• Do Concentration Breathing - Concentrate on spot above eye level and imagine beautiful things.


• Do not push in labour until docs say(lips of cervix opens-dilates to 10cm), instead do 2 shallow pants blow breathing.


• First stage of labour(8cm dilated) to 10cm(5fingers) is transition phase and can last from 10mins to 1 hr(can feel nothing/cold/hot/nauseous). Contractions come 2mins apart and can be sharp lasting 1 min. 'Out' and Concentration breathing is suitable here. After contractions become 5mins apart.


• Second stage -When opened to 10cm, then asked to push - lie(use2pillow under head) or sit with back supported by wall with legs stretched and apart and breath(inhale by nose till waist and out thru pursed/ tighten lips)then- again inhale but hold your breath incline your chin slightly towards chest and push through pelvic floor.

Natural Induction:

• In case, your delivery is overdue, Sex is a pleasant way of starting labour, as it softens the cervix. Just place pillow under your hips during intercourse. After stay in the same position for 5-10mins.


• Breast Stimulation / partner sucks at nipple or massage the nipples/ breast is helpful if your body and baby are ready for the birth or before asked to be induced by intravenous drip. 


• Rub both nipples in 39th week gently between fingertips for an hour thrice daily;


• Applying warm cloth(Towel dip in hot water) to your breast 15 days before estimated due date. Do 6 times and repeat 4 times a day.


• Earlier women were given castor oil whisked in hot sweetened milk coupled with hot bath and next day gets labour triggers.


• Intravenous drips - Glucose with Syntocin bottle might be given. Just ask for bottle to be on stand with wheels so that you can go to the toilet and for general mobility or request for long tube.

I was having my pregnancy tests in Gleneagles Hospital, Kuala Lumper. I was suppose to be induced, but with god's grace when I was examined on admitting to the labour room, it showed few peaks of labour pain and opened to 2cm at 1am midnight. So nurse asked to take rest for 3-4hrs and then will observe in CTG. But then in morning by 5-6am, the pain was the same and nurse asked me to get induced/ or wait for doctor, I mentioned would prefer to wait or as you prefer. 

The nurse was really good to wait and during that period of 2 hours cervix opened more with that pain and when my Gynac visited, she was happy to hear I am going all natural without taking any medication/induce. She checked and the cervix was opened to 8cm. I was so happy though she asked me to take the laughing gas as that will help in the later stage. Also the position of baby was tilted, so my doc made me lie in left side direction with legs folded and then hereby the pain started that went to almost 2 hrs, it was all because of the breathing technique, my hubby massaging my back and the laughing gas that made me face the unbearable pain on a lighter note. 

Though the last half an hr was like I cant tolerate just call the nurse/ doc anyone, I wanna get rid of it. ;P Finally in last 15-20mins nurse told me how to push with deep breath in and push like having constipation.. :D. In last 5min my gynac came, wore her mask gloves and asked to push once and then in second one with full energy and force, so I also pushed with my full energy and literally like movies at the ended shouted. Must say the gynaecologist plays a major role, I found my doc to be an expert, at the final stage I didn't realized also when the baby was out and in my arms. 

After Delivery:

• The umbilical cord should be cut bit late that is after 1-2mins(after it has stopped pulsating). So that its smooth for baby circulation/ breathing. My doc asked my hubby if he wants to cut the cord, but he was hesitant to do it.


• Baby with head side and down, should be placed on the mother's abdomen/ between legs and mother should gently massage baby's back. My baby directly was laid on me, it was such a pleasurable moment that wow finally my baby is out and doing great.


• On 2nd day, when nurse comes to change your sheet-Sit up in bed by having bed at sitting position, place palms on either side, lift your body up and gradually move yourself to edge of bed, gently swing legs off the bed on floor, hold a pillow in front of abdomen for support, stand up go and sit on sofa, Go gently back to bed. In this hospital while I used to go for washroom then the room and my bed was made, so a relief for me.


• If discomfort in throat, cough from throat rather than abdomen, later can suck mishri to soothe throat.


• I would suggest the new mother should be in full rest at least for a month or two, as your body becomes weak after delivery, so to recover take as much rest as you can for a month and have proper food but non-spicy.

Medicines:

• New mother will be given Dulcolax- to pass the stool easily.


• Sometimes, Calmpose - for sleep


• Antibiotics/ Pain killers/ For bleeding


• I have been given a stool softener, pain killer and to continue with my calcium tablets. If normal delivery like for me they asked to take Epsom salt in warm water and sit for 15-20mins in it.

For Easy delivery:

In 3rd trimester  you can start preparing yourself.

The average fetal heart rate is 140beats/ minute.

If fetal growth is less,  then eat well and rest on your sides especially left side.

One of my close friend did the below mentioned and she had normal delivery:

Her  delivery happened 10days before the delivery due date. When she went for 9th month check up, doc said 5cm already open. Then she went back and went hospital in an hour, she had atta ghee halwa and apple juice meanwhile. In labour room drip was given and induce pain at 4pm.

• 9th month had 2-3 milkshake with dates /apple/ kesar/ anjeer
• Do mopping for 5-10mins.
• Do Yoga- butter fly, sit squats daily, dog pose, warrior pose
• Walk everyday
• Put Ghee in Nabhi

One should really have a strong will power and energy to go through this phase smoothly. So, Guyz stay strong and energetic.