Guide for expecting mothers: Motherhood is one of the most beautiful experiences for women. While there is a lot of excitement, women are often anxious due to physical and hormonal changes. Any pregnant mother can have anxiety at the notion of labour pains and delivery. The doubts are even bigger for women who are becoming mothers for the first time. However, gaining a better grasp of the procedure can help reduce the fear to some extent and make the mother feel more prepared for childbirth.
When it comes to delivering the baby, it is crucial to be aware of the variety of delivery techniques used by pregnancy care professionals. Some of these include:
Vaginal delivery
This is one of the most common types of delivery, in which the baby is born through the birth canal. It is one of the safest ways to give birth and is also known as natural delivery. Although the exact time of delivery cannot be predicted, most of these deliveries occur after 38 to 40 weeks of pregnancy.
Benefit: One of the benefits of this delivery is that women are able to recover quickly and do not require pain relievers. Another advantage of vaginal delivery is that it has a better chance of allowing mothers to breastfeed their babies right after giving birth. Mothers are less likely to have medical problems in future pregnancies. Moreover, the baby also has a lower chance of having respiratory conditions and an improved immune system.
Cesarean section (section C): Another common type of delivery is through a C section. It is a surgical procedure in which the baby is born through the incision made in the mother’s uterus. This treatment is usually required in cases of multiple pregnancies, foetal distress, cephalopelvic disproportion, or prior LSCS.
Benefit: The benefit of cesarean delivery is that there is a low risk of sexual dysfunction in mothers, and the baby is also not deprived of oxygen during delivery. Moreover, the baby also has a lower risk of experiencing trauma while passing through the birth canal. There is no major bleeding after delivery, and this type of delivery also allows for less damage to the vagina.
Forceps and vacuum suction delivery
In cases where the mothers become exhausted while giving birth, doctors may also use forceps or suction to help guide the baby through the birth canal.
Benefit: While using forceps, the chances of fetal scalp injury are very low. Moreover, both of these methods help women who have been in the second stage of labor for several hours and are having a hard time advancing further. In case the baby is showing any signs of fetal distress, including an abnormal heart rate during the delivery, these methods can become life saviours.
Water Delivery
A natural delivery method is the delivery of water. In order to make labour and delivery more comfortable and natural, the mother spends the active period of labour in a birth pool or warm bath. Warm water aids in the mother's relaxation, which speeds up delivery and effectively lessens discomfort without the need for anesthetic. A slower shift from the amniotic fluid in the mother's womb to the water also makes the baby's transfer easier.
Benefit: In this type of delivery, women do not experience significant pain and are able to relax during delivery. The warm water helps increase the flow of oxytocin and makes contractions more effective. Mothers are able to move according to their comfort during delivery and change postures.
(The author is Dr. Deepika Aggarwal, Obstetrics and Gynecology, CK Birla Hospital (R), Gurugram)
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not reflect the views of India TV)
