Labour worries

Hi,

Latley ive been thinking alot about the labour and its scaring me!!
I was speaking to my sister the other week in regards to it and im not sure if she was making up stories or telling the truth. She said with her 3 children after they were born they gave her a needle in her leg so she would deliver the placenta etc.
Is this true or was it another scare tactic of hers??

Also another thing that popped into my mind was, before i found out i was pg i was overweight. Will this contribute to how long ill carry the baby for or bring on labour earlier/later?

Labour is really playing on my mind something bad. ive been told so many stories and none of them have had much positive in them. My sister had alot of problems with all 3 and i fear ill be the same.

Any advice or answers to my above worries woukd be helpful :pray:

Hi Kimbaz, even though I'm not at that stage yet, just wanted to let you know that I feel the same way, so you're not alone!

I think having fears over labour are completely normal, espcially if its your first time. The best thing you can do is get information, there are so many choices out there but alot of the research you have to do yourself. There are some amazing books out there, Active Birth is great as well as The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth. Have a read on the main site, Kelly has put together some very informative articles that can help you in your research. I think the more you know about labour ahead of time, the less fears you have.

I also would highly recommend a doula. If not for the birth, but for labour education.

I agree, read, read, read. It's the best thing you can do to prepare yourself. Also maybe you should think of writing up a birth plan. In this include things that you are fine with and state other things that you are not, it will help you.

The jab in the leg after birth, I know I got 1 but I didnt feel a thing.

Love

try not to worry to much, try and do as much relaxation cds during your pregnacy, so you can focus on other things rather than the scary stories of labour...........just remember most woman tell you the bad sides of labour, i dont know why, but it will be the best day of your life and you wil be so over the moon with bringing this new child into the world that any medical proceders needed to be done after bub is here, you wont even know about them as you will be on such a high..........enjoy every minute of your pregnancy and labour

There is a needle that they can give you to help deliver the placenta but you don't have to have it if you don't want to. Writing a birth plan is a great idea and you can put that you don't want to have the injection in it. A birth plan help you set out how you want things to go for your birth. However sometimes the best things don't go to plan but if can be used as a guide.

And trust in yourself, you will be totally fine, your body will do the most of the work and it knows what to do because it was built that way :D

Hi Kim :) i'm also going to say get as informed as u can...this will really help!!! U'll be fine...just remember that our bodies are designed to cope with labour and birth.

It must be pretty normal to be anxious. I have been a birth partner and I was scared and anxious about just being there - let alone doing the work! But I think being well read is a great idea.

It always seems that when someone is pregnant everyone thinks it necessary to tell them all the horror stories - not sure what that is about, but I know there are certainly some wonderful stories I have heard and if it were all that bad why do people go back - on purpose - over and over again!?

Good Luck with it all - and just think, at the end you'll be looking at YOUR baby face to face. That would have to make it all worth it :)

Thanks for the advice ladies. Today i started on a number of birthing plans to share with DH. He thoguht it was wonderful some of the things i wanted and a little bit down the track together we are going to do a final plan based on the few that i done today.
I have been doing a bit of reading on labour as well, and realised i have nothing to worry about, i have medical team if things go pear shaped and most of all my loving husband will be by my side the whole time.

Thanks :)

What state are you in? If you are in Melbourne I highly recommend attending Choices for Childbirth sessions. Yes there are lots of interventions in births these days but with the right education, preparation and support, you can avoid a great deal of them - read my birth support page for more info. It's difficult if you are not informed and empowered as a couple not having gone through it before as you get faced with decisions and think that whatever the doctor says must be the best way. I am not saying you can't trust them, but I am saying lots of unneccesary things do go on, so you need to question and ask for evidence where relevant too. Use BRAN:

What are the BENEFITS of doing this?
What are the RISKS of doing this?
Are there any ALTERNATIVES (often they wont know any though)
Does it need to be done NOW (and if they are standing there having a civil discussion with you then you will be able to tell its not of medical urgency!)

All the best for a wonderful birth - research what you want and give yourself confidence with facts and evidence. :)

Hi Kelly, i am in NSW. I have just started reading your pages and am finding them very helpful. Definately for my first i want to have all the information i can so i can make informed and right choices.