Starting from afar, I will say that I have a very low pain threshold, I can not stand any medical manipulations. In general, until the age of 25 (I gave birth at almost 29), the thought that I would someday have to give birth (and I always wanted a child) caused me horror and tears in my eyes. From my youth I was interested in medicine and re-read quite a lot of literature and articles from the Internet about childbirth long before pregnancy. I was just curious. And films with a standard image of childbirth complemented the already “colorful” picture: an operating room, screams, groans, inhuman torments, fussing doctors ... At that time, I saw childbirth as a test that had to be heroically passed. After reading stories about childbirth, I had the feeling that in the maternity hospital the main person in childbirth is a doctor who necessarily performs some kind of manipulation (“pierced the bladder”, “put an epidural”, “finally injected painkillers”, etc. .). At the same time, questions were spinning in my head: “How did they give birth before in villages with midwives without anesthesia? And how do the medicines that a woman is stuffed during childbirth affect the child and milk? nine0005

Once again, surfing the Internet, I came across excerpts from Michel Auden's book "Reborn Childbirth", which turned my idea of ​​them upside down and answered many questions. I fully agreed with the author, who wrote that childbirth is a natural process, and the main character in them is a woman who, it turns out, is able to give birth herself, you just need to give her this opportunity. Auden's ideas inspired me, but I understood that France is France, and I would have to give birth in a Russian maternity hospital (the prospect of home birth did not attract me), where they would hardly be reverent about my wishes ...

I get the good news that my husband and I are expecting a baby! I began to look for a medical center where I could be observed during pregnancy, and I came to the Center for Traditional Obstetrics for information, where I learned about the Natural Birth program. To be honest, I have never even heard of such a “golden mean”, as I see it now, between standard and home births. The decision on where to give birth was made by me intuitively. I immediately felt that this was mine, that I had a chance to give birth on my own, as it was provided by Nature, which I really wanted. nine0005

Many people think that there is no reason to go to the courses, that you can read books and magazines, and everything that is taught in the courses will be forgotten at the time of childbirth anyway. Of course, this is everyone's choice. I believe that preparation for childbirth and courses for pregnant women are absolutely inseparable things. No books will tell what a practicing obstetrician will tell, they will not answer exactly your question. Personally, the courses have helped me a lot. Classes dedicated to childbirth radically changed my idea of ​​labor pain, I realized that you should not be afraid of it, but you need to learn to accept it, not by clenching your teeth and clenching your teeth, but by relaxing, no matter how paradoxical it sounds. A film about childbirth (where none of the three women screamed in pain) finally convinced me that there is nothing terrible in this process. The most valuable result of the courses for me was that I became psychologically ready for childbirth. And as we all know, a lot comes from the head and inner mood. In the courses, we did not memorize breathing exercises, relaxation exercises, we were simply shown positions in which it might be convenient to endure contractions, explaining that during childbirth the body itself will tell you how comfortable it is in this or that period - and so it turned out in fact, or something the midwife will advise. After the baby was born, the information received in the classes, where they talked about breastfeeding, caring for the baby, and the physiological characteristics of newborns, helped me a lot. I felt confident and knowing what to do with my own child. nine0005

The Natural Birth program provided for several visits to the midwife who will take care of the birth, even two - the main one and the "backup". It was very important for me to be next to the person taking delivery, whom I already know, who sees you not for the first time, and in a place familiar to me (when concluding a contract in the maternity hospital, they showed me the ward where the birth takes place). For each visit to the midwife, I prepared a whole list of questions, and not only related to childbirth. Together we adjusted the list of things that you need to take with you to the hospital, the list of “dowry” for the child at home, several times we talked about the action plan when I understand that “something is starting”. nine0005

...The birth began, as is often the case, at night. I felt my stomach begin to pull, but I decided that these were training contractions, which I had been waiting for. My husband advised me to call the midwife, but I decided not to disturb her at 12 midnight. Three hours later, I realized that this was no longer a “training” and called. The midwife arrived 40 minutes later, looked at me and said that you can go to the hospital. At the maternity hospital, I really appreciated the joint visit with the midwife, who saved me from standard unpleasant procedures (in my case, the body cleansed itself at home). My husband left (it was our mutual decision that I would give birth without him), and I stayed with the midwife. How grateful I was to Larisa for being by my side all the time! She suggested comfortable positions for me, gave me water to drink, poured a bath in which it was much easier for me to endure the contractions that were already very strong by that time, and at the same time she was, as it were, invisible. Almost all births we were with her together. The maternity hospital doctor came in the first time for a minute right after we settled in the ward, and the second time - at the last attempts, although, to be honest, her presence bothered me because her mobile phone constantly rang, and this, believe me, in such a crucial moment is very annoying. nine0005

The labor itself (pulling) lasted almost two hours. As I now understand, in the maternity hospital they would hardly have bothered so much with me in the birth chair (and I wouldn’t have lasted there for so long). And the midwife waited patiently, periodically checking the baby's heartbeat, and encouraged me, saying that everything was in order.

Being attuned to childbirth without anesthesia, but knowing my inability to endure pain, before childbirth, even after the courses, in the depths of my soul I asked myself the question: “When will I still scream that I can’t take it anymore and demand anesthesia?”. Anesthesia was not required! At some moments it was more difficult than unbearably painful, it was physical fatigue at the end of the contractions (at that moment I said the only time: “I can’t take it anymore! I’m tired. ” But the midwife explained to me that the contractions were about to when they run out, and it becomes easier.This gave me new strength, and, indeed, after a couple of minutes they ended.

And then my baby was born! She didn't scream, but groaned calmly. The pediatrician immediately came to examine her, because. she had an umbilical cord around her neck, but everything was fine with her, and a minute later my daughter was placed on my chest! I did not cry with happiness (although before the birth I imagined this moment in this way), but lay and enjoyed the inexplicable calmness, stroking my baby. An hour later my husband arrived, and we were all together until evening.

Someone says that it is boring to lie in a separate room, that two or four people are more fun, but personally I didn’t need any communication, except communication with my own child! And it is much more convenient to receive relatives in a separate room. nine0005

The maternity hospital offered to take the baby for the night, I refused (but the nurses did not insist, they just said that if I wanted, I could give her at any time), because. I couldn't imagine my life without my baby. Before giving birth, many people told me that I needed to “rest,” that I would recover more slowly if I took care of the child myself from the first hours. But I initially had a mindset to be with the baby. Yes, I felt tired after giving birth, I sincerely envy those mothers who, a couple of hours after giving birth, were already ready to fly! This was not my case, I felt weak, “broken” all over my body, but in the first seven hours, the presence of my husband helped me a lot. From my experience, I can say that the best rest for a mother is to lie next to a sleeping baby. If the baby feels good and comfortable (again, with a mother nearby), then at first he sleeps a lot and lets him sleep and rest. And if something worries him, then his mother - her voice, hands, smell - is needed even more (of course, we are not talking about conditions requiring urgent medical intervention). Performing simple procedures - feeding, changing clothes - naturally makes you get out of bed and move. There was a very friendly staff in the maternity hospital No. 6, they showed me several times at my request how to swaddle and wash the baby, they answered all my questions. I don’t even talk about the role of living together in establishing breastfeeding, because. it's just obvious. nine0005

My baby girl was very calm from birth, she hardly cried, I think that this is partly because she was allowed to be born on her own. And I had a very good impression from the birth, a feeling of well-done responsible work. I remember a funny moment when already at the last attempts (!!!) for some reason the thought occurred to me that in French and English the word “work, labor” (travail, labor) also means “childbirth”. I told the midwife and the doctor about this, they looked at me with surprise, because, apparently, for the first time they encountered the fact that a few minutes before the birth of a child, a woman discusses philological nuances with them, but agreed with me. Childbirth really requires the active participation of a woman, her work with her own body, labor pain. nine0005

There is an opinion that labor pain is quickly forgotten, because she is overwhelmed by the joy of having a baby. But I remember all my feelings very well and from my own experience I can say that there is no unbearable pain in childbirth. Many of my friends, hearing from me that I gave birth without stimulation, without anesthesia, and at the same time did not experience unbearable pain, unfortunately, they are sincerely surprised, and sometimes they do not believe. Why "Unfortunately? Because most people have stereotypes about childbirth, labor pain in their heads. But I am glad that I had an alternative, the opportunity, I repeat once again, to give birth on my own, as provided by Nature, and I took advantage of it. nine0005

Author: Nadezhda Kuzmina, August 2010

Harbingers - childbirth is coming soon!

Wrestler Maria Vladimirovna

Obstetrician-gynecologist

MD GROUP Clinical Hospital, Mother and Child Clinic Savelovskaya

False contractions

They may appear after the 38th week of pregnancy. False contractions are similar to Braxton-Hicks contractions, which a woman could already feel starting from the second trimester of pregnancy (the uterus seems to stiffen for a few seconds - a couple of minutes, then the tension in it subsides). False contractions train the uterus before childbirth, they are irregular and painless, the intervals between them are not reduced. Real labor pains, on the contrary, are regular, their strength gradually increases, they become longer and more painful, and the intervals between them are reduced. That's when you can already say that the birth began for real. In the meantime, false contractions are going on, it is not necessary to go to the maternity hospital - you can easily survive them at home. nine0005

Abdominal prolapse

Approximately two to three weeks before birth, the baby, in preparation for birth, presses the presenting part (usually the head) against the lower part of the uterus and pulls it down. As a result, the uterus moves lower into the pelvic region, its upper part ceases to put pressure on the internal organs of the chest and abdominal cavity. In the people it is called - the stomach dropped. As soon as the stomach drops, the expectant mother notices that it has become easier for her to breathe, but, on the contrary, it becomes more difficult to sit and walk. Heartburn and belching also disappear (after all, the uterus no longer presses on the diaphragm and stomach). But, having dropped down, the uterus begins to put pressure on the bladder - naturally, urination becomes more frequent. nine0005

For some, uterine prolapse causes a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen and even slight pain in the area of ​​the inguinal ligaments. These sensations arise due to the fact that the child's head, moving down, irritates the nerve endings of the pelvic organs.

During the second and subsequent births, the belly drops later - just before the birth. It happens that this harbinger of childbirth is not at all.

Removal of the mucous plug

This is one of the main and obvious harbingers of childbirth. During pregnancy, the glands in the cervix produce a secret (it looks like a thick jelly and forms the so-called cork), which prevents various microorganisms from entering the uterine cavity. Before childbirth, under the influence of estrogens, the cervix softens, the cervical canal opens slightly and the cork can come out - the woman will see that there are mucus clots on the linen that look like jelly. Cork can be of different colors - white, transparent, yellowish-brown or pink-red. Often it is stained with blood - this is completely normal and may indicate that childbirth will occur within the next day. The mucus plug can come out all at once (at once) or come out piecemeal throughout the day. nine0005

Weight loss

Approximately two weeks before delivery, weight loss may occur, usually by 0.5–2 kg. This happens because excess fluid is removed from the body and swelling decreases. If earlier during pregnancy, under the influence of the hormone progesterone, fluid in the body of a pregnant woman accumulated, now, before childbirth, the effect of progesterone decreases, but other female sex hormones - estrogens - begin to work hard, they remove excess fluid from the body of the expectant mother. nine0005

In addition, the expectant mother often notices that at the end of pregnancy it became easier for her to put on rings, gloves, shoes - this means that swelling on the hands and feet has decreased.

Change of stool

Right before childbirth, hormones often act on the intestines - they relax its muscles, as a result, stool disorder begins. Sometimes such frequent (up to 2-3 times a day) and even loose stools are mistaken for an intestinal infection. But if there is no nausea, vomiting, discoloration and smell of feces, or any other symptoms of intoxication, you should not worry: this is one of the harbingers of the upcoming birth. nine0005

And on the eve of childbirth, you often don't feel like eating at all. All this is also the preparation of the body for natural childbirth.

Mood changes

Many women experience mood changes a few days before giving birth. The expectant mother gets tired quickly, she wants to have more rest, sleep, even some kind of apathy appears.

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