Pregnancy is a time of mixed feelings and emotions. You would feel excited, nervous, happy, tired, and a billion other things, all at once. No mother has ever gone into the delivery room with a 100 percent preparation. So while it is necessary to get prepared, it is also essential to have fun while you are pregnant. There is no doubt that you will face a lot of discomfort and pain.

But in the end, it is a wonderful experience that is one of a kind. However, there are certain things that you must be aware of before you go into labor and childbirth. In this article, we are going to discuss some things that you must know so that you can get prepared while you have fun during your pregnancy.

The More You Know…

You only have your baby once, so the more you know going into it, the better the experience will be. Leaning on prenatal classes for help can definitely give you the best head-start possible!

There is very little chance that the birth of your child is going to happen exactly the way you have imagined it, especially if it is your first baby. There are thousands of things that can do wrong, and you must be prepared to face those contingencies. While your mother or relatives may be able to describe their experiences, it won’t be able to prepare you enough.

The curriculum for online birthing classes is formulated with the help of doctors, nurses, and doulas, who are experts in pregnancy and childbirth issues. They can help you prepare for as many different scenarios as possible so that you are ready for almost everything that comes your way.

You Won’t Give Birth in the Car

Despite what is shown in movies and TV series, you won’t deliver your baby in the car on the way to the hospital. Most first time mothers arrive at the hospital way too early and may get sent home. Some first-time mothers may be in labor for hours before they need to go to the hospital for delivery.

Most mothers experience early labor before they get into active labor. The signs of early labor are that the contractions are mild and quite irregular. So unless your doctor has specifically instructed you, there is no need to rush to the hospital.

The best thing for mothers to do is not feel anxious and stay as relaxed as possible. Once the frequency of your contractions increases or your water breaks, you can head to the hospital for your delivery. Contractions in active labor are three to five minutes apart, and they last about 45 seconds to a minute.

You May Need a Catheter

Two out of three women need to get an epidural, irrespective of their choice of birth. Epidurals are meant to block all the nerves in the lower half of your body, which means that you will lose bladder control.

On top of that, epidurals are done along with a liter of fluid intake so that you don’t lose blood pressure, and the child’s heart rate stays normal. That means you will not be able to control urination and may need a catheter. But don’t worry, because you will not feel the catheter at all due to the epidural.

You May Poop While You Push

A lot of first-time mothers feel worried about pooping during childbirth. But if you ask your mother or any mom who may have pooped during childbirth, they would tell you that they were too busy to even care about that. The doctors and nurses are aware of it too, so they are prepared for it.

So unless you are having a C-section, be aware that you might end up pooping during childbirth. But don’t worry about it because it won’t matter to you or anyone around you at that time.

Accidents May Happen

A tired doctor or a negligent nurse may cause your little angel irreparable harm even before they can properly set foot in this world. Birth injuries are extremely common in the United States with 7 out of 1,000 babies suffering a serious birth injury with lifelong consequences such as cerebral palsy.

The sad part is that most of these injuries could have been prevented if the medical staff were just a bit more diligent and proactive. Instead, many babies affected by birth injuries have to live with the consequences for a lifetime.

In addition, most parents learn about the harm done to their children long after the act. When that happens a cerebral palsy lawyer can be of tremendous help especially if your child needs round-the-clock care and expensive therapy. So, make sure you keep all the receipts for medical expenses, including for the out-of-pocket ones, along with evidence of lost income and history of treatment to build a strong case.

There Will Be Many People Around You During Delivery

Once again, Hollywood is to blame if you thought that it would be just the doctor and a nurse in the room while you give birth to your baby. Depending on the type of birth process, there will be at least three nurses present in the room while you deliver, and you may see random people walk in and out of the room when you are in labor.

Your doctor may or may not be there, so make sure you speak to him or her beforehand about how he or she handles deliveries. That might save you from feeling disappointed afterward. If you feel that you cannot handle your partner being in there too, you can speak to him and ensure that he understands.

The birth of your child is unlike any other experience in a lifetime, and in a good way too. Moreover, once you are done with pregnancy and childbirth, you get to enjoy motherhood, which is the biggest prize of all. So enjoy every moment of it, because your child only gets born once.

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