Tips for an Easy Childbirth: Oct 2019

On 12 October 2019, Dr Kanika was one of the invited speakers at the “Pregnancy to Parenthood” seminar organized for parents-to-be. She shared about what pregnant mummies can expect during labour and the different pain relief options available to them. Preparing for labour ahead of time can make the whole experience less scary. Furthermore, if your husband understands what happens during labour, he will be better equipped to assist you when the push comes!

Here are some tips for couples who missed her session:

1. It is important to know about all the different people who will be involved in your birth.

• Your obstetrician
• A nurse or midwife
• An anaesthetist
  This is dependent on your pain relief option and the type of birth you will be having. For example, if you are having a C-section, an anaesthetist will be present.
• Paediatrician
  Dr Kanika recommends having a paediatrician at birth to ensure that any complication that arises after the birth of your baby is immediately taken care of.
• Your hubby or birthing partner of choice
  You can choose your husband or another family member to be in the hospital room with you while you are giving birth for moral support.

2. If you are a first-time mum, you should prepare for labour to be longer compared to ladies who have previously given birth.

3. Your waterbag ruptures when you are in active labour. Therefore, as soon as it breaks, it is important to go to the hospital as soon as possible as the waterbag rupturing means your baby will be exposed to the elements.

4. A lot of blood loss is common doing childbirth so you should make sure you take all the supplements your Ob/Gyn recommends.

5. One of the most popular pain relief options is epidural. However, some ladies are afraid they will suffer from back pain for the rest of their lives if they opt for this pain relief option. Dr Kanika reassured pregnant mummies that this was a common misconception and that taking epidural will not result in back pain for the rest of your life.

She did highlight that epidural is not a viable option for ladies who suffer from issues like scoliosis to use epidural as a pain relief option.

Dr Kanika ended her talk by advising couples that being prepared for labour makes the whole process more manageable. She also mentioned being aware of the pain relief options available to you beforehand will help you make an informed decision on which method is the most suitable for you.

You can read up more on how to prepare for childbirth here.

Dr Kanika’s Place of Practice