What's going to happen?

Question

I am 38 weeks pregnant and am beginning to worry about what's going to happen to me in labour. I am not good with pain and have severe reactions to injections. Please help, I'm scared. I'm sixteen.

Answer 1

Hopefully you have someone to be with you during labor.. and yes labor is painful, they do have medications for the pain though so don't be afraid to ask for something. Have you taken any birthing classes? Breathing exercises help....You will be amazed that as soon as it is over how you will forget and even willing at some time in the future to do it again. Most of all remember that everyone is different.... I remember one girl was on her way out to the delivery room, she was so excited all she could talk about was when she could do that again...:o)

Answer 2

You need a good long chat with your midwife, and I'm sorry that no-one's taken the time to talk at length with you about this.

The biology bit is that in order to get the baby out, your uterus (womb) has to contract to pull open your cervix (neck of your womb). At the moment your cervix is tightly closed and sealed with a plug of mucous, so your uterus is going to have to work super hard to tug it open.

For most people, that hurts, although the way women experience the pain really varies - some don't find it that bad, some find it just awful. This is why the best thing to do is keep an open mind about whether to have any pain relief, although it's a good idea to find out about your options beforehand. Here's quite a good guide: http://www.bbc.co.uk/parenting/having_a_baby/birth_painrelief.shtml

Labour is divided into three stages. The opening up of the cervix bit is the first stage, and for a first baby this takes an average of about 10-12 hours. The second stage is the pushing stage - when your body pushes your baby out into the world. The third stage is after your baby's born, when the placenta that's been nourishing your baby comes out.

Signs that the first stage of labout labour might be starting are:
- the mucous plug coming out of your vagina. It can look like blood stained jelly. Some people call it "the show".
- your waters breaking - what seems like gallons of fluid coming out of your vagina! If this happens, call your midwife or the hospital immediately so you can get checked over.
- contractions start. At first they might feel like period pains, and come every half an hour, or be very irregular. If they become so painful that you wish for pain relief, or they're coming every 5-7 minutes, then you're definitely in labour! You need to get yourself to wherever you plan to have the baby.

I think it would be really great if you could have a long talk with your midwife to explore any areas you're anxious about or don't understand. If you want to email me, please feel free: [e-mail].

Answer 3

I'd suggest you try reading "Hypnobirth: The Mongan Method" if you can't get into a childbirth class. (I realize the classes usually cost money, and at 16 years old. $75 -- what they charge around here -- is probably too much for you to be able to pay.)

Anyway, that book explains the process pretty well in ways that WON'T make you more worried.

Seriously, fear increases pain. So try to remember to relax, that this is a natural process that your body knows how to do.

Walking helps. It'll feel like the last thing you want to do, but I promise, it makes it easier.

If you can take a hot shower or -- better still -- if your hospital has a jaccuzi for you to use, that can be a tremendous help as well. (Most women feel much less pain if they can get into warm water. It also helps you relax, which helps make what pain you do have easier to handle.)

Go to your library, and look for books on natural childbirth. Again, I recommend the Mongan book, simply because she tries to present it all without fear.

Yes, it would have been better to prepare yourself earlier. But it's not too late.

You can do this. You'll be OK. Your body knows what to do, it's a natural process. Sure, it's intense (kinda like being incredibly constipated). But you'll get through it. The more you understand, the less afraid you'll be. And the less afraid you are, the less pain you'll have. (And the more you'll be able to deal with the pain you DO have.)

And remember, walking and warm water work wonders.

You can do this.

Answer 4

Just remember this is what your body was designed for. Bringing life into the world. I 'm sure if you just relax every thing will come naturally. Fear of pain is worse than actual pain itself. This may be the most wonderful experience of your life. Many mothers have testified to this on Yahoo Answers.

Being sixteen you will have a tough time being a mum but physically you should be in better shape to have a baby than much older women.

Hope this doesn't come across badly coming from a bloke.

Wish you all the best.

Answer 5

The same thing will happen to you that has happened to billions of women over the centuries. We've mostly all survived it. You will too. What will happen? All women are different. Some have excrutiating pain and some don't. Best to ask your mom how her labors went because yours may be similar. If you let nature take it's course, then you will most likely lose your "plug" then your water will break (not always) then you will start feeling stronger and stronger and stronger contractions (worse than your worst period cramps) , you will whine maybe, maybe yell, maybe feel like you are being ripped from the inside out, poop on yourself, pee on yourself, (all kinds of lovely embarassing things may happen during birth!) and eventually the doctor or nurse will tell you to push and stop and push and hold on and then the baby will be out then they will clean it and you will deliver the afterbirth and they will clean you up and wheel you out and you will no longer be the child but will have a child that you are 100% responsible for for the next 18 years. That's the gyst of it.

Answer 6

What kind of reactions? Allergic or stress related? I suggest that you bite the bullet and get an epidural if you can, it will be less pain in the long run and probably make you more relaxed. Don't worry about labor, no matter what it is going to come and you are going to get through it as everyone does. You may be a lot stronger than you think, and then you will have your baby with you which will be nice. My cousin was 16 when she had her baby and she said the worst part was the IV's they kept having to give her. :)

Answer 7

Its nothing you won't be able to handle. Think of it this way women have been doing it since forever. They will find something you can take. Or they may just give you some pain killers in a pill form. Me I'm getting the epidural. I'm not scared I'm excited I'm ready to do this. Like you know when you are worried something will hurt like a shot you don't want them lingering on and on before they stick you you just wanna get it dne with. I guess thats how I am. You'll be fine. Yeah its gonna hurt some. But women have kids everyday I mean it can't hurt too terribly bad there are people out there with like 12 kids.

Answer 8

It can be extremely scary as the thought of labor weighs on you, but relax and remember that the god lord puts us through nothing we don't have the strength to overcome. I can tell you how labor was for me but can't guarantee it will be the same for you, because every woman and every baby is different. I was 16 when my first daughter was born, and everybody kept telling me how horrifying labor was. It's not easy but it's not that bad either. My oldest daughter took two days to come, but getting the injection to ease pain was the worse part of my delivery. I highly suggest natural birth ( no drugs), it will be painful but when you hold your little one for the first time it is all worth it. You will start by felling sharp pains that will reside in your lower abdomen and back, as the baby gets closer to being ready to emerge the contractions will begin to increase in intensity. I can't say how mild or severe your will be. I promise though relaxing and trying not to worry will benefit you and the baby when the time comes. Congrats on your little one, and if you want more details or have questions feel free to e-mail or IM me. And ignore those idiots who keep telling you you should have thought about it before you got pregnant, woman in their thirties having a baby for the first time worry about labor as well.

Answer 9

Very young to be having a baby but saying that your skin and muscles will be very elastic and it wont be as bad as you think. You dont need injections you could have gas and air instead to numb any pain if it gets too bad. Dont listen to horror stories from others as every birth is different and when I had my first child I only took the air, I had no pain killers at all and all I suffered was a back ache! ps. If having a baby was really that bad then why would anyone have more than one?

Answer 10

Don't stress, I flipped out both time and I couldn't tell you how if felt, I have no memory of the acutally child birth... minus the laughting.. I got a bad case of the giggles both time. Epidual is the most wonderful thing and any pain you might have from that won't matter once it kicks in. You will need someone to be in there with you, I had my mom almost crawl into the bed with me the 1st time b/c you need someone behind to help hold you as you push.... my hubby did that with the second one...
Good Luck and Congrats!