Learning about Childbirth

I've Learned:

2 Myths about childbirth:

1. Childbirth has to be excruciatingly painful.

• Apparently screaming, whining, and complaining make the pain worse. If you go in thinking your birth will be excruciatingly painful, it probably will be. Some women do not feel pain. Some women enjoy the birthing process.

2. Lying on your back is the best position to birth.

• Who knew that you can birth in different positions? Apparently, lying on your back tilts your pelvis so that the opening is angled smaller, making it harder to push your baby out.

2 Truths about childbirth:

1. The U.S. actually has a high maternal mortality rate in comparison to other developed countries due to increased medically unnecessary C-sections.  According to the World Health Organization, in order to maintain healthy births and decrease maternal mortality rates, the C-section rate should be no higher than 15%. In the U.S. it is 32%.

2. Working with the sensations of contractions can be more beneficial than trying to work through them.  Many women talked about the contractions feeling like waves and that riding the waves and feeling the ebb and flow of them was helpful. 

 

What have you learned about childbirth?