Women have been giving birth for years. In
many cases, all that is needed is for someone to help ease
the baby out. Sometimes though, Mother Nature is not enough.
This is where your health care provider (HCP) comes in. With
the help of your support person, your labor nurse, and perhaps
another
birth assistant, you and your HCP will work together to birth
that wonderful baby you are carrying.
What if the baby won't fit through? Will I
need stitches?
Your
HCP won't know until you try, so push, push, push! The nurse
lets your HCP know how you are doing and makes sure he or
she is nearby. She sets up all the medical instruments and
washes your bottom with a warm, soapy solution. A tiny shave
might
be done.Sterile (germ-free) towels are sometimes placed over
your tummy and legs.As your baby is coming out, the muscles
around the
outside opening of your vagina are stretched very thin. The
HCP decides if there needs to be more room in order for the
baby to fit through. Most of the time, especially if this
is your first delivery, the HCP makes a small cut called an
episiotomy. This
cut makes the opening a little bigger so the baby can pass
on through. After the baby is born, the HCP sews the cut shut
with
stitches. Unlike stitches on a hand or a belly, these tiny
stitches fall out by themselves when the muscles heal. You
do not have
to worry about coming back to have them taken out.
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What if I still can't push the baby out? What are forceps?
If
you have pushed and pushed and the baby is almost out, there
are a couple of ways that your HCP can help the baby the
rest of the way. One way is to use forceps. Forceps are instruments
specially made to fit in on both sides of the baby's head.
They look kind of like salad spoons. As the mother pushes,
the HCP gently
pulls until the baby moves into a better position. The forceps
are taken off and laid on the table. As the mother continues
to push, the HCP then guides the baby into the world with
just his or her hands.
A pediatrician will be present at your delivery to provide assistance if needed after your baby is born.
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What else could they do?
The HCP may decide to use an instrument called a vacuum cup to assist in your delivery. A soft cup is
placed over the part of the baby's head that is almost out.
The cup
is hooked up to a machine that slowly and gently pulls as
the baby is being pushed down and out. Like forceps, this cup
is
taken off as soon as the baby clears the way. If the vacuum
or forceps do not work and the HCP decides that there is
simply not enough room for the baby to be delivered vaginally (through
the vagina,) then a cesarean delivery or surgery will be
needed. A pediatrician will be present at your delivery to provide assistance if needed after your baby is born.
Giving birth is a natural thing for women to do. But it
does take new skills and learning. Sometimes it also takes
the skill
and learning of others to get the baby out. Talk over any
questions or concerns with your HCP now. When the big day comes,
you will be more comfortable knowing what to expect.
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Used with permission from Mosby's Patient Teaching Guides
by Schlef
