The end of the gestation

Gestation of a new life is, by itself, a miracle of nature and an immense joy for the future parents.  However, every new experience can lead to anxiety and awaken certain natural fears.  The delivery in itself, specially for first time mothers, can transform into a terrifying experience when we are not prepared for that moment.  Knowing all the alternatives that it will lead to, preparing with relaxation and breathing exercises and sharing our fears with other people going through the same trance can help us live the delivery as one of the happiest and most positive experiences of our life.

Elida Barbero is an obstetrician, and through three decades of work has accumulated great experience in preparing couples through prophylactic courses for delivery.  She responds some of the questions that make us uneasy, with practical advice and concepts for reflection.

How should a couple prepare, specially the pregnant woman, for awaiting the delivery?

A couple should prepare for delivery with information received through reading and courses of prophylactic obstetrics.  There are preparation techniques called delivery without fear and without pain that provide tranquility and safety.  These courses are given privately in clinics and institutionally in hospitals and health centers.

The pregnant woman specially, should acquire a positive attitude that allows her to collaborate with professionals, achieving delivery as a happy experience.  This is achieved by knowing and understanding all the possible alternatives for delivery so that, when the time comes, nothing surprises or scares her.  She should elaborate on her fears with other mothers that share her fears and expectations.  Learning breathing and relaxation techniques will allow her to handle and minimize the pain of delivery, avoiding unnecessary physical and psychic suffering, living this experience as something happy and gratifying.

When is it considered that labor starts?  What does the mother feel and what should be done?

Labor starts when the contractions of the uterus or womb are produced with such an intensity that they act by dilating the cervix.

The future mom perceives that the contractions that only felt as “hard stomach” before become an acute and intermittent pain.  This is registered on the lower abdomen and usually travels to the waist, as a type of “menstrual pain”.  They are irregular first, scarce and of low intensity but as the hours pass they become more regular with more frequency, duration and intensity.  Sometimes this symptom is accompanied by other signs, such as the loss of amniotic fluids, water breaking or the loss of a mucous-blood plug.  She should be hospitalized when these symptoms occur.

What’s the father’s role?

The father’s role is to keep her company, support her and be affectionate.  This gives the mother the necessary energy for not feeling overwhelmed in a situation as special as delivery.

Collaborated in this article: Obs. Elida Barbero

A muscle that lacks phosphocreatine and glycogen and has a surplus of lactate increases the probability of contractures, strains and tears.