It’s time.
Your water just broke,
but you’re also feeling a little hungry.
There’s no harm in stopping
for some pizza, right?
After all, you don't know for how long
you could be in labor.
Pushing out this little miracle of life
is a hard process
and you just made it that much
more dangerous
by eating that deep dish.
According to recent
World Health Organization records,
808 women die in childbirth every day.
We can't control everything,
but we are about to show you
the five things that you should avoid doing
if you don’t want to make your delivery
even more difficult.
”Daddy, she’s ready to push.”
“Okay!”
Nothing can increase your appetite
like having a tiny human
growing inside you,
but the moment your water breaks
it's time to skip the buffet.
Going into labor is a marathon,
not a sprint.
You’ll need the energy to endure it,
but I’d put that burger down.
Having a big meal
can put you at risk of aspiration
if you’re put under general anesthesia.
This occurs when food or liquid
is inhaled into the lungs
and can be fatal.
When you’re pregnant,
your enlarged uterus
puts pressure on your stomach,
increasing the risk.
It’s happening.
The baby is coming
and you feel unbearable pain.
Nurses are telling you to breathe,
but you’re doing it too quickly
and feel dizzy.
You’re hyperventilating,
and if you keep it up, you’ll faint.
Abdominal breathing is the way to go.
It helps you relieve stress
and oxygenate your tissues.
Instead of taking shallow gulps of air,
you'll put your stomach,
abdomen and diaphragm
to work when breathing.
Staying hydrated is important,
but it's crucial in situations like these.
If you’re dehydrated,
you’ll likely have a longer labor.
Before you chug that, pay attention.
Going overboard with the fluid intake
can be dangerous for your baby
and make your sodium levels drop
dangerously low.
Issues can also arise
from excess IV fluids.
Being pumped with 2.5 L (85 oz) of fluids
can lead to your newborn losing weight
in the week following delivery.
It can also cause
painful swelling of the breasts,
which could result in
difficulties breastfeeding.
As excited as you might be
to finally hold your baby,
chances are during the past nine months
you probably weren’t exactly
looking forward to pushing a small human
through your birth canal.
Labor can be intense and painful,
but the last thing you want to do is fight it.
During contractions,
you might feel the impulse
to arch your back away from the pressure
on the cervix and pelvis.
If you pull away and tense up,
that’ll make the process
even more difficult.
Against every instinct,
you'll need to relax your muscles
to allow them to push the baby
down and out.
Squatting or leaning over your stomach
and keeping your feet apart could help.
This might be the hardest ask.
Screaming from agony
seems inherently associated
with giving birth,
but doing so can make
your efforts of pushing
less effective.
When you scream,
your vocal cords get irritated
and diaphragmatic pressure is released.
The pushing force
you should be directing downward
where you need it most
is instead released through your mouth.
Making a lot of noise during labor
is normal and even encouraged.
Try moaning.
It can help direct pressure
in the right direction.
Now you know everything
you should avoid
when you're ready to welcome this baby
into the world,
but what if your water breaks
when you're stuck in traffic?
You feel the urge to push more
than the brakes,
and you know the baby is coming now.
Don't worry.
We can help you with that.