What Labor’s Really Like

Every mom has her own labor story. There are moms who twist and turn every few minutes or so. There are moms who seem to experience the most agonizing pain. And there are moms who seem to sail through labor with only the minimum of discomfort.

While the experience of labor is unique to every woman, there are a couple of things that an expectant mom may expect:
* Contractions come and go every few minutes or so. This gives the expectant mom a bit of time to rest and prepare herself for the next one. As her labor progresses, however, the contractions will last longer, coming ever so frequently, until she feels that she’s experiencing one intense contraction after another.
* She may experience pain or discomfort in different parts of her body, most notably her back and lower abdomen. The pain may come and go with every contraction or may go on continuously. Some may find their hips, thighs, and buttocks hurting. Usually, the intensity of pain or discomfort increases as she goes deeper into her labor.
* Labor doesn’t go on forever. It doesn’t usually last for more than 24 hours.

True, labor is not the most pleasant of experiences, but it can be made more manageable. When the pregnant woman, especially first-time moms, is prepared and knows exactly what’s going to happen during labor, her worries and fears will be lessened a bit. If she comes into the labor room without any knowledge of labor and childbirth whatsoever, she may feel overwhelmed and may think that there is something very awful happening to her.

Preparation not only comes through knowledge, but also through practice. Childbirth classes teach moms and their partners breathing exercises and relaxation techniques to help make labor more bearable.

The committed and unwavering support of her partner is of utmost importance as well. Her partner can be her coach, coaxing her to practice her breathing exercises. Her partner can be her ally, making her environment as comfortable as possible. Her partner can be her pillar of support, whispering to her words of encouragement as she goes through one of the amazing events in her life.