What do all pregnancies have in common? They all result in a baby. However, not all pregnancies are identical. There is no definite guide that will show you exactly what your pregnancy will be like, but as of now there are three variations of the end result: The birth. Are you expecting? Oh good, then I guarantee you’re going to experience one of these three endings. Have I got you curious? Even better, so let’s start with the first birthing style: Vaginal birth.
Vaginal birth is what most people think of when they think of babies being born. During a vaginal birth, your baby will be pushed out through your vagina and come into the world in the most ‘natural’ method available, ‘natural’ referring to what your body does one way or another: push your baby out of your body.
But don’t think that just because your body eventually takes over via some sort of ‘auto-pilot’ that this is easy. Quite the contrary, giving birth is hard work, both for the mother and the father/partner. Despite being difficult, there is a lot of hope. Taking the time to learn some basic pregnancy, labor, and delivery skills will ease a lot of stress. Not just moms, dads, you, too, need to have some learned skills in order to make any birthing turn from a traumatic moment to a positive experience.
Besides breathing, there are other things you can do, many of which happen to be mental in practice. Childbirth will result in labor pains, but while the body’s natural reaction is to tense up, you need to train yourself to relax instead. By relaxing, your body is able to focus on birthing your child. Pain is not bad. Suffering is bad. It’s important for both parents to learn the difference.
The second type of birthing method is an emergency Caesarean following labor. Presumably, most women don’t prefer this method to the others, but it is one method you should plan for just in case. Sometimes it just becomes necessary to surgically deliver the baby, even after going through all the motions as if you were planning for the first method.
There are still skills you can learn to make a Caesarean birth stay relaxed and enjoyable. It can be scary, but to put aside any fears, having a Caesarean birth does not make you any less of a mother. The same applies to the third method, a planned Caesarean birth without any labor. This is YOUR pregnancy, and this is YOUR baby, and nothing can ever change that.
The last method regards having a vaginal birth after a previous Caesarean delivery. It’s almost a reverse to method #3 and hopefully will end up in #1 but could be a #2. Remember though, regardless of which of the three methods your birth becomes, it is vital for you and your partner to know good birthing skills. If you take the time to learn, even something as difficult as a birth can be a wonderfully enjoyable experience.