Labour Pains: How Women see it

Fear of labour pains is experienced by millions of women world over; it is dreaded by both pregnant women and the yet to be pregnant.
Writer Elizabeth Ombati spoke to a number of women who shared their labour fears.

Mary Anne, not pregnant
I do not want to get pregnant. Having read a lot about complications that may arise from labour, imagining myself pregnant is scary.

What I dread most is to be a victim of fistula. I love being in control of situations, my wastes included. The thought gets my adrenaline rushing. My labour fears are that big.

Miriam, mother of two
People instil a lot of fear in a pregnant woman especially if the pregnancy is her first. Most of my friends kept telling me over and over that labour pains are indescribable, and that my private parts would be cut! All this information I got only served to make me nervous. Those who wished me well could hardly hide the horror on their faces.

I worked hard to keep the fear at bay. but it had gotten into my system. As a result, the nervousness threw me into false labour many hours prior to the actual time. I stayed in the labour ward for about 24 hours. The pain was there, but not as much as my friends had described it. The delivery was fine and the thought of getting another baby was okay. She came two years later. I barely have labour anxieties now as I do not mind having more babies.

Mama Ben, past pregnancy
Untrue as it may sound, I did not have any labour fears. First experiences do not scare me at all because I believe in the mantra. ‘Whatever you do not know cannot harm you. Ben is my only child and when I was pregnant with him all I did was wait for the delivery day with happiness. The fact that I was bringing forth my own baby was enough to keep me going.

I had him via  C-section and he weighed 2.9 kgs. As expected, the pain was there, but I had blocked away all fear. It was not as bad.

Nancy, presently pregnant
My fears are somewhat strange. I have these recurrent thoughts that my baby might start her journey into this world while I am in public transport. I usually envision people panicking and running away, leaving me on my own.

I do try to stem down these fears: I have shared them with my partner, who finds them hilarious. Meanwhile. I am praying that this does not happen.

Linet, mother of two
I have just given birth to my second baby. My labour fears were no different from the first. I do not seem to learn. I have undergone two C-sections and both times I was scared that my babies would die.

Anxiety and nervousness were all that I felt. How I wished they would go away. The thought of getting a baby with deformities stuck in my mind too. But now that I have two healthy baby girls, I have learnt that labour fears are a thing every woman can learn to control.

Janet, contemplating pregnancy
I have a small body frame and this only serves to add to my fears. I keep thinking that I may die on the delivery bed—that I am too small and the baby may be unable to come out. This has clouded my desire to have a baby of my own, even though numerous people have told me that body size does not matter during delivery. I plan to visit a doctor to discuss my fears, which I know are unfounded, yet they seem so real.

KEEP LABOUR FEARS AT BAY
Labour fear if not checked, could result in complications, during childbirth thus endangering both the mother’s and baby’s lives. It is recommended, therefore, that every woman keeps all anxiety in check.

Dr. Blasio Omuga shares practical views on why the fears should not be there in the first place.

Preparedness
Birth preparedness ensures that all kind of fear is taken off the mind. If gives the mother the confidence to endure the labour process successfully.

With counselling, making a decision on a birth partner, and so on, a smoother delivery is expected. The result is a healthy baby for a healthy and happy mother.

Nowadays, most deliveries, even Caesarean sections are safe. With proper pregnancy and delivery management, most fears are unnecessary.

Body Size
Small body size is not an issue. The important thing is for any expectant mother to get a normal baby and at the end to remain healthy. There are enough modern facilities in hospitals to ensure this is so.

Going for a hospital delivery ensures there are good facilities and skilled service providers to ensure a problem-free delivery.

Misconceptions
Experience in pregnancy and labour is not as bad as people want to make others imagine—especially those expecting a baby for the first time.

It has been with is from the time of Eve. It is even better now when most pains can be artificially knocked off.

As an expectant mother, there is need to ensure that you take good care of yourself and your growing baby by eating healthy, going for antenatal clinics, and generally carrying with you a positive attitude towards the pregnancy.

Good Timing
The delivery process takes time and does not happen suddenly. As a pregnant woman, know the signs of early labour so as to be at the right place at the right time.

This will ensure you avoid the roadside deliveries where experts may not be present thus endangering your baby’s life and yours.

Complications
The antenatal clinics are to prepare you for the eventual delivery day. The scans should detect any anomaly, which puts you in a position to take the required action lo guard against further complications.

In a nutshell, the fears of deformities, death and so on should not top your priority list. Worry is not a constructive ingredient. Being proactive is.

END:PG16/52-53