9 Life-Saving Tips In An Emergency Childbirth
Image: iStock
How frequently have you heard of women giving birth in the backseat of the car? Or on an airplane? Or at a gas-refill station? The incidence of such births is rare and, therefore, make a buzz over popular media. But when you hear about them while you are pregnant, you could have bizarre imaginations around your baby popping out of you especially in socially inapt conditions. Nope, you don’t want that stranger to grope about your nether regions, nor would you want to entertain a horde of men swarming around you as you writhe in pain.
We guess, you may also worry whether the situation wouldn’t spare you while you are alone at home, or if you are accompanied by an older chid who has no idea, or experience for that matter, with regards to facilitating his/her sibling’s entry into the world (read – the process of exiting your body). You might have called the 911, and as they take you or your older child through the process, you could still be unnerved at surrendering yourself to a situation like that. Nor do you want to imagine being strangled at home with a partner in an event of a storm which leads to a dramatic turn of events – perhaps just short of a farraginous theatrical.
Having taken a note of all of this, if you manage to be on the way to the hospital, you will still have fears of being caught in a rush hour traffic or a rapid labor before reaching the hospital; or if you have arrived at the hospital the doctor would not arrive in time.
Honestly, an emergency childbirth is not something you should worry as much as you already fear it. But just to be on the safe side, you could talk to your doctor and hospital staff to get some valuable suggestions that will come as time savior in an event of emergency labor.
You might also want to rely on the following:
1. The most important thing is to keep panic at bay. Once you panic, you lose control over the situation. Muster courage and have faith that you will make it. Allay any fears.
2. Always keep your phone handy especially in the last trimester. As soon as you have symptoms of labor, call your doctor or a midwife at once. If you are driving already, make sure you pull over the car and put the blinkers on. Save the other commuters and save your baby by not driving wildly. It’s perfectly alright and safe to deliver your child in the car while stationed on a bylane.
3. It’s also a good idea to carry towels, blankets and disposbale cloth and wipes in your car.
4. With the contractions going on, it’s important to remember to push gently while trying to pant. Panting is necessary to prevent tearing.
5. If someone is attending to you already, i.e. if they are not trained, let them know that they must place their hands on the baby’s head once it becomes visible to support it as it is popping out. The process must be accompanied by your panting.
6. Warning! Do not pull the baby or its head. Rather, the baby must be guided out gently.
7. Also, remember to stroke gently the baby’s nose downwards to get rid off the exess amniotic fluid and mucus.
8. Cover the mother and child with blankets or towels.
9. Don’t rush into cutting the umnillical cord just yet. If the placenta has also been pushed out, place it next to the baby and don’t cut the cord yet. Wait either until you can get to the place of birth or until the practitioners arrive.
Did you ever have an emergency childbirth? Share your story with us.
Community Experiences
Join the conversation and become a part of our vibrant community! Share your stories, experiences, and insights to connect with like-minded individuals.
