Pregnancy is an extraordinary experience and by far the most beautiful phase of a woman’s life leading to motherhood. During pregnancy, a woman’s body and her emotions undergo changes which make her strong and positive preparing her for childbirth. There are different kinds of delivery procedures possible namely; vaginal delivery or natural childbirth, caesarean section, forceps delivery, vacuum extraction and vaginal birth after cesarean.
Out of all these procedures, the most recommended method is the vaginal delivery process. Going through a normal vaginal delivery is an empowering experience and has its own advantages over a C-section or any other kind of procedure. Natural vaginal childbirth is said to take place without any form of medical intervention where the doctor doesn’t need to use any tools to help pull out the baby. However, it might not always be possible to perform a normal delivery, depending upon the complications, the position of the baby and the capacity of the patient to handle pain.
Stages of Normal Delivery
There are three major steps that a mother has to go through for the delivery process.
Labour
The first stage of labour normally happens at the end of the third trimester of pregnancy where the body begins to show signs, that it is time for the baby to be born. The early labour stage is where the muscles of the uterus start to contract and then relax. These contractions are an important part as it helps to thin (efface) and open (dilate) the cervix for the baby to pass through the birth canal. At first, the contractions may be irregular and last for less than a minute leaving an uncomforting feeling in the woman. The pain gradually intensifies, and the body goes through contractions lasting for up to a minute which is an indication that the woman needs to pack-up and make a move to the hospital. Active labour often lasts for four to eight hours or more.
Learn more about Normal Vaginal Delivery. Dr. Astha Dayal, Consultant -Obstetrics&Gynaecology and leading Gynaecologist at the CK Birla Hospital for Women, Best Maternity hospital in Gurgaon. Read More.
Dr. Astha Dayal has over 13 years of extensive experience and training in the field of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She has a vast body of experience having worked in Hospitals like Lok Nayak Hospital, Maulana Azad Medical College Delhi, Medanta, Artemis Hospitals and The Cradle in Gurgaon. She finished her medical education and specialist training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology from Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi and MRCOG from Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, London. She has a diploma and fellowship in laparoscopic surgery and a FOGSI Fellowship in Infertility from Sir Gangaram Hospital. She is a member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London (RCOG), Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) and World Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons (WALS). Her expertise lies in the medical and surgical management of women’s health problems, managing high-risk pregnancies, advanced laparoscopy and hysteroscopy and reproductive endocrinology.
The CK Birla Hospital for Women, Gurgaon is a multi-speciality hospital focused on, but not restricted to women’s health. It is part of the $1.8 billion diversified CK Birla Group. The hospital based on international standards and protocols has a strong focus on clinical quality and care. The hospital’s core clinical specialities include obstetrics & gynaecology, neonatology & paediatrics (including paediatric orthopaedics, ophthalmology, surgery and developmental paediatrics), fertility, fetal medicine, the breast centre (including screening & genomics, breast surgery, conservation & reconstruction and rehabilitation & counselling), oncology (head & neck, gynae & GI onco surgery, chemotherapy), advanced surgical sciences (including laparoscopic, cancer, gastrointestinal and bariatric surgery), orthopaedics, urology, aesthetics & plastic surgery, dermatology, internal medicine, pain management, diagnostics and physiotherapy.
