10 Things Nobody Tells Pregnant Women Before Giving Birth

3/10 – Contractions hurt more than childbirth

You thought the baby arrived at the threshold of the cervix was the most painful. But for many women, the contractions are more painful. They start with cramps like those experienced during painful periods. They quickly turn into a severe pain in your lower abdomen until a baby points to the tip of their nose and turns that moment into pure happiness. If you have an epidural, contractions will certainly be the most painful part of childbirth.
A muscle that contracts naturally never does it 100%. On the other hand, when one provokes contractions during childbirth, by using a hormone that will accelerate the contractions in the vagina or via an infusion, all the fibers are used at the same time. The pain felt by the mother is therefore generally greater.
Also, be aware that stress can increase the pain caused by contractions. It also happens that this tension affects the cervix, which will have more difficulty opening and take longer to dilate.

4/10 – You can beg for an epidural

In your opinion, what level of suffering does it take to be able to beg to be planted with a prick in the spinal cord to calm the torture you endure?
Whether or not you choose to use it, you will need to meet with an anesthesiologist, just in case. It is a must, and whatever you decide on the subject, keep in mind that it may not apply when the time comes. In some cases, it is not possible, for medical reasons or because childbirth takes place too quickly, to have recourse to an epidural.
But would the epidural be the remedy for all pains of childbirth? Not at all. Almost a third of the women who wanted and obtained it was partially satisfied. Epidural is a technique that medicalized birth and has certain side effects, even if today medical products have evolved. It can slow contractions, relax the muscles of the pelvis which does not encourage the expulsion of the child, cause numbness in the legs, reduce sensations. So this may be a good option, but it should not be presented as the best thing.
Sometimes an epidural can be an indication or even a medical obligation because, in the absence of pain, the blood pressure increases less, which limits the risk of eclampsia crisis. And in some cases, when childbirth requires surgery, an epidural is an alternative to general anesthesia which carries more risks.