Childbirth, finally the time to meet your baby !

Working in private practice or in maternity, she is competent in so-called physiological pregnancies, that is to say a pregnancy that is progressing normally. She can perform all the necessary ultrasounds (in particular the screening one), provide prenatal consultations, childbirth preparation sessions, deliver the mother-to-be, carry out the child's first examinations, advise during breastfeeding... and if there is the slightest medical complication, she will send you to a competent doctor (often an obstetrician-gynecologist) who can take over.

More classically, an obstetrician-gynecologist can just as well ensure the follow-up of a future mother's pregnancy. He has the same skills as a midwife and much more. And if a midwife can take care of it, he is also often called to deliver the baby. Likewise if a cesarean is necessary, if instruments must be used or more generally, or if the pregnancy is at risk.

In fact, in the case of gestational diabetes, hypertension, multiple pregnancy, possibility of premature delivery... if the pregnancy presents risks of complications (we then speak of a pathological pregnancy), it is in any case an obstetrician-gynecologist who will monitor your pregnancy and who, if necessary, will deliver you.

It's time to forget your administrative phobia: when you're pregnant, there are many steps to take before giving birth.

As the due date approaches, remember to pack all the documents you will need in your maternity suitcase (Vitale card, identity card, follow-up file, etc.). 

Childbirth is often a source of stress, even fear. But don't panic, there are many ways to inform you and prepare you for this moment. And in particular childbirth preparation classes . Sophrology, yoga, swimming, singing... Many methods combining well-being, body and mind exist to approach your childbirth with serenity and create a first bond with your future baby. Acupuncture, haptonomy, sophrology... if only 8 sessions are covered by Social Security, it is quite possible to try many other classes and accumulate many more (at your expense however). It's up to you to choose those that suit you best, according to your childbirth plan, even if it means trying several.

There are many things to plan for before the arrival of a baby because a pregnancy is punctuated by many appointments. Between ultrasounds, medical consultations, registration at the nursery or maternity ward... it's easy to get lost! That said, don't worry: after the first medical appointment to confirm your pregnancy, health professionals will be there to guide you. To ensure you don't forget anything, keeping a pregnancy calendar can be a good idea: paper version or via a dedicated application, to make sure you don't forget anything.

Baby is coming, it's finally D-day ! Between haste and excitement, you feel your body changing and transforming while baby moves and gets into position to come out.

While childbirth is different for every woman, and even from one pregnancy to another, there are some unmistakable signs that your baby is about to arrive. They can appear a few hours or even a few days before delivery.

The first sign that cannot be avoided: contractions. Initially light, they will gradually intensify and become closer together over time. In some women, these contractions are accompanied by nausea, sometimes vomiting.

As contractions progress, you'll likely lose your mucus plug, a gel-like substance that normally blocks the opening of your cervix. Losing it means your cervix is ​​slowly starting to dilate.

The last sign, and sometimes the most impressive: the rupture of the water bag. It can happen at the beginning of labor, during labor, or not at all. In this case, once at the maternity ward, a doctor can proceed to induce labor .

Despite all these signs, there is no emergency: active labor can last several hours! It is therefore not urgent to go to the maternity ward. You have time to gather all your things, to tell your partner, a parent or a friend if you want company and support, but also for them to assist you if necessary (such as taking you to the maternity ward).

Once at the maternity ward, things get serious! The medical team will take care of you and after a quick examination, will have you wait quietly in your room or will take you directly to the delivery room.

In order to relieve the pain mainly due to contractions during your delivery (especially during the labor phase), it is entirely possible to request an epidural which can be put in place from the beginning. Other solutions exist to calm the pain: taking a bath, practicing different breathing techniques, using hypnosis or prenatal singing... All techniques that you will have followed during your childbirth preparation sessions.

Then, there are not a thousand ways to bring a child into the world: the delivery will take place vaginally or by cesarean section.

During a vaginal delivery, labor begins spontaneously, the body knows how to do it. In general, childbirth takes place in three main stages :

Dilation of the cervix: these are the first contractions that will help open the cervix, which little by little, over the course of the contractions, will reach about 10 cm in diameter. This phase can last several hours.

The birth of the baby (or expulsion): it's time to push! The baby's head is already well engaged and it arrives slowly. Once the head is out, the rest of its little body follows quickly. Often, in about thirty minutes, the baby is born!

Delivery: Right after birth, contractions start again to detach and evacuate the placenta. It will take a little pushing to expel it but it is usually quite quick.

After a quick examination, you will be able to take your baby in your arms, skin to skin, to finally get to know him.

A common operation (about 20% of births), a cesarean section is a surgery to remove the baby from the mother's womb without going through the natural channels. It is a bit daunting but sometimes necessary so that the mother and baby are healthy.

A cesarean section can be scheduled in advance, for example if the baby is considered a little too big, if the mother is experiencing a high-risk pregnancy or if the baby is poorly positioned. It can also be performed as an emergency, after the start of labor, if the delivery is going badly, if it is premature or if the baby is showing signs of fetal distress.

Even though in more than 95% of cases, childbirth goes smoothly, several complications can arise ... and the list is long.

These complications can affect both the baby and the mother. For example, it can be a change in the baby's heart rate during the first stage of labor, a misplaced cord, or anoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (AIS), which involves a lack of oxygen to the baby's brain. A neonatal infection can also occur right after birth due to an abnormal placenta or amniotic fluid, a labor that is too long, etc.

For the mother, the main risk is infection, so-called postpartum hemorrhage, or the onset of high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia.

Rest assured, however. All these complications are rare and generally well managed by healthcare staff.

After giving birth, you enter a new stage: the postpartum period . There is no ready-made definition of the postpartum period, since it is different for everyone. It is often defined as the period following childbirth, but in reality, it is much more complex than that. While doctors commonly agree that it only lasts 4 weeks, or the State about ten weeks, according to midwife Anna Roy, it would rather last 3 years.

Because postpartum is about recovering from childbirth, loving a body that is often different, learning to become a parent, redefining your relationship, understanding new emotions. Doubting, trying, making mistakes, being very sad or very happy... Because between pregnancy, childbirth, and discovering the job of parents, it is normal that it takes a little time to find and regain your bearings.