Childbirth - vaginal delivery Q&As
Published by Bupa's health information team, August 2008.
Answers to questions about childbirth - vaginal delivery
This section contains answers to common questions about this topic. Questions have been suggested by health professionals, website feedback and requests via email.
- Can I have a drink or something to eat while I'm in labour?
- Are Braxton Hicks contractions the same as the contractions that I will have during labour?
- Can I give birth at home?
- Are there any benefits to using water during labour?
- What will happen if I'm having twins or triplets?
- Is complementary therapy helpful for pain relief during labour?
Can I have a drink or something to eat while I'm in labour?
Yes, although you may not feel like eating anything once you are in active labour. It's a good idea to try to drink some water or other fluids as you will probably sweat a lot during the birth.
Explanation
In the past, women were usually advised not to eat during labour in case there was a serious problem later on and they needed to have a general anaesthetic. This doesn't often happen now, but if you are at a high risk of complications and there is a chance you will need a general anaesthetic, you probably won't be able to eat anything.
Unless you are advised not to, eating something in the early stages of labour may be helpful because you will use up a lot of energy giving birth to your baby. It may help to have complex carbohydrates such as cereal, bread or a banana as these release energy slowly over a longer period of time.
You are likely to feel thirsty during labour. If you can, it's best to drink water, or water with fruit juice or squash diluted in it. Sugary, fizzy drinks may make you feel sick.
Sources
- Oats J, Abraham S. Fundamentals of obstetrics and gynaecology. 8th ed. Elsevier Mosby, 2005
- Greer I. Pregnancy. The Inside Guide. 1st ed. Collins: London, 2003
- Eating and drinking during labour (referenced). BabyCentre. www.babycentre.co.uk, accessed 12 November 2007
Are Braxton Hicks contractions the same as the contractions that I will have during labour?
No, Braxton Hicks contractions are different from the contractions that result in the birth of your baby.
Explanation
Around the middle of pregnancy, you will probably notice your womb tensing and then relaxing after about half a minute. These are Braxton Hicks contractions, also known as practice contractions. As pregnancy progresses, you are likely to feel them more often and they will get stronger.
Braxton Hicks contractions are different from the contractions that occur during labour, which are more powerful and come at regular intervals. Braxton Hicks contractions are irregular and you probably won't find them as painful although they may be uncomfortable.
Sources
- Braxton Hicks contractions. National Childbirth Trust. www.nct.org.uk, accessed 12 November 2007
- Greer I. Pregnancy. The Inside Guide. 1st ed. Collins: London, 2003
Can I give birth at home?
Yes, there is evidence to show that for women who have a low risk of developing problems during labour, once they understand the risks and benefits, they should be able to choose to give birth at home.
Explanation
During pregnancy, you will need to think about where you want to give birth to your baby. There are several options and one of these includes having a home birth. You may decide that you would prefer to give birth to your baby at home rather than in a hospital because you will feel more relaxed in familiar surroundings. There is also evidence to show that women who have a planned home birth are less likely to use medicines for pain relief or to need an assisted delivery. It also appears that women who plan to give birth at home are likely to have less intervention than those who give birth in hospital.
However, there may be reasons why it's best for you to have your baby in hospital, including:
- if you have a condition such as diabetes or epilepsy
- if you are expecting twins (or more)
- if you have had complications during pregnancy
It's important to remember that you won't be able to have an epidural if you choose to give birth at home. It will also take longer to get emergency care for you or your baby if problems develop during labour.
There are a number of other places where you can choose to give birth, such as birth centres that are run by midwives. Your midwife or doctor will be able to give you more information about your options for the place of birth. You can change your mind at any time about where you wish to give birth.
Sources
- Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Midwives. Home births. Joint statement no.2, April 2007. www.rcm.org.uk, accessed 12 November 2007
- Intrapartum care. Care of healthy women and their babies during childbirth. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), 2007. www.nice.org.uk, accessed 4 February 2008
- McGrail A, Metland D. Expecting. Everything you need to know about pregnancy, labour and birth. 1st ed. Virago: London, 2004
Are there any benefits to using water during labour?
Yes, there is evidence to show that being in water during labour may reduce your need for pain relief medicines and may make your contractions less painful. It may also reduce the need for labour to be speeded up.
Explanation
You may find water helpful as a method of pain relief. There is evidence that being immersed in water during the first stage of labour may help you to feel more relaxed and this could mean you need less medicine for pain relief. All midwives should receive training so that they are able to care for you if you wish to use water during labour.
It's possible that you may wish to give birth to your baby while you are in water. You should speak to your midwife or doctor for more information as there is a lack of evidence to show whether or not there are any increased risks to you or your baby if you choose to do this.
Some hospitals and birth centres have birthing pools. It's also possible to hire birthing pools to use at home.
Sources
- Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Midwives. Immersion in water during labour and birth. Joint statement no.1, April 2006. www.rcog.org.uk, accessed 12 November 2007
- Cluett E R, Nikodem VC, McCandlish RE, Burns EE. Immersion in water in pregnancy, labour and birth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 1997, Issue 3. Art. No: CD000111.pub2
- Cluett E, Pickering R, Getliffe K, Saunders N. Randomised controlled trial of labouring in water compared with standard of augmentation for management of dystocia in first stage of labour. BMJ 2004; 328:314. www.bmj.com
What will happen if I'm having twins or triplets?
You will receive more monitoring during pregnancy and labour if you are expecting twins or triplets. This is because there is an increased risk of problems.
Explanation
If you are pregnant with twins, triplets or even quadruplets, this is called a multiple pregnancy. About one in every 80 to 90 women who gets pregnant naturally will have twins. Women who become pregnant after in vitro fertilisation treatment have a one in four chance of having twins or triplets.
While you are pregnant, you will need more care than women expecting only one baby as there is a greater chance of you developing problems such as bleeding during pregnancy and anaemia - this is a condition when you have too few red blood cells or not enough haemoglobin in your blood. There is also an increased chance that you will go into premature labour (before 37 weeks).
If you are pregnant with triplets or quadruplets, you will usually need to have them delivered by caesarean. If you are expecting twins, you are more likely to need a caesarean delivery than if you were pregnant with one baby. However, it's often possible for at least one if not both of your twins to be born vaginally. If the first twin has its head pointing downwards, then it's likely that normal labour and birth can go ahead. After the first baby is born, you may stop having contractions. If they don't start again, you will probably be given oxytocin to encourage your womb to start contracting. Your midwife or doctor will examine you to see which way your second baby is pointing. He or she may try to turn the baby if it's not pointing head first or you may have to have a caesarean.
Because your womb has been stretched more by holding twins, you are at a greater risk of heavy bleeding after your babies have been born. Therefore, you will probably be advised to have an actively managed third stage of labour.
Sources
- Greer I. Pregnancy. The Inside Guide. 1st ed. Collins: London, 2003
- Oats J, Abraham S. Fundamentals of obstetrics and gynaecology. 8th ed. Elsevier Mosby, 2005
- FAQs - multiple births consultation. Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. www.hfea.gov.uk, accessed 8 January 2008
Is complementary therapy helpful for pain relief during labour?
It's possible that you will find complementary therapies such as aromatherapy or acupuncture helpful during labour. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence to show whether or not they are really effective.
Explanation
Many women give birth with little use of medicines for pain relief. Aromatherapy massage and other complementary therapies may help you to relax and reduce your anxiety, and therefore you may find you need less pain relief medicine during labour.
There is some evidence that acupuncture may also reduce the need for you to have an epidural. However, more research is needed before it can be said that acupuncture actually reduces pain or if it just increases relaxation. Hypnotherapy may also be helpful for managing pain during labour and reducing your need for pain relief medicines.
It's important to speak to your midwife or doctor before trying any complementary therapy. If you do decide to use a complementary therapy, make sure that you only go to a registered practitioner.
Sources
- Greer I. Pregnancy. The Inside Guide. 1st ed. Collins: London, 2003
- Smith CA, Collins CT, Cyna AM, Crowther CA. Complementary and alternative therapies for pain management in labour. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2003, Issue 2. Art. No: CD003521.pub2
Related topics
This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Dr Helen Fox MBChB, Clinical Research Fellow in the Department of Reproductive and Maternal Medicine, University of Glasgow, and by Bupa doctors. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.
Publication date: August 2008
Giving birth vaginally factsheet
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