Childbirth is a joyous occasion. Millions of babies are born every year, yet we still rejoice over the birth of one single baby.

Today the majority of births take place in hospitals. The reason for this is because all the necessary facilities are available at the hospital. If an emergency arises everything is on hand to give the best possible care both to the mother and her baby.

The mother’s stay in hospital varies but most mothers’ want to get home as quickly as possible.

A few days or so before the expected time of your delivery, pack a bag with everything you need to take to the hospital. Place it in a prominent position so that when you go into labour the bag will be ready to take to the hospital with you. You will need underwear, bed clothes and all your toiletries. Bring some reading material as well.

Remember there will be two of you when you leave the hospital so pack a bag for the baby too. It’s not necessary to take it to the hospital with you as you can ask your husband or partner to bring it in when you have been discharged from the hospital.

Now you are full term and waiting anxiously for the baby to arrive. The baby after it seems has been kicking you for ever settles down within your womb a few days before labour begins. This is what is known as LIGHTENING. It is caused by the child’s head moving into the first part of the birth canal.

As your due date approaches, you will notice an increasing number of contractions—a tightening and then a relaxing of the muscles of the uterus. Sometimes these irregular contractions are hard to distinguish from actual labour. But once you go into labour you will know your time has arrived.  When the contractions begin they may come at fifteen minutes apart, then at ten minutes and so forth. The contractions become more intense as the child’s head pushes further into the birth canal.

There is no need to panic when the contractions begin but phone your doctor and let him know what is going on. He will advice you when it is time to go to the hospital.

Once you are in labour you will expel a mass of mucus tinged perhaps with blood from the vagina. Don’t be alarmed as this is normal as the cervix of your uterus has begun to stretch so as to make way for the passage of the baby’s head.

Next what is commonly known as your waters breaking will happen. This means that the membranes surrounding the baby have broken allowing the escape of part of the amniotic fluid.

It is best not to eat any solid food after labour starts as any undigested food could interfere with the process of childbirth. It is best to stick to fluids like water and juice.

First babies usually take much longer to arrive. Some women are in labour for hours whilst others take much less time. You can never really predict how long you will be in labour for.

Once you are booked into hospital and are ready to give birth certain procedures are carried out.

Firstly you will be given an enema. The reason for this is to remove any faeces from the colon and in the rectum. These organs are contained in the pelvis, so the cleansing makes it easier for the child’s head and body to pass through the birth canal. If the faeces were not removed, it would come out during delivery from the pushing. This area must be kept as sterile as possible. The pubic hair is also shaven and this is for the prevention of any contamination by germs.

There are three stages of labour that you will undergo. During the first stage the cervix and the vagina will stretch sufficiently to form the birth canal. With every contraction the fetus is forced a little further down into the birth canal.

The second stage consists of the expulsion of the baby. Usually the child’s head is the first part of the body that pushes through the birth canal. Then once the head comes out the shoulders appear then the rest of the baby follows.

The third stage is the expulsion of the placenta and other tissues. These pass more easily through the birth canal than did the head and shoulders of the baby. This is what will be considered as a normal birth.