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Birth and Hospital Guide

1. Yes, get the epidural. It took several tries to get the epidural in correctly but once it was in it was a great relief. My husband said after the epidural it was like a really nice “date” for the two of us. We took a nap, talked and watch some TV together. Maybe the best quality time we’ve had together since the birth of our first child. Be warned you will have to get a catheter to prevent you from peeing all over yourself. Also, getting an epidural doesn’t mean you will be pain-free. It only helps dull the pain.
2. Pushing. When its time to push pretend like you are taking an enormous poop. Sounds gross but that is essentially what you need to do AND most likely in addition to giving birth to a beautiful baby you may also give birth to a small poopy. Birth isn’t exactly as beautiful as everyone claims.
3. There are several things that will go on after the baby comes out. While the baby is getting cleaned up and measured you will be giving birth to placenta and your doctor will be stitching you up. This is probably a good segment to talk about a few things you can do to help with the impending damage that will occur to your vajayjay.
   1. Kegle exercises. These are important before and after you have the baby.
   2. Perineum massage. You can do this starting 6 weeks before baby is due and can also request that the doctor administer during birth. Essentially the doctor will massage the vaginal opening while you are pushing to help relax the muscle and help the skin stretch naturally. I did this with both kids and had very little damage with the first and no stitches for the second.
4. To tear or an episiotomy neither choice is appealing. I always talked with my doctors prior to birth to let them know my preference in regards to how I would like my vaginal birth to go. My feelings are that I would rather tear naturally than to have a doctor prematurely cut me but this is something that everyone has an opinion on so I would suggest doing some research, talk it over with your doctor and decide before you go to the hospital what you’d like to do.
5. Keep on ice pack on your vajayjay for the first 24 hours after birth.
6. If needed ask for some sort of numbing spray for your vajayjay region. Yes, it exists.
7. Use a bottle of warm water to spray on your vajayjay when you are using the toilet. These make things a little less painful and it helps reduce the risk of infection.
8. Allow the nursing staff to take the baby to allow you to rest. YOU NEED YOUR REST.
9. Take the pain killers offered
10. Take the laxatives offered
11. Use the lactation specialist. They are very helpful!
12. The hospital will probably put you in a nursing gown. If possible, snag it for use at home. It is ugly BUT it does the job.
13. You will bleed heavily for almost 2 weeks. Plan accordingly.
14. Ask the nursing staff to show you how to use the bulb syringe “booger sucker outer”. The baby will be congested for the first few days and this is helpful.
15. If you plan to do a circumcision on baby ask to do this before you go home.

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