INTELLIGENT PARENTING This covers a much overlooked part of pregnancy, viz parenting during pregnancy ... yes, parenting begins during pregnancy and you will find some interesting ideas here on getting a headstart with parenting.

Labor and Delivery

Third Stage of Labor

This is the stage of recuperation. Your baby is with you and finally you are relieved and tired at this moment you go through a surge of emotions which is again a play of nature to release all those hormones within you to help now in the expulsion of placenta.

It is a very natural phenomena and may take from 10 minutes to 30 minutes but you now have to concentrate on your baby because for a long time to come, this is the most active phase of your baby where all her senses are alert and she is perceiving the world for the first time.

Try to take her to your breast speaking softly to her and the bond formed now will leave a permanent impression on your brains.

It is an extreme experience, so intense, so godly and so magnificient, that you must take all efforts to enjoy it. Placenta is a much smaller structure than your baby and most of the times, it is easily pushed out.

• Be aware of what type of pain will be there and what are the stages you will go through. Look into yourself and feel the awareness of what are most scared of at this time.
  
• What is causing you more discomfort and what makes you sweat.
  
• Face your fears on its face and brace up to fight it out. It is amazing how your fear will vanish with this. Fear is also supposed to reduce the threshold of labor pains and so there will be physiological response of the body too to make the experience pain free.
  
• Learn a few breathing exercises, your best friend and guide throughout the labor. Inhalation nourishes you and your baby and exhalation detoxifies you and your baby.
  
• A simple exercise will be to lie down on your back or on your side, whatever is the most comfortable position for you -

• Have someone with you to hold your hand, caress you and hug you. Being loved is a basic instinct of even the lowest forms of life and it is the most powerful tool of endurance. A simple loving touch at the height of contraction and immediately release a surge of hormones to relieve you.
  
• Light massage, counter pressure on the lower back and stroking of the back can also take you through this journey with ease.
  
• Diffuse the aromas that you have been using till now to relax and soothe you.
  
• Be light on your diet but take in energy rich, low volume stuff during the early phase of labor.
  
• You can take in small sips of water, rice cubes or electrolytes and fruit juices to keep you well hydrated and rejuvenated.
  
• Tell your partner or whoever is with you to regularly wipe your face with cold water to soothe you.
  
• You can keep the music on, soothing slow music.
  
• Immersing your self in warm water or shower can help you relax.

The entire birthing process is immense intelligence at work. No science can mimic, and it cannot fail. Honour this and enjoy being the part of this conspiracy that nature plays to propagate itself … you are wanted in this world for something much more bigger than what you are immersed in everyday.

BIRTHING YOUR BABY

This is the moment for which you have been waiting all these 9 months. Till now he was cocooned in your womb.
So when he is coming out, try to keep the lights turned down low, keep the room warm, let there be a soft music playing and a diffuse delicious aroma swirling in the room.

When your baby is out, keep him on your belly, take him in our arms, cuddle him and talk softly to him. He will feel as safe as he was inside.

HOW TO GO THROUGH THE REAL PHASES OF LABOR?

1. First Stage of Labor
2. Second Stage of Labor