As you move closer to your due date, birth and delivery services are likely to become a central focus. The team of women’s health specialists at NY Midtown OB/GYN, serving midtown Manhattan in New York City and the town of Mamaroneck in Westchester County, New York, work closely with expectant mothers to provide the support and advice needed to make birth and delivery as easy as possible. When you’re ready to learn more, call or click to set up a consultation.
Perhaps the best answer to this question is to simply expect the unexpected. Labor and delivery is an incredibly dynamic process, and things can change in an instant.
In general, expect to enter labor as you near your due date. Your prenatal care visits become more frequent during this time.
Once you feel consistent contractions, you’ve probably entered the early stage of labor. As your contractions become more frequent, your cervix begins to open and soften. You might notice a gush of pink or clear fluid.
In general, labor is longer during your initial childbirth experience than for subsequent births. During the active labor stage of vaginal delivery, the discomfort usually intensifies as your contractions become closer together and more pronounced.
Your obstetrician lets you know when it’s time to begin pushing and when to take breaks. This part of the process is unpredictable, so be ready to follow your doctor’s guidance as you welcome your little one into the world.
A cesarean delivery is a bit different. If you need to deliver surgically, your obstetrician lets you know what to expect regarding the timing and procedure.
A birth plan is a set of conditions you’d like to experience during birth and delivery.
Some of the things you might cover in your birth plan include:
It’s great to have a plan, but remember there is no guarantee of how things might progress once you go into labor.
NY Midtown OB/GYN provides outstanding preconception care to help you prepare both physically and mentally for the challenges of pregnancy and childbirth. Your practitioner can answer questions even before you conceive.
Most women wait until after their first trimester to begin learning more about birth and delivery. There is always time built into prenatal visits to ask questions and explore options.
When you’re ready to book a visit, online and phone options make it easy to connect with NY Midtown OB/GYN.