It is exciting to mothers when they approach the end of pregnancy.  All of antenatal care by the mother herself, her family and healthcare providers prepare the childbirth process itself.

Many mothers want advice how best to deliver the baby.  It is appropriate to view natural birth as the default and most recommended way to welcome the baby, unless there is a reason against it.   Caesarean section is an operation which carries risks.  It cannot be taken lightly, and should be adopted only when there is a good reason after adequate counselling.  It is however very important to all mothers that it is not a failure even if the baby needs operative delivery.

There is pain, but we have good ways to relieve labour pain.  In fact, both of my children were born under good pain relief this way.  They have both finished university education and are responsible members of society.

Some ladies think that it is embarrassing to have internal examination.  Firstly, delivery suite staffs are all professionals and they conduct examination with utmost care.  Secondly, it is honorable to deliver our child via the path designed by God.

Some mothers are uncomfortable with the uncertainty related to start of labour, and they want things ‘well planned’.  In fact, the norm with babies is such that they usually take us by surprise.  They may later forget to alert us of need to attend parents’ day, ask for favours in our surprise.  I usually advise parents that the fun and certainty with children raising is the uncertainty. So we may ‘plan’ that labour starts around term, and get ourselves ready any time from a month before the due day.  There are ways that the body tells us the beginning of labour.

There may be need for an instrumental delivery using the ventouse or forceps.  Often parents chase after their obstetricians to understand the risks of instrumental delivery.  I would appeal to all parents that we take a positive approach in the same way that we teach our children.  Before we look at risks and disadvantages, we have to understand that these instruments are designed to help the mother and the baby, but not to harm them.  Any work involves both the ADVANTAGES and risks.  Parents and doctors have to balance benefits and down-sides.