Medical staff on hand during the birth to make you as comfortable as possible, you may be put on a drip into your hand or arm when you arrive. As well as the pain relief you chose in your birth plan, if it is a long labour, they may inject you with glucose to hydrate and avoid hypoglycaemia, calcium, magnesium to avoid muscle cramps, tranquillisers if you are distressed or anxious, hormones to help your cervix dilate and medication to stabilise your blood pressure.
Many of us want as natural a labour as possible, but if you decide that when it comes to the crunch you want all the drugs they have, you can change your birth plan and let them know. Don’t be afraid of all the different drips and injections, remember that it’s normal and the medical staff around you are all trained professionals who go through this every day. It all helps make the birth easier and is an extra source of security for you and your baby.
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