Preparing for Baby: Must Know Tips for a Smooth Labor and Delivery Part 2

By Sabah Chaudhry

Part 1

Bismillah

Many expectant Muslim couples are looking for advice and any form of help on their journey into parenthood.  But before the baby is born, it is important for the parents to be prepared and know what to expect when mom enters the delivery room and begins to go through the stages of labor and delivery.  Part 2, a continuation of Preparing for Baby: Must Know Tips for a Smooth Labor and Delivery Part 1 will address the emotional well-being of soon-to-be moms.

It is very important to stay positive throughout this long and challenging process. As Muslims we are taught to remain content and accept whatever situation Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) places us in. Many parents have a plan and want the labor and delivery to go a specific way, but events don’t always transpire as we desire. Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’ala) tells us, “Whatever Allah grants to people of mercy – none can withhold it; and whatever He withholds – none can release it thereafter. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” (35:2). We must accept everything as planned; as long as mother and baby are healthy in the end, that is most important.  Do not forget to express gratitude to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) for bestowing you with this new precious gift and for placing His Protection over you and your growing family. 

With all this said, it is important to remain flexible because many times your birth plan cannot be guaranteed. The baby may require further help than expected during the delivery.  In the words of my candid midwife who told me at one of my first prenatal appointments, “You are telling me now that you do not want an epidural yet you might not be the same lady who walks through the delivery room door a few months later in extreme pain begging for it.” I never thought about it that way but I understand her perspective now. Right now, we think we know our bodies and we feel we can control what is to come. But the outcome can always take a 180 degree turn and be completely not as we desire. We must be prepared for that and trust in Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) and that everything will happen in the best interest of you and your baby. 

There are many duas that we can say for protection from pain and difficulty. They can be found at www.makedua.com or in the dua book “Fortification of the Muslim (Hisnul Muslim)” compiled by Sa’eed ibn Ali ibn Wahf al Qahtaani. Here you can also find specific duas for protection of children. When my first child was born, I did not realize the sudden emotions that emerge from your heart out of extreme love, care, and fear of something bad happening to him/her. My husband and I tried our best to learn these duas for protection for children and we would recite them over our child every night. This sensation of extreme love, care, and concern for your child is a beautiful feeling that one cannot truly understand until he or she becomes a parent. May Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) grant us the wisdom, intelligence, and patience to raise our children with iman and taqwa in their hearts and raise them to be righteous, confident Muslim individuals in today’s society. Aameen. 

 

References:

1. Top 7 mom-tested tips for birth and beyond, Evonne Lack http://www.babycenter.com/0_top-7-mom-tested-tips-for-birth-and-beyond_10338348.bc

2. 10 smart ways to prepare for your baby’s birth, Evonne Lack http://www.babycenter.com/0_10-smart-ways-to-prepare-for-your-babys-birth_10328975.bc

3. Take it from the Labor Nurse, Jeanne Faulkner, R.N., http://www.fitpregnancy.com/labor-delivery/labor-delivery/take-it-labor-nurse

4. Epidural - Medication is delivered through a catheter – a very thin, flexible, hollow tube – that's inserted into the epidural space just outside the membrane that surrounds your spine. An epidural is the most commonly used method of pain relief for labor in the United States. Epidural pain relief for labor, BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board http://www.babycenter.com/0_epidural-pain-relief-for-labor_1489911.bc

Please let me know your thoughts and advice on what to expect during delivery!

Posted in: baby,Pregnancy,preparation,Sabah Chaudhry