Fun fact: Not everybody is 10cm when they’re ready to push! But, you will know when you are ready.
Some women become more than 10cm dilated, and some are less! And hospitals rely heavily on vaginal exams to assess labor so everyone needs to know that not everyone even gets to 10cm!
Our bodies are smart. The number of centimeters your cervix opens up is entirely dependent on the size of your baby’s head. It’s their head that’s putting the pressure on your cervix to open just enough for their head to pass through.
If you instinctively want to push, you should push, even if somebody says you are not 10cm and “it is not time yet.” They are wrong. If your body wants you to push, then follow your instincts.
Trust Your Instincts Instead of Relying on 10cm
Healthcare professionals need to stop telling mothers not to listen to their instincts. These experiences follow into your emergence to motherhood. The things people tell you in labor and childbirth and the way you are treated will stick with you.
Professionals who go against mothers’ instincts and tell them they are wrong are a considerable part of women not trusting their instincts.
The mother knows her body the best and her baby the best. When professionals tell her she’s wrong, she loses trust in her instincts. When professionals listen and trust women with their own bodies, she will only become more in tune and connected to her instincts, making them more and more accurate in the absence of doubt from the medicalized birth industry.
Childbirth moving to hospitals was made to take power from women and from wise midwives to make money and ensure women were reproducing successfully. However, when childbirth moved into the hospital, this worsened birth outcomes compared to what they were at home [1].
“What if I want an epidural?”
If you desire an epidural, I highly recommend looking into a ‘walking epidural’, which is a low dose so that you’re relieved from your contraction pain, but you can still move your legs and feel the urge to push. When I had a walking epidural, I only felt a few minutes of painful contractions when the pushing phase started. I am so so glad I was able to push successfully by following my instincts.
Your body knows what to do, mama. You are encouraged, educated, and empowered.
Source:
[1] Rooks, J. (1997). Midwifery and Childbirth in America. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 29-32.
DISCLAIMER: This post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding you or your baby’s health. Please read my Medical Disclaimer for more info
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