Normal delivery and painless delivery in Kolkata
Most women can and do deliver normally. Dr. Brahma's approach is to support a normal birth wherever it is safe, offer real pain relief, and recommend a caesarean only when it is the safer choice for mother or baby, explaining why.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Debalina Brahma, MBBS, DGO, DRCOG, DFFP (London)Updated 21 October 2026
How labour works
- Early labour: irregular tightenings, the cervix softens and starts to open. Often best spent at home, walking and resting.
- Active labour: regular, strong contractions every 3–5 minutes; the cervix opens from about 5 to 10 cm. Time to come to hospital.
- Pushing: the baby moves down and is born. From minutes to about two hours for a first baby.
- The placenta is delivered, usually within 30 minutes, helped by an injection that reduces bleeding.
Come to hospital if contractions are regular and strong, your waters break, you bleed, or the baby moves less.
Painless delivery with an epidural
An anaesthetist places a fine tube in the lower back, through which medicine numbs the pain of contractions while you stay awake and can still push.
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| It causes long-term back pain | Studies show no link with long-term backache. |
| It harms the baby | Very little medicine reaches the baby. |
| It always leads to a C-section | It does not increase the caesarean rate. |
| You can't push | The dose is adjusted so you can push effectively. |
Normal delivery after a caesarean (VBAC)
After one caesarean with a low transverse cut, about 60–75% of women who try for a normal birth succeed. It needs a hospital ready for an emergency caesarean and careful monitoring in labour, because of a small risk (about 1 in 200) of the scar opening. Dr. Brahma will go through your previous operation notes to see whether VBAC suits you.
When a caesarean is safer
- The placenta covering the cervix (placenta previa)
- Baby in breech or transverse position at term (when turning is not possible)
- Signs of distress in the baby, or labour that stops progressing
- Two or more previous caesareans
- Some twin pregnancies, severe pre-eclampsia, or other medical reasons
A caesarean is major surgery with a longer recovery. When it is needed, it is done carefully with your informed consent; when it is not needed, you will not be pushed into one.
Questions
When should I get an epidural?
Usually once labour is established and the pain is strong, often at around 4–5 cm. You can ask for it at any point; the anaesthetist will tell you if it is too late.
Is normal delivery possible with a big baby?
Often, yes. Scans can over- or under-estimate weight. A very large baby, especially with diabetes, may make a caesarean the safer choice, which is discussed in advance.
How long is the hospital stay?
Usually one to two days after a normal delivery and three to four days after a caesarean.