If you are expecting your first child, you may not really know what to expect inside the delivery room. Nevertheless, no mother would want to have any kind of trouble during labor. While the mother must not be paranoid about everything going wrong inside the delivery room, it is best to keep yourself educated about the possibilities, so that you are mentally prepared. 

This will only make you apt at handling unexpected situations with ease. Not all deliveries are same and there are numerous troubles that could make things go haywire. Some of the common troubles during childbirth are :

Shoulder Dystocia: It's a condition when the baby’s head has been born, but one of the shoulders gets stuck inside the womb, behind the pelvic bone of the mother. This condition can occur in large infants particularly, and has to be dealt with immediately. The baby’s lungs remain compressed and the baby has to be taken out as soon as possible so that breathing resumes. It can cause vaginal tears to the mother or postpartum hemorrhage too. The baby may be born with brain damage or a broken clavicle if the condition is not dealt with the right way. The obstetrician may conduct an episiotomy, reposition the mother to make more room for the baby, or push the baby back inside the birth canal to free the baby’s shoulders.

Breech: This is a condition when the baby is not in the normal position inside the womb, and will be born feet first, instead of head. It is not a rare condition, and can be handled by the obstetrician. A procedure known as external version is performed to turn the baby around by applying external pressure on the uterus.

Foetal distress: Sometimes, if the baby’s heart rate becomes irregular or slows down inside the womb, the doctor may take precautionary measures to make sure that the baby is delivered safely. If the heart rate starts fluctuating due to lack of oxygen, use of surgical instruments or C-section becomes necessary.

Meconium staining: If the baby passes the first excreta while still in the womb, there are chances that the baby might inhale the meconium and suffer from pneumonia. To prevent this, mothers in labor are monitored very closely to ensure the baby is getting enough oxygen. At the time of delivery, the doctor must suction out as much meconium as possible, to eliminate the risks of pneumonia.

Postpartum hemorrhage: In this condition, large amount of blood is lost at the time of delivery. The uterus is unable to contract to such an extent to stop bleeding or to deliver the placenta fully. If the condition is not under control, surgery may be recommended to remove placental pieces, and inserting medical sponges to stop the bleeding.

Infection: Infection of the uterus and amniotic sac can cause complications in the delivery process. Such infections are possible after the delivery as well. One infection can spur many other infections as well, therefore it is recommended to have prenatal tests taken regularly, and ensure the mother has her dose of intravenous antibiotics to keep away from such infections.

Now that the possibilities have been discussed, it is best to understand each of these scenarios and maintain you’re cool. Have a good understanding with your doctor through open communication. If you have any issues, apprehensions or health-related problems like diabetes, or pre-eclampsia, it is best to let the doctor know.