The Onset of Labor
An exact date for giving birth cannot be pinpointed (unless it is to be by cesarean section). The doctor can only give an approximation, usually a two-week period. Thus, to know that the time for giving birth has come, a pregnant woman must watch out for any of the following signs:
- Blood-stained mucus which is discharged from the vagina
- Typical labor pain, which begins as a cramp-like discomfort, then intensifies and peaks before fading away. The pain starts at the lower back then goes to the front after several hours. Each wave is accompanied by a rhythmic contraction of the uterus.
At the start of labor, the pains are relatively mild, short, and spaced far apart. The intensity, duration and frequency increase as the moment of delivery draws near. There is such a thing as Braxton Hicks’ contractions, or false labor, but this is not hard to distinguish from true labor. Womb contractions in false labor are irregular. They do not intensify and go away after a while
Childbirth
Labor is divided into three stages, starting from the time the cervix begins to stretch and continuing after the baby is born, until the placenta is expelled. It normally lasts from 6 to 16 hours.
Dilation
Regular and rhythmic womb contractions force the baby downward against the cervix, causing it to gradually stretch (dilate). Dilation may take 3-12 hours or more, stopping when the cervical opening is approximately 10 cm, wide enough to let baby through. As soon as the labor begins:
- Stop eating, as well as drinking large amounts of water. Take only small sips of water if thirsty.
- Walk. Lie down only if the pain becomes too severe. Do breathing exercises to ease the pain.
- Relax in between contractions
Expulsion
At this point, the contractions become stronger and more frequent. The woman is told to bear down with each contraction to help push the baby out. Birth expulsion occurs from a few minutes to an hour or so after the cervix is fully dilated, and the intense pain stops.
The afterbirth
Within ten minutes after childbirth, the placenta (afterbirth) is likewise expelled. Mild contractions continue for a time, while the uterus slowly shrinks back to its normal size. Massage done by the doctor or a nurse helps the shrinking and minimizes bleeding.
Assisted Childbirth
In some cases, medical intervention plays an important role in childbirth, particularly in difficult cases.
Episiotomy
An incision made in the perineum (tissue between the vagina and the anus) when there is a danger of the perineum tearing during childbirth. Because of their jagged edges, tears heal more slowly than neat cuts. The tissues are sewn back together after delivery or some elect to do a cesarean.
Forceps delivery
During a difficult childbirth (eg, when the mother is too tired or weak to continue bearing down or in cases of fetal distress), forceps may be needed to ease the baby out. The forceps are clamped on the baby’s head to support and guide it through.
Vacuum delivery
A vacuum is applied to the baby’s head to facilitate delivery
Breech delivery
The baby is born bottom-first instead of head-first. Delivery is not smooth, and therefore, difficult, often needing an episiotomy and forceps to control the baby’s head.
Transverse lie
When a baby lies crosswise in the womb at childbirth, the doctor has to move him to the normal position or, if not possible, at least to a breech position to facilitate delivery.
Cesarean section
If for any reason vaginal delivery is not possible, the doctor performs a cesarean section – the surgical delivery of a baby through the abdomen.
After Delivery
A short time after the ordeal of giving birth, the doctor will urge the mother to get up on her feet and move about slowly. Walking will speed up her recovery. If she had decided on breastfeeding, the time to begin would be just about now. The nurse can guide her on the proper way of breastfeeding. The mother will experience little discomfort for some time after childbirth, as her body gradually goes back to its pre-pregnant size and functions.
Mild Pain
While the womb returns to its original size, she will feel something similar to menstrual pain. If a cut had been made to help ease the baby out (episiotomy), the wound will hurt a bit and cause a burning sensation when urinating. Heat lamps, ice or anesthetic sprays can ease the pain.
Urination problems
The urinary bladder may take a couple of days to get back in shape. Until then, she may have a difficulty in passing urine.
Constipation
As soon as he begins to move about and eat sufficient fiber, the difficulty in passing stool will go away.
Hygiene
If an episiotomy was done, she must diligently clean the wound to prevent infection. Showering is highly recommended – the sooner, the better – to wash away the sweat of labor. But postpartum discomforts are relatively minor sidelights to the main event: the birth of your child. Yes, the baby has finally come out to begin the very pleasant task of delighting his or her parents.
amzn_assoc_placement = “adunit0”;
amzn_assoc_search_bar = “true”;
amzn_assoc_tracking_id = “mommunwi-20”;
amzn_assoc_ad_mode = “manual”;
amzn_assoc_ad_type = “smart”;
amzn_assoc_marketplace = “amazon”;
amzn_assoc_region = “US”;
amzn_assoc_title = “My Amazon Picks”;
amzn_assoc_textlinks = “141652472X,0761152768,1465415904,B01BJX14HO,1400321077,081186989X,0761133267,0452296854,1462112684,0399166262,0761148574,1561487171,1594745730,1623363012,0307336182,1465415904,141652472X,1400321077”;
amzn_assoc_linkid = “40174cc15012aad5c279e445c94145c2”;
amzn_assoc_asins = “0761148574,1561487171,1594745730,1623363012,0307336182,1465415904,141652472X,1400321077”;
