First stage of labor
Stage I – the longest – dilation of the cervix. During this period, the cervix softens, straightens and dilates to 10-12 cm. The average duration is: for primiparous women 11-12 hours, for multiparous women 7-8 hours. In the case of rapid labor, this period can be reduced to 4-6 in primiparous women, and 2-4 in multiparous women.
If you have moved to the 2nd stage in a shorter time, then labor is called rapid , but this is not a very good option for both mother and child, because it is fraught with serious injuries to both (the child may receive head and spinal injuries, which will affect his entire life!). Therefore, be patient, try to relax and not start pushing, even if there is a strong desire, until your doctor allows you to do this, making sure that the cervix is sufficiently dilated.
It may also be the other way around: the first stage is delayed for a longer time. If this period exceeds 16-17 hours, the doctor may decide to induce labor or even a caesarean section. You need to understand that prolonged labor greatly exhausts a woman, leaving no strength for the 2nd stage of pushing. In addition, if the waters break at the very beginning of labor, there is a risk of infection of the baby, so the doctor may prescribe antibiotics.
Prolonged labor is also dangerous if the baby is entangled in the umbilical cord, because he begins to experience acute oxygen starvation, in which case the doctor decides to perform a cesarean section.
In turn, this stage is divided into two more parts: early (latent) and active labor. A woman may not notice early labor or confuse it with so-called training contractions, because these contractions begin painlessly, at large intervals. But at this moment the cervix is already beginning to soften, smooth out and expand. When contractions become stronger, more intense, longer and occur at shorter intervals, this means that you have entered active labor.
At this time, the cervix begins to dilate faster, preparing the way for the baby. This stage is also called “transition”. Let us note once again that at this stage it is very important to be able to relax and not start pushing until the cervix is fully dilated in order to avoid injury to both yourself and the baby. There are a number of exercises, including breathing ones, that will successfully help you cope with this. You will be told about them, for example, at courses for pregnant women, or ask your doctor about them in advance. Perhaps a massage or taking a warm shower will help you, and you can ask your partner to help you with this.
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Childbirth without fear and pain
The long-awaited moment comes - the baby asks to be born. If you have completed the 5 points outlined above, then you should not have any fear of the upcoming birth, no panic should arise. And all this because:
- you managed your pregnancy with a competent specialist whom you trust, went through all the examinations and know that everything is fine with you and the baby;
- you didn’t read or listen to negative stories about pregnancy and childbirth, you didn’t “wind up” yourself, and accordingly, at the moment you will think only positively;
- you took classes for pregnant women, learned how to give birth every day, so you know what is happening to you, how to manage it and how to ease your suffering from contractions;
- Perhaps you decided to take your husband or another trusted person with you to the birth, so you will feel supported throughout the entire process;
- you have chosen exactly the maternity hospital and the conditions of stay that suit you;
- you will give birth under the guidance and supervision of those specialists whom you have chosen yourself, whom you trust 100%, so you will not feel any fear for yourself or for your baby.
Based on all this, we can conclude that if you do a lot of work during 9 months of pregnancy, namely: register with a good specialist, study all the information about pregnancy and childbirth, study and check all the information about maternity hospitals and obstetricians-gynecologists your city, take courses for pregnant women, a good reward awaits you - childbirth without fear and pain!
Second stage of labor
Stage II is the actual birth of the child. This stage occurs after the cervix is fully dilated. The intervals between contractions will become a little longer, and the contractions themselves may become a little easier, giving you the opportunity to rest a little. At this time, the child is most likely already with his head in the lower part of the pelvis, and an instinctive desire to push appears, similar to pushing during defecation. During pushing, the uterus puts strong pressure on the baby and it moves along the birth canal. With each push, he moves according to the “two steps forward, one step back” pattern, which, during the normal course of labor, allows the birth canal to expand normally.
When the baby's scalp becomes visible, the urge to push becomes strongest, but the doctor may ask you to wait a little to give the perineum time to stretch and the baby to emerge without tearing. When the head appears completely, the doctor feels the neck for the presence of the umbilical cord and turns the baby to the side so that the shoulders can pass through more easily. There are literally a couple of minutes left until your baby's full appearance.
When it fully appears, doctors check its nose and neck for mucus, wipe it and place it on your stomach, covering it with a towel. The midwife will clamp the umbilical cord in two places and cut it, or have your partner do it. The average duration of this period is 45-60 minutes for primiparous women and 15-30 minutes for multiparous women. According to WHO recommendations, stimulation should be resorted to if this period lasts up to 2 hours in primiparous women or up to 1 hour in multiparous women.
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The first signs or how to recognize the onset of labor
For all first-time mothers, determining the onset of labor is a huge challenge. Many people go around with contractions for days on end, thinking that they have blown their back. Others, on the contrary, go to the maternity hospital as soon as they feel the slightest discomfort in the abdominal area, which is also not always pleasant. Therefore, everyone should know how to understand that labor has begun.
Doctors identify the following significant signs of the beginning of this process:
- Removal of the plug. This term refers to a dense clot of mucus that clogs the cervix. Its purpose is to prevent the penetration of microorganisms and bacteria from the vagina into the pregnant uterus. If your plug comes out, when will labor begin? The question is already rhetorical. Usually this is 1 - 3 days from now. However, do not forget that sometimes the plug comes off due to premature dilatation of the cervix in the early stages (up to 37 - 40 weeks). This requires an urgent visit to the hospital to stitch up the lumen and preserve the pregnancy.
Lower back pain. This is how contractions begin. This start of labor is especially often observed in primiparas, whose body goes through all this for the first time. The pain is nagging, then subsides, then starts again. At first, they do not have a clearly defined periodicity, so few people focus on them. But over time, the pain becomes noticeable. Please note that if there are clear intervals between contractions and relief (especially at 37–40 weeks), while periods without pain become shorter and contractions become longer, you should urgently go to the maternity hospital.- Mood swings. Many pregnant women do not control their emotions before the onset of labor: they laugh loudly, cry with or without reason. Yes, this behavior is often observed from 1 to 40 weeks of pregnancy, but during childbirth everything worsens and gets worse. Therefore, if your wife is about to give birth and suddenly bursts into tears on the street, it is worth checking to see if her back is aching.
Now you know exactly how labor begins. However, we should not forget that this process can be rapid. Therefore, many people immediately experience strong contractions. This means that you can’t hesitate (especially if it’s not your first birth, but your second or third) and you need to urgently go to the maternity hospital. After all, many have heard about how long rapid labor lasts; it is quite possible that in just an hour you will have a baby in your hands.
Third stage of labor
Stage III – birth of the placenta. As a rule, this is a process that takes several minutes, and mothers practically do not notice it, because... at this time they are already holding a small warm lump in their arms - their born baby. But let’s still study what happens at this stage. A few minutes after your baby is born, the uterus will begin to contract again, helping the placenta to separate from its walls. The obstetrician may ask you to push several times to force the placenta to come out.
These are completely painless and easy attempts. OK it's all over Now! You already, and maybe again, mom! To summarize our article, we can note that how long childbirth lasts depends on many factors, such as whether it is the first birth or a repeat one, heredity, the presence or absence of pathologies and many other factors.
But to a greater extent, their successful outcome depends on the positive attitude of the expectant mother herself, her ability to relax in a timely manner, listen carefully to the advice of her doctor and to her body. In any case, if labor has begun, then in no more than a day your baby will be born.
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What is an easy birth?
Studying the process of childbirth will help a woman overcome her fear of childbirth. In order to behave most correctly during childbirth, it is necessary to find out what stages this process consists of, how long each of them takes and other information about the birth of the baby. The concept of “easy childbirth” means the process of childbirth without the presence of medical intervention (anesthesia and other painkillers), which takes place over a certain period of time, brings a minimum of pain and ends with the birth of a healthy child. The most important desire of expectant mothers before childbirth is to reduce pain as much as possible, but it is worth considering that each woman’s pain threshold is individual. However, there are several rules, the implementation of which contributes to an easy birth.
What kind of birth there will be depends on you
I'm not good at writing long stories. And write in general. But I really want to share with you my impressions of a joyful event in my life. So…
I started preparing for motherhood and childbirth very early. Moreover, I did all the above actions purely intuitively. Nobody told me anything. When I was 15 years old (I’m now 26), I started doing gymnastics every day for 30 minutes.
Only now, after giving birth, do I understand how much it helped me, because some exercises make you work and train not only the external muscles, but also the internal ones, including the muscles of the uterus. Thanks to this preparation, I felt almost no pain during contractions (in general, I can bear pain very hard, I’m terribly afraid of injections and all kinds of IVs). Secondly, I developed such good abs that after giving birth my waist remained as thin as before! And practically no effort, just for several years, while watching TV in the evening, I twirled a hoop, squatted, did push-ups and pumped up my abs. 20-30 min. That's all! Even when I became pregnant (and this happened at the age of 25), I continued to do squats and some other light exercises available for pregnant women.
Now, after giving birth, I learned that squats prepare the perineal muscles for childbirth. And thanks to this, it is quite possible to avoid ruptures. So I gave birth to a baby weighing 3800 grams without one rupture or incision. weight. Even during pregnancy, I tried to walk a lot, I especially liked the almost daily journey on foot to the dacha - 4 km uphill. Again, the doctors told me that this played a significant role in the rapid dilatation of the cervix during childbirth.
My contractions lasted only 5 hours, and I spent 2 of them at home (I administered an enema myself, shaved, and washed myself). While I was pregnant, I got into the habit of this procedure: while reading or watching a movie or cooking, I squeezed and unclenched the muscles of the perineum, I think this is called a Kegel exercise. Very useful, I want to say!
And lastly, during pregnancy I smeared my entire body with olive oil, wore a prenatal bandage and a bra for pregnant and lactating women. I only took it off at night, but at night I put on a cotton top, which holds my heavier breasts well. As a result, not a single stretch mark, and the breast shape was preserved, although it increased by 2 sizes.
I didn’t listen to anyone’s advice; I was guided by some inner wise voice of mine. If I was able to do all this - a lazy person, then you can prepare your body for childbirth. Just as your intuition tells you.
As you understand from my story, I gave birth easily and quickly. My happiness knew no bounds, I even remember the birth with nostalgia, because how wonderful and natural it is for a woman to give life to a person. Life is Beautiful!
Marina Lebedeva,
Proper breathing – easy childbirth
Proper breathing during childbirth helps it proceed smoothly and affects the well-being of the expectant mother and baby. In addition, it allows you to speed up labor and reduce pain. The technique of proper breathing during childbirth is aimed at relaxing and calming the woman in labor. A woman who concentrates on alternating inhalation and exhalation is not so fixated on pain, and accordingly, the opening of the cervix occurs much easier and faster. For childbirth to go smoothly, the mother’s body requires a large amount of oxygen. Thanks to proper breathing, the body is sufficiently saturated with oxygen. Breathing during childbirth is very different from usual, so it is recommended to study and practice proper breathing techniques in advance of the expected responsible date. During contractions, experts advise using slow and deep breathing, and during breaks you can breathe normally. It is recommended to accompany pushing with frequent inhalations and exhalations, which will help avoid ruptures.
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Comment from perinatal psychologist Svetlana Pyatnitskaya:
By “easy” birth we mean childbirth that occurs with minimal medical intervention within the time frame provided by nature.
The female body is an amazing creation of nature, and childbirth is part of the program. Trust yourself, be truly natural, remember that the surrounding scenery is secondary.
There are several rules to make childbirth easier, so I suggest you start your preparation while you are pregnant!
Food
Pay attention to your diet: it should consist of a variety of high-quality foods. Fried, overly salty, spicy, flour foods should be minimized or eliminated altogether.
Movement
Don’t be lazy, pregnancy is not a reason to give up sports. With your doctor’s permission, visit the pool, do fitness, practice yoga nidra (one of the methods of relaxation - ed.). Walking and hiking in the fresh air is the key to good health.
Playlist of your favorite music
Record a melody that helps you “pull yourself together,” tune in to work, relax, and focus on your inner feelings and thoughts.
Meditation and visualization
Take a relaxed position while sitting on a chair. Close your eyes. Remember a pleasant moment in your life. Activate in your memory the sounds, smells, sensations, “pictures” that you perceived at that moment. Stay in this pleasant state for as long as you need to satiate your need for positive emotions. Open your eyes.
Resource state drawing
Take a piece of paper and using a pencil or pen (paints, pastels, etc.) draw what you saw and felt during visualization. Write down on the back of the sheet all the associations you have in connection with this event and condition.
Choosing a maternity hospital and specialist
Visit the maternity hospital in which you plan to give birth in advance and get to know the doctor and midwife, establish a trusting relationship.
Writing a birth plan
Remember that flexibility in decision-making is a very useful quality that will be useful to you during the birth process. Be prepared for different scenarios.
Choosing a partner during childbirth
Decide whether you need a loved one during childbirth. If yes, attend training courses with him.
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Knowledge of the sequence of periods, their duration, features of the course, rules of behavior and self-help will help during childbirth.
First period
During the latent phase of cervical dilatation, the formation of the mother’s psychological attitude towards the entire labor activity occurs. The success of the entire process depends on how well this happens.
Active phase
During the active phase of cervical dilatation, it is very useful to use the exercises learned in childbirth preparation courses, massage, or the help of your husband. Take a notebook with you with the specialist's recommendations. Remember that if you squeeze, squeeze, cross, squint and perform similar actions during contractions, the unpleasant sensations will be much more difficult to bear. Inhale air slowly and deeply through your nose (preferably with your diaphragm and abdominal muscles, not your chest), and exhale through your mouth.
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During the fight
Imagine a pleasant image that helps open the cervix. This could be the opening of a flower bud or spring buds, or the fall of a noisy waterfall. Visual objects will make it possible to understand the contraction not as a compression or contraction, but as an opening, which helps to adopt the correct open posture with relaxed muscles, breathe calmly, focusing on the proximity of the meeting with the baby and the increasing opening of the exit for him.
To reduce pain
Massage the abdomen in the form of intense stroking and rubbing, directed upward when inhaling and downward when exhaling. If the sensations are concentrated in the lower back or sacrum, direct the massage to these areas, vigorously rubbing the painful points.
Partner help
If there is a partner nearby, let him help you take a shower, walk around the room, entertain you with conversation and shared memories, cheer you up and keep you calm during relaxation. If there are people nearby with whom you have not developed a trusting relationship, then, along with relaxation techniques, a notebook with motivating phrases (you write them out in advance) will provide great support.
End of first period
At this stage the sensations become most intense. Remember that the baby, unlike you, did not prepare for childbirth in special courses and all the sensations that he experiences during the process are also a test for him. A calming conversation addressed to your child will help you remember that you are not alone, and soon the miracle that you have dreamed of and for which you have been preparing for so long will happen.
Second period
At this stage, active work begins. Intense and short-term contractions are accompanied by pushing. Follow the midwife's instructions: inhale, exhale, hold your breath, push, breathe through the contraction, and so on. Adequate cooperation with a midwife (doctor) will allow the birth to be completed without complications and medical interventions.
Third period
The most important event of the third stage of labor is meeting the child, the joy of this moment. It is important that the baby feels the familiar heartbeat and smell of the mother, her warmth, the close and cozy embrace of gentle arms; I felt that they were waiting for him and were glad to see him. Early attachment of the baby to the breast reduces his anxiety when entering an unfamiliar world, stimulates lactation in the mother and causes contractions of the uterus, ensures close physical contact and the formation of a mutual feeling of love.
