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Basically, pregnancy and childbirth is an exciting event in a woman’s life, for which it is customary to prepare in advance. General medical criteria and rules for calculating the timing allow you to roughly calculate the period when you should expect the onset of childbirth, so at this time the woman tries not to plan any trips, meetings and events in order to arrive at the maternity hospital at the appointed time, if possible in advance.
However, unfortunately, life makes its own adjustments to human plans. Sometimes childbirth can begin prematurely, or, conversely, begin later than doctors predicted. In case of sudden childbirth, of course, a woman in labor should be taken to any medical institution as soon as possible, whether it be a hospital, clinic, maternity hospital or medical assistant’s station.
If a woman does not meet the beginning of the process of the birth of a baby in the maternity ward under the supervision of doctors, those who are next to her will need to provide her and the newborn with first aid during childbirth.
How should a woman prepare for childbirth?
Doctors who manage a pregnant woman focus on the fact that a woman who knows the approximate, predicted date of birth should not leave home for a long time, plan trips and travels 2-3 weeks before the expected event. Already for one and a half to two weeks, it is recommended that a pregnant woman not go far from home at all, since contractions can catch her at any moment. If a woman begins to feel sharp spasms and contractions of the uterus – contractions – she needs to take things prepared in advance for her stay in the hospital and go to a medical facility as soon as possible.
If the contractions began when the pregnant woman is out of the house, it is necessary to urgently transport her to the nearest hospital or clinic, or call an ambulance.
Those who are close to the woman in labor need to monitor her condition and track the stages of childbirth. There are three successive stages in labor activity. The process begins with the opening of the cervix – it lasts from the onset of contractions to the outflow of amniotic fluid, it can last up to 13-18 hours in primiparas. Contractions, at first weak and infrequent, become more painful and frequent, and may occur every 20 to 40 seconds. The immediate exit of the child into the world is called the expulsion of the fetus. In the process, blood loss in the amount of 250-350 milliliters can occur. The postpartum period is the time after the baby was born, when the woman has the so-called placenta.
Procedure: first aid for a woman in labor
It should be noted that childbirth outside the hospital can be both fairly easy and fast, and long, painful, threatening the life of the child and the expectant mother. Acceptance of premature birth by a person without appropriate medical qualifications is possible only in the most extreme cases, if it is not possible to deliver the woman to a medical facility before the baby is born.
Therefore, the first thing to do around a woman in labor is to call an ambulance, or take measures to transport the woman to the hospital.
If the birth is the first, they usually last longer, so there is a chance to get the woman to the hospital before the baby starts to leave.
Despite the fact that childbirth is an extremely stressful situation for both the expectant mother and those around her, it is necessary to remain calm and calm the woman giving birth.
What to do if there is no way to transport a woman in labor to a hospital or find a doctor? It must be isolated from strangers. A place is prepared for a woman on a clean cloth or oilcloth. During the first stage of labor, she can lie down in a comfortable position for herself, get up, walk. Tight clothing that squeezes the stomach should be removed.
Proper breathing can slightly reduce the pain from contractions.
What to do if labor begins
Before the fetus begins to exit the uterus, there is an outpouring of amniotic fluid.
The delivery person should take off their shoes, woolen clothes, and wash their hands thoroughly. The external genitalia of a woman should be washed with soap and water. If possible, hair from the vulva should be removed. A clean cloth, sheet, towel, oilcloth is placed under the woman’s buttocks.
When the waters have broken, the contractions become frequent and painful. After the fights come the pushing. A woman should be supported from the back, motivated to push harder so that the fetus begins to come out. To relieve pain, you should synchronize breathing with the amplitude of attempts – you need to push by taking a deep breath. Thus, there is an additional expulsion of the child by the diaphragm. Between attempts, a woman needs to breathe deeply and evenly.
When attempts occur, the woman in labor holds tightly to her own knees, pulling them towards herself. The birth attendants monitor the appearance of the baby’s head. As soon as she is shown, the woman needs to restrain her efforts with the help of breathing. It is necessary to breathe with an open mouth, often and superficially. The head, and then the body of the child being born, is supported by the person taking the birth.
After the child comes out, he takes a breath, and then begins to scream. His body changes color from cyanotic to pink. Otherwise, the baby is lightly patted on the buttocks and back. Use a clean cloth or bandage to remove mucus from the child’s mouth and nose. It can also be sucked out with a thin tube.
It is necessary to monitor the condition of the umbilical cord. When it stops pulsing, it must be tied with a piece of clean cloth in two places – five centimeters from the umbilical ring of the newborn, and 10-15 centimeters from this knot. With pre-disinfected scissors, you need to cut the umbilical cord between the nodes. The cutting sites are treated with an antiseptic.
The end of the umbilical cord left by the child is tied with a bandage. The baby is gently wiped, wrapped in clean material, applied to the mother’s chest.
After childbirth, the placenta separates, after about 25-35 minutes. A woman in labor can separate up to 350 milliliters of blood. Now the woman can drink clean warm water. A cold compress or a bottle of cold water, ice is placed on her stomach. If it is not possible to make a cold compress, any dense object weighing 2-3 kilograms is placed on the stomach – this allows you to accelerate the contraction of the uterus and prevent the development of uterine bleeding.
The woman in labor together with the newborn should be transported to a medical facility as soon as possible. The released placenta (placenta and blood) should be collected in a plastic bag and sent along with the woman so that doctors can examine it.
If the baby comes out in the membranes, they must be cut immediately, otherwise the baby may suffocate.
Complications after emergency childbirth
Even if the birth process went quickly, and, at first glance, without problems, this does not exclude the possibility of complications. The most common of these are infection of the birth canal, hypoxia in the fetus, ruptures, uterine bleeding and birth trauma in the child.
Therefore, in any case, the woman who gave birth, along with the baby, is immediately sent to the hospital.
Providing first aid to a woman in labor is a process that is difficult both physically and mentally. It is necessary to be aware that childbirth is accompanied by the sight of blood, and other aesthetically unpleasant things. Calling an ambulance in this case is the first thing to do for people accompanying the woman in labor.
Until the medical team arrives, the woman needs to be supported and reassured, mentally set up for an easy and positive outcome. You can not give in to panic, all actions should be as coordinated and calm as possible.
The best way out of the situation is when the ambulance manages to arrive before the child leaves, but if this does not happen, you need to be prepared to help the baby be born.