Heard from “experienced” girlfriends about how childbirth proceeds, the expectant mother, of course, is afraid of the approaching “X hour”, she prepares for painful contractions, for a long childbirth. In this regard, it is worth noting: childbirth for each woman in labor always takes place individually, despite the fact that this process, by and large, has a clear “scheme”.
That is why one should not imagine the “torments of hell” in advance. Instead, it is better to go to prenatal courses, in which expectant mothers are taught a special breathing technique during childbirth, explain the peculiarities of the passage of the crumbs through the birth canal, and, as far as possible, prepare for the upcoming birth (for more details, see our article about courses for expectant mothers ).
You can, of course, surrender completely into the hands of an experienced gynecologist and midwife immediately after the onset of contractions. But, as practice shows, the one who is aware is armed. That is why, if you have such an opportunity, it is certainly better to prepare in advance for the birth of a baby and find out in advance how the birth is going. With this knowledge, the expectant mother will be able to calmly approach the beginning of childbirth, because she will be more prepared, and during the birth of the baby, she will know how to facilitate this period for herself and the baby.
How is childbirth going? Let’s look at it in order. All techniques conditionally divide this process into three stages:
- the cervix is dilated, which is accompanied by contractions;
- attempts begin, the baby passes through the birth canal;
- exit of the placenta (placenta).
As a rule, labor usually lasts 12-18 hours at the birth of the first child and about 8-11 hours if the child is not the first. If the amount of time significantly exceeds the above, gynecologists talk about prolonged labor.
The longest stage in the labor process is the first stage – contractions. The appearance of regular contractions is considered a signal that it is time to go to the hospital. Regular contractions usually begin after the amniotic fluid has receded: at first, the palpable contractions become more and more prolonged, the interval between them becomes less and less. Under the influence of contractions, the cervix gradually opens – from 2 to 10 centimeters. At this stage, the woman in labor will be helped by the breathing technique, which is taught to women in courses for pregnant women. It is recommended to breathe deeply, calmly, in order to provide the baby with the necessary amount of oxygen. It is advisable at this stage to choose a comfortable position, so the contractions will be transferred much easier, less painful. For example, this can be an upright position, or lying on your back, on your side. It is too early to push: for the “travel” along the birth canal, the baby must be positioned correctly. It is very important to listen to what the obstetrician and doctor have to say, who will give the command as soon as the baby is ready for birth.
This is a signal that the second stage of labor is beginning: the cervix has opened as needed, the child needs to be helped at this stage to push through to be born. When the baby’s head is lowered, the woman’s efforts are facilitated by the fact that the diaphragm is already pressing on the uterus due to the air that is drawn into the lungs. This pressure is increased by the woman herself, at the command of the doctor, contracting the abdominal muscles. The baby, with the help of a combination of intra-abdominal and intrauterine pressure, moves through the birth canal – this process can take up to 2,5 hours (when a woman gives birth for the first time) or even not reach an hour in time (if the birth is not the first). This stage is the most important. The woman in labor needs to be prepared that the doctor may have to cut the perineum: this is usually done if the baby’s head is large, and there is a danger of soft tissue rupture (then sutures will be applied to the incision, in which case it will heal much faster than with a rupture) … After the appearance of the baby’s head, the process usually goes much faster, and the baby is fully born, he notifies those present with his first cry.
After the birth of the baby, after a short amount of time, the placenta is rejected, the placenta is born. This stage is the final in the process of childbirth, it lasts 5-30 minutes, during which the woman experiences weak contractions. When the placenta is completely removed and the umbilical cord is cut, the doctor will examine the mother’s birth canal for ruptures, and, if necessary, stitch them together (using anesthesia).
After giving birth, the woman will spend the first days in the maternity hospital, in the postpartum department, where the necessary procedures will be performed on the baby that has appeared. Immediately after birth, he will be examined, processed, measured and weighed. A special plate will write down data about the child, namely: year, day, hour of birth, his gender; surname, name, patronymic of the mother. If the birth went well, there were no complications, the postpartum period proceeds in accordance with the norm, the young mother with the baby will be discharged home in 3-5 days. They will now begin a new life, which is filled with cares and joy.