The last days before childbirth – symptoms, well-being, ailments

Contents

When is the delivery expected?
What does childbirth predict – a few weeks before the due date
The last days before childbirth – symptoms
A few days before childbirth – weakness and pain
When does labor start?

Home Health from the very first days Pregnancy – woman’s health Childbirth Feeding the baby Care and health Baby

The last days before birth can be difficult for a pregnant woman. There are many emotions, both positive and negative, while waiting for your baby to be born. Many mothers are also afraid that they will decode the symptoms of the onset of childbirth too late, and that they will arrive at the hospital late. In the last few days before giving birth, a woman’s body shows many symptoms, indicating that the solution is near.

When is the delivery expected?

The standard assumption is that the normal length of pregnancy is 40 weeks. However, the day within two weeks before and after the date of delivery determined by the gynecologist is also considered the correct time of delivery. During this time, parents should be prepared for commencement of labor anytime. A woman’s body puts a lot of effort into preparing as best as possible for the effort of giving birth to a baby. During this time, the pregnant woman may experience a whole spectrum of symptoms that commonly appear a few days before delivery.

see also: 40th week of pregnancy

What does childbirth predict – a few weeks before the due date

Most pregnant women experience the so-called Braxton-Hicks contractions, also known as predictive contractions. These are irregular, short and not very painful contractions during which the uterus “trains” before giving birth. Also, about 4 weeks before your due date, a woman may notice that her belly has started to lower. It happens, however, that the lowering of the abdomen does not occur until a few days before delivery. As a result of changing the position of the baby, there is pressure on the bladder, which makes women feel an increased need to urinate at the end of pregnancy.

Pregnant women often complain of foot pain, which is caused by increased body weight and ligamentous laxity, which causes the foot to flatten more. Try FootWave LADY PREGNA orthopedic insoles for pregnant women, which you can use even if you do not suffer from any foot symptoms. The insoles also have a preventive effect.

The last days before childbirth – symptoms

A few days before giving birth, a woman may experience increased mood swings. Some pregnant women become irritable, nervous, or sad. Sometimes, however, women are bursting with energy and enthusiasm. Sometimes these states change every few hours, going from euphoria to despair. It is completely natural, because in the last days before childbirth a hormonal storm takes place in a woman’s body. Increased hormone levels are associated with the preparation of the body for the birth of a child.

In recent days, pregnant women often struggle with symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The release comes from the body’s cleansing mechanism, as the intestines empty themselves so that there is as much space as possible in the body for the birth canal. Nausea and vomiting are associated with elevated hormone levels. A few days before giving birth, a woman may begin to feel increased appetitebecause the body gathers energy for the effort of giving birth. Other moms, in turn, lose their desire for food altogether. It is worth trying to eat at least small portions of easily digestible food in order not to lose strength at such an important moment.

Read more about the symptoms of labor

A few days before childbirth – weakness and pain

In the last days before delivery, even the most active pregnant women may lose their strength and feel worse. Although it is unpleasant and uncomfortable, it also signals that the moment of welcoming the toddler to the world is fast approaching. It is worth allowing yourself to relax and rest in such moments to have as much strength as possible for the hardships of childbirth.

Pain also does not improve the mood. At the end of pregnancy, many women complain of persistent pain in the spine, thighs, groin and perineum. They are associated with the extra weight that comes during pregnancy, but also with the baby’s head descending lower and lower into the birth canal, which compresses the nerves.

When does labor start?

A symptom that indicates that labor is about to begin is the loss of the mucus plug. It is a compact, dense discharge that tightly closes the entrance to the uterus, being located in the cervix. As labor approaches, it falls out because the cervix shortens and widens for the baby to pass through. This is usually a few hours before the baby is due, although it can also be several days before the due date.

When a woman feels labor pain and contractionsthat are getting regular and more painful, there is no doubt that labor has already started. It is recommended to carefully measure the length of contractions and their frequency. If they occur approximately every 5-7 minutes and last approximately 40 seconds each, the woman should go to the hospital. An indication to go to the hospital as soon as possible is also when a woman begins to feel the need to push. Another sign that your labor has started is when the waters are gone.