A long pregnancy, the first joys, hopes and dreams, the last preparations, and finally the most exciting moment comes: your baby is ready to be born. What do women feel at this moment? Some - a slight excitement, others - a great fear, others say that with the beginning of the fights they felt relief, because they will soon be able to hug their beloved child.
But we are all different, for one woman childbirth is a fascinating journey that you have with your baby, for others it is a real punishment. It is possible that this is due to the fact that women know too little about the amazing process of the birth of a new life. Today we want to consider the process of childbirth from start to finish, so that every mom can look at it a little differently.
The first swallows, or how to understand that it’s time in the hospital
This question is very worrying for most women, so we will briefly talk about the most reliable symptoms that suggest that the hour of X is approaching by leaps and bounds. In the last 3-4 weeks before the onset of labor, periodic pain in the lower abdomen and lower back may appear. Sometimes there is a feeling of immobility of the limbs. Very often there is a feeling of fullness, tingling, pain in the pubic area. This is also normal, and after giving birth you will forget about these feelings.
Approximately 2 weeks before birth, the abdomen falls strongly. The woman notes that it seems to be getting smaller. Eating and breathing becomes much easier. But the uterus begins to exercise more and more often. This manifests itself in the form of tonic tension. The lower abdomen seems to be stiff, and this tension persists for some time.
The psychological state of a woman is changing. If before she was afraid of childbirth, now there is a period of tranquility, the expectant mother is eager for them to begin as soon as possible. Many women say that they passionately wanted to put things in order in their home, wash and mop up everything in the house, buy beautiful things to discharge the baby, put the bag in the hospital. Do not forbid yourself, even if the doctor says that you still have a lot of time left. Intuition often works better. Now let's look at the birth process from start to finish.
Psychological attitude
There is very little time left, soon you will embrace your baby. The most important thing now is to prepare yourself for the upcoming event, especially if you become a mother for the first time. The first thing to realize: a wonderful event awaits you. All nine months you, like a bud, have been bearing a wonderful fruit in you. Now it's time to open the door to this world for him. Be sure to master the relaxation methods and breathing exercises that are used in childbirth to anesthetize the contractions and normal supply of oxygen to the baby. Believe me, your baby will be much more difficult than you. Therefore, when receiving information about how the birth process occurs from beginning to end, do not forget to tell the baby about it. He already understands you perfectly.
Mucus plug
The very first signal that your baby is already ready to be born will be the passage of a cork that previously covered the cervix. It served as protection against the penetration of bacteria and pathogens. Today it has become unnecessary. Recognizing her is very simple. You will see a fairly large amount of dense transparent mucus on the linen or sanitary pad. This is what sharply distinguishes the cork from the usual secretions that are characteristic of pregnancy.
What to do now? Calm down and rejoice, very soon you will be able to squeeze your crumbs to your chest. In fact, everything is individual, so the process of childbirth from beginning to end is difficult to describe unambiguously. If the mucous plug is removed, then before the onset of labor, from a few hours to several days remain. But usually this is a signal that the cervix begins to open and will soon be ready to miss the baby’s head.
Recent preparations
Indeed, now is the time to complete the final preparations. Check the bags you have prepared with you at the hospital. It's time to put things for discharge, which will be brought to you later, a toothbrush and other accessories. There is still some time to rest. Lie down and relax, once again remember all breathing exercises, maybe you can get some sleep. You still need strength.
Start of grappling activity
When considering childbirth from beginning to end, it should be said that the sequence of events can be very different for each of the women. In some, the process of childbirth begins with the discharge of amniotic fluid, and in others - from the first contractions. At first they are weak, and the interval between them is long. The first contractions last no more than 3-5 seconds, and the interval between them can reach 15 minutes. Gradually, their intensity will increase, contractions will become longer, and breaks, on the contrary, will decrease.
Every expectant mother must definitely study how the birth occurs from beginning to end. This is very important so that she imagines what awaits her and does not panic. Normally, amniotic fluid outflow should not occur before the onset of labor, but such a change of events is not uncommon. Ideally, with the development of regular labor, contractions intensify, accompanied by pulling pains in the lower abdomen. Cervical dilatation is accompanied by abundant mucous secretions, which can be sacred.
First stage of labor
It is still not necessary to go to the hospital. The process of childbirth from beginning to end for beginners seems to be something terrible and requires compulsory medical intervention. In fact, this is an absolutely physiological process. If you want to stay at home, then do not deny yourself the pleasure. Now the cervix is intensively shortened and opens to skip the baby’s head. Full disclosure will take 10-11 hours. For multiparous, this time is usually reduced to 6-8 hours.
Assess your condition by the intensity and duration of the contractions. Moreover, it is not necessary to lie. In between fights, walk, take a shower and be sure to breathe correctly. You can go for a walk with your spouse. Movements stimulate labor, and therefore, bring the appearance of crumbs to the light. It is very good if mother is familiar with the physiology of childbirth. The process from start to finish is usually taught in special courses for pregnant women, but it can be studied independently. When the period between contractions becomes less than 10 minutes, it is time to gather at the hospital.
Without wasting time
It was not in vain that nature gave so much time for your body to prepare for the process of expelling the fetus. Step by step, the cervix opens, the pelvic bones move apart so that the baby can leave her body without injuring herself and her mother. Of course, the sensations of a woman are not the most pleasant. However, you can help yourself very well if you master breathing exercises in advance. Now there is still time to remember all my workouts.
At the very beginning, when contractions are not too intense, it is recommended to increase the exhalation length. To do this, slowly inhale the air for four counts, and exhale for six to seven. This allows you to calm down and relax, but excessive tension also provokes pain. In battles, try not to lie down, but move around the room, it is easier to carry them.
And when the fight recedes, there is still time for meditation. Therefore, when the battle recedes, sit back and imagine yourself a beautiful flower that slowly opens under the morning sun. The flower feels warmth and opens its petals to reveal a beautiful fruit to the world. Your body understands metaphors very well, you yourself will see for yourself.
The process of childbirth from beginning to end of a woman who has given birth again does not seem so frightening, but the memory of labor is far from the most pleasant. Just then you did not know how to breathe properly. This is the mistake of most women. They begin to push from the very first fights, which is absolutely impossible. The cervix is not yet ready to miss the baby’s head, and excessive pressure gives him discomfort and pain.
Therefore, when contractions become more intense and it is impossible to breathe evenly, dog-breathing is used. This technique allows you to endure even the most powerful fights without undue stress. This is a frequent, shallow breathing with an open mouth. The more intense the fight, the more often you need to breathe. When the pain recedes, take a deep breath and exhale smoothly. The most important thing is to survive the most difficult first stage, which lasts more than 8 hours. That is why we are considering the process of childbirth from beginning to end. Preparation is a powerful tool that will allow you to quickly and easily go through all the stages of the appearance of crumbs in the world.
Help spouse
At this stage, it is extremely important for a woman to feel support. Contractions are the most difficult stage, when the pain is most intense, and they intensify literally every minute. It’s very good if you both attended a birth preparation course . In this case, the man will have an idea of how the birth goes from start to finish. His role is to provide moral support. The husband can pour water, massage the lumbar region, which helps relieve pain.
End of the first stage of labor
Despite the fact that during the fights I really want to curl up on the bed and not get up, try to overpower yourself, walk or swing on a special ball. Considering the main stages of childbirth, it should be noted that the end of the first of them is the most difficult. At this time, the contractions become very intense, they last 90-120 seconds, and the interval between them is only 2 minutes, and sometimes even less. Soon, the break becomes so short that the woman does not even have time to restore her breathing.
The only thing that can be reassured is that the wait is very short. This is the natural physiology of childbirth. You will have to experience the process from beginning to end on your own experience, and the birth of the long-awaited baby will be the crown of this. By the end of the first period, the nature of contractions changes, the first attempts begin, the muscles of the abdominal muscles, diaphragm and pelvic floor contract. Right now, amniotic fluid should normally open. Waste water makes it easier for the baby to slide along the birth canal.
Second phase
The description of childbirth from beginning to end allows us to understand that, despite the severity of this period, it is a turning point. Full disclosure of the cervix means the beginning of the expulsion of the fetus. Strong contractions are added to muscle contractions. Under their pressure, the fetus descends and enters the pelvic cavity. Many women are afraid of childbirth, but this process is much faster and less painful than labor. Rather, it is hard, physical work. It is only necessary to listen to the obstetrician and how to push hard when he speaks.
At the moment of passing the head, the woman feels a stretch in the perineum. With subsequent attempts in the genital gap, the head of the child is shown. For a woman in labor, this is the last painful stage. Further, the baby’s body will slip out without any problems. Now the baby will make the first scream and will be examined by a pediatrician.
Third stage
While the child is weighed, examined and swaddled, the woman will have the birth of the afterbirth. It is completely painless. A woman feels light contractions of the uterus. When placental abruption occurs, the obstetrician gives permission to push. In just a few seconds, a fetal bag is born. The obstetrician will check its integrity and examine the birth canal.
Instead of a conclusion
Another 2 hours after birth, the woman is in the birth ward. The obstetrician carefully monitors her condition, the vaginal discharge, checks the contractions of the uterus. If the condition is normal, then she and the baby are transferred to the postpartum unit.
We examined the birth process from start to finish. The description will allow each of you to prepare for this important moment. And remember: giving birth is a reflex process. You cannot stimulate it or stop it by willpower. However, following the recommendations given in the article and the advice of the obstetrician, you can make it less painful and traumatic.