During pregnancy, the female body constantly undergoes changes and closer to the end of the term, it slowly begins to prepare for an important moment - the beginning of labor. However, not everyone can immediately determine that the discomfort in the lower abdomen is the beginning of childbirth. And it also happens that there are no pulling and cramping pains at all, but the baby is about to be born. So how does a woman decide when to urgently call an ambulance and go to the hospital? About this - in the article below.
What are contractions
At the end of the second - the beginning of the third trimester, the uterus at times begins to stone, and a woman may experience minor pulling pains in the lower abdomen, in the lumbar region. If the menstrual cycle before pregnancy was painful, then we can say that at the beginning of labor, the sensations are a bit similar. In order to determine when to go to the hospital during contractions, it is important to know the nature of their occurrence. This is especially important for those who come across this for the first time.
Periodic contractions of the uterus, which a woman cannot regulate, in particular their frequency, intensity, are contractions. In this case, a pulling, aching pain in the lower abdomen can be felt, which is transmitted to the lumbar region. In some cases, a woman's weakness weakens and her legs become weaker and it becomes difficult to endure pain while standing. At this moment, the main thing is to suppress a sense of panic and fear. It is important to switch and not succumb to surging excitement. Not only the intensity, but the reduction of pain during childbirth depends on a positive attitude and determination, proper breathing.
False or training?
Before deciding that it is time in the hospital, a woman must determine the nature of contractions. They can be training (or they are also called Brexton-Hicks contractions) and serve as a signal that the body is preparing for an important stage - helping the child to be born. Contractions seem to push the fetus, helping him to pass the birth canal. Therefore, it is important to determine and know how their intensity changes during childbirth.
If the nature of cramping pains is temporary, and there is still a month or a little less before childbirth, then this is a good reason to prepare everything you need for a trip to the hospital. There are several ways to determine that they are actually false:
- Put a candle “Papaverine”, drink a pill “No-shpy”, which contribute to the relaxation of muscles.
- Take a warm bath, shower.
- Take a leisurely stroll or just sleep.
Their main difference from real fights is that they pass after a short time and then do not bother at all.
Stages of the beginning of labor
To be precise and understand when to go to the maternity hospital during contractions is already certain, it is important to know at what stage the birth is a woman. They can be divided into three stages:
- The first, or initial, takes 7-8 hours. At this time, the woman can still do her usual daily activities, take a shower, eat, collect a bag in the hospital or just sleep. The intensity in this case can be quite frequent - once every 5 minutes for 30-45 seconds. The opening of the cervix at this stage is up to 3 cm.
- A longer second stage, the frequency of contractions is every 4 minutes for 1 minute. It takes from 3 to 5 hours, the cervix opens up to 7 cm.
- The shortest transitional stage lasts from half an hour to a half. A woman may feel that contractions become permanent, there is almost no time for rest between them. If timed, they can be felt after a minute for 90 seconds. Disclosure becomes complete - 10 cm, and the body prepares for attempts that will help the baby to be born into the light.
Contractions intensity
It is generally accepted that the time when it’s time to go to the hospital during contractions is the onset of intense, frequent cramping of the uterus, accompanied by unbearable pain. True, this is not always the case, because childbirth can be quick and a woman simply does not have time to get to the hospital on time. Therefore, it is worthwhile to figure out in advance how to recognize the beginning of the X time. If the pregnancy is first, then most doctors agree that labor activity will go on increasing. At first, contractions are weak and rare, but the more the cervix opens, the more intense and painful they become.
It is believed that in multiparous women, the intensity of labor will be frequent at once and the process of childbirth will take half as much time as those who are faced with this for the first time.
How to calculate the interval
In order to facilitate the calculation of the interval of contractions before childbirth, when to go to the maternity hospital, special programs will be suggested, which are called "contractions" in the common people. Such a ridiculous name is easy to remember, especially with the sudden onset of labor and the absence of one of the relatives nearby. It is enough to click on the button “Start the fight” and “End”, and the program itself will give a message that it is time to go to the hospital.
Another way is to independently calculate on a piece of paper the intensity of the onset of labor. To do this, you need to stock up on a stopwatch, which will help fix the time interval. This method is suitable when cramping is not very painful and tolerant, and the interval between them is more than 10 minutes. Best of all, if someone from the family will be there to help the woman in labor.
Reception at the hospital without contractions
The reason for calling an ambulance and concern about the intensity of the onset of childbirth are departed waters. In this case, do not worry, but whether they will take me to the hospital without fights. It is better to come and be supervised by doctors than to try to control a process on your own at home, which can become completely unplanned. This is due to the fact that even after the discharge of waters or their partial leakage, contractions can be both weak and pronounced.
Each woman experiences the initial stage of labor in a different way. For example, fights can be frequent, but at the same time be quite tolerant. A woman may have the feeling that she will give birth in a matter of hours. However, during the inspection, it turns out that the opening of the cervix is only at the very beginning and the birth process is already started by the body. In this case, the doctor has no right to refuse hospitalization. Control over the frequency and intensity of contractions in the hospital is carried out using CTG. This is a special method, which also allows you to listen to the fetal heartbeat.
When you need an emergency ambulance
There are obvious symptoms when you need to go to the hospital during contractions immediately and you should not wait until they become frequent and intense. These include spotting from the vagina, accompanied by severe pain in the lower abdomen, in the lumbar region. This may indicate the onset of premature labor caused by placental abruption.
It is also urgent to get together at the hospital when amniotic fluid leaves. As a rule, after this fight begins to go one after another, frequent and painful. Do not delay an ambulance, as it will be difficult and unsafe to get to a medical facility on your own in this state.
Is it possible not to notice the onset of labor?
If this pregnancy is the first for a woman, or it is still far from the term for delivery, then she may not immediately determine the frequency of contractions and when to go to the hospital it is necessary to immediately. Do not forget about such a feature of the female body as a high pain threshold, at which the pregnant woman suffers even intense contractions on her legs. Therefore, it is quite realistic that she may not notice that it is time to go to the hospital.
Judging by the reviews of some mothers, contractions can begin at night or in the early morning, when you want to get some more sleep, and therefore many simply do not want to think about the onset of labor. If they are not training, then most likely, after a few hours, you still have to go to the hospital, since the intensity of uterine contractions will only increase.
Is it worth it to wait until the waters depart?
Considering the interval between contractions, you may not notice how amniotic fluid leaves. The process of opening the neck is directly related to the discharge of the mucous plug, which protects the fetus from penetrating the infection. In some cases, it begins to go out some time before the birth itself, in particular a few days before they begin. At the same time, cramping sensations can be rare and pass after some time, have a long interval between each other.
In its structure, the amniotic fluid can be very dense, and it does not always burst on its own. In this case, the doctor does this, as a rule, after the cervix opens up to 4 cm at the next bout. The puncture itself is not felt, but the woman will feel the effects of the amniotomy almost immediately. If up to this point you could just walk and wait for the contractions, breathing correctly, then after moving you will not want to once again. This is due to the fact that their intensity begins to increase, and if the opening process is slow, then pain relief or epidural anesthesia may be required to alleviate the pain symptom.
Fighting intensity after water discharge
After a bubble is punctured or if it burst itself and water began to leak, it is worthwhile to understand that there will be very frequent contractions. Before childbirth, when to go to the hospital or wait, you can decide for yourself, it is better to ask for help from relatives or spouse. They will be able to adequately assess the situation and take them to the hospital on time so that the woman in labor is in good hands under the supervision of doctors.
Uterine contractions in the outgoing waters are very acute. This period falls on the active phase, when the neck opening can occur very quickly. A woman in this period can no longer count the interval or think about when to go to the hospital. Fights during pregnancy (in this case we are talking about training) can not be compared with those that have to be experienced at this moment. Only correct breathing and following the advice of a doctor can smooth out constantly changing and one after another spasms.
First and subsequent pregnancies: the difference in the frequency of contractions
Doctors believe that there is a significant time difference between the first and subsequent births. For women who first encountered maternity, doctors set the interval at about 9-11 hours or more. In other cases, it is two times shorter. However, if the contractions began, and when to go to the hospital is still an unresolved issue, then you should listen to your body and first determine their frequency. This is the first question that doctors ask when calling an ambulance, as well as during registration in the emergency room of the hospital. Know this is necessary to determine the stage of labor.
Women note that the shorter the interval between the first and subsequent pregnancy, the more painful and intense contractions are felt. However, in time, such births are faster. On the one hand, a woman in labor suffers less pain, on the other hand, the rapid birth of a baby can adversely affect his health and physical development.
What you need to take with you
Having decided the question with what fights to go to the hospital, it remains only not to forget to bring with you the things that are necessary for the first time. From clothes you will need a bathrobe, shirt and underwear. Be sure to take to the hospital slippers with rubberized soles, a towel, toiletries and hygiene products (pads, wet wipes), a charger for the phone. Relatives can bring things for the newborn after his birth.
Few people think about what to go to the hospital with contractions. It would be better if it turns out to be clothes that can be easily and quickly changed. With rare fights, you will be able to get together without hurrying, but if the interval is less and their duration is about a minute, then you will need help from relatives. Therefore, it is worth thinking about things for the hospital in advance. By the way, this also applies to things for mom and baby for discharge.