You may feel a strong urge to push or bear down, along with pressure in the rectal area and stinging in the vaginal area as the baby's head moves down toward the vaginal opening. But you should NOT push—wait until your practitioner gives you the go-ahead, which will happen when the cervix is fully dilated. How Long It Lasts : This is the shortest but most intense phase, typically lasting from 10 minutes to 2 hours.
You may feel overwhelmed, and it's also normal to feel discouraged, as though labor will never end. What to Do : Imagine you're in a place that makes you feel safe and relaxed—lying on the beach, resting against a tree, or sitting in a rocking chair in your baby's nursery.
Breathe deeply and develop the scene, filling in the details. What do you see? What do you smell? What do you hear? If you're in more pain than you expected, it's usually not too late to ask for pain relief at this point. However, whether you get any will depend on whether an anesthesiologist is available.
The second stage of childbirth begins when the cervix is fully dilated. Your baby is moving down the birth canal. Contractions continue to be strong, lasting for about 60 seconds and coming 3 to 5 minutes apart.
You will likely feel a strong urge to push. The overwhelming urge to bear down continues, and as soon as your cervix is fully dilated, your practitioner will probably give you the go ahead to push. Contractions don't stop now, though they often come farther apart.
Some women experience nausea and vomiting. As you begin pushing, you may become increasingly breathless and fatigued—you're getting what is likely the hardest workout of your life. How Long It Lasts : The pushing and birth stage spans 1 to 2 hours for a first labor, and 15 to 30 minutes for subsequent labors. If your baby is in distress at this point, or if she doesn't seem to be making her way through the birth canal, your doctor may decide to deliver her by C-section or use forceps to help her out.
Signs : You may feel intense pain around your vaginal and perineal areas as the baby's head crowns, or protrudes at its widest part outside the vaginal opening. Stitches or staples are used to close your abdominal skin. If you are awake for your cesarean delivery, you can most likely hold your baby right away. You should also be able to begin breastfeeding right away if you choose.
You will be taken to a recovery room or directly to your room. Your blood pressure, pulse rate, breathing rate, and abdomen will be checked regularly. Soon after surgery, the catheter will be removed from your bladder. You will receive IV fluids until you are able to eat and drink. In most cases, your support partner will be with you during your cesarean delivery. You may need to stay in bed for a while. The first few times you get out of bed, a nurse or other adult should help you.
Your abdominal incision will be sore for the first few days and the doctor can prescribe pain medication to alleviate as much of the pain and discomfort as possible. The hospital stay after a cesarean birth is usually two to four days. The length of your stay depends on the reason for the cesarean birth and on how long it takes for your body to recover. When you go home, you may need to take special care of yourself and limit your activities.
It will take a few weeks for your abdomen to heal. To prevent infection, for a few weeks after your cesarean birth, you should not place anything in your vagina or have sex.
Allow time to heal before doing any strenuous activity. Call your doctor if you have a fever, heavy bleeding, or the pain gets worse. Like any major surgery, cesarean birth involves risks, most of which can be managed and treated. Your doctor will discuss all risks with you prior to your cesarean delivery. Complications from cesarean delivery, occurring in a small number of women and usually are easily treated, can include:.
The providers of Capital Women's Care seek the highest quality medical and ethical standard in an environment that nurtures the spirit of caring for every woman. Our premier group consists of more than physicians, nurse practitioners, physician's assistants and certified nurse midwives.
Together, we offer women many choices for both general obstetric and gynecologic care and specialized women's health care services. If you need to speak with your physician, please contact that office directly. To be considered for employment opportunities with Capital Women's Care, please visit our Careers page on Indeed. Labor and Delivery. Normal Labor When it is time for your baby to be born, your body will go through a series of changes to prepare for and complete the birthing process.
Early Labor Labor is divided into two phases: early, or latent, labor and active labor. While no one knows what causes labor to start or can predict when labor will start or how long it will last, there are several hormonal and physical changes that indicate you are in early labor: Lightening Irregular contractions Water breaking Effacement and dilation of the cervix.
Lightening The process of your baby settling or lowering into your pelvis is called lightening. Passing of The Mucus Plug During your pregnancy, a mucus plug accumulates at the cervix to seal off the cervix and protect your baby from infection.
Irregular Contractions During early labor, you will most likely experience irregular contractions that are mild enough that they do not interfere with your normal activities.
Water Breaking As your body prepares for childbirth, the amniotic sac that has surrounded your baby during pregnancy usually breaks, releasing the amniotic fluid it contains. Effacement and Dilation of The Cervix During early labor, your cervix will gradually thin and stretch called effacement and open called dilation to prepare for the passage of your baby through the birth canal. To determine if you are in true labor, ask yourself the following questions: True Labor False Labor How often do the contractions occur?
Contractions come at regular intervals and last about seconds. As time goes on, they get closer together. Contractions are often irregular and do not get closer together. Do the contractions change with movement?
Contractions continue even when you move or change positions. Contractions may stop when you walk, rest, or change positions.
How strong are the contractions? Contractions generally increase in strength as time goes by. Contractions are usually weak and do not get much stronger.
Or they may be strong at first and then get weaker. Where do you feel the pain? Contractions usually start in the lower back and move to the front of the abdomen. Contractions are usually only felt in the front of the abdomen or pelvic region.
Call your doctor if: You think your water has broken. You are bleeding. Your contractions are very uncomfortable and have been coming every five minutes for an hour. Staying Comfortable During Early Labor For most women, the early stages of labor -- before active labor begins - are best experienced in the comfort of their own home. While you are at home, there are several things you can do to help cope with any discomfort you feel: Take a walk, read a book, or watch a movie.
Soak in a warm tub or take a hot shower. Try to sleep, if possible. Labor has three stages: Strong, frequent, and regular contractions latent phase until 4cm, active phase to 10 cm The birth of your baby The delivery of the placenta Strong, Frequent Contractions Contractions move in a wave-like motion from the top of the uterus to the bottom and are different for each woman. As your contractions intensify, you may: Feel restless and excited Find it difficult to stand Have food and fluid restrictions Want to start using any breathing techniques or other calming measures to manage pain and anxiety Feel the need to shift positions Want pain medication, such as epidural anesthesia Be given intravenous IV fluids The Birth of Your Baby The strong contractions you experience during active labor are your body's way of pushing your baby through the birth canal.
The head is the largest part of the baby and the hardest part to deliver. The Delivery of the Placenta After you deliver your baby, your mind and your body may have different agendas. Pain Management Each woman's labor is unique. It did for a little while, but I noticed the pain gradually getting worse, which is when I realized I should probably be timing these things.
UT Southwestern University agrees that the real difference between Braxton Hicks and active labor is the intensity. Real contractions start at the top of the uterus and, in a coordinated fashion, move through the middle of the uterus to the lower segment.
Braxton Hicks contractions feel like a tightening of the abdomen and tend to be focused in one area. It's still hard to figure out when you should start timing them though, especially if they've just started. According to Biedebach, "if you are having contractions consistently for more than one to two hours," you should begin to reach out to your birthing team.
Record your contractions so you have more information to give to your delivering doctor, midwife, or doula. The more information they have, the better they can coach you. Biedebach says for first-time moms, contractions are "usually every two to four minutes, lasting for a minute, for an hour.
Second-time mamas and more, every four to five minutes, lasting a minute, for an hour. The important part is the intensity of the pain. Which leads me to my last question. What does an actual labor contraction feel like anyway? If you've ever gone into labor, then you'll know that contractions are a very specific and distinct pain. For me and other moms I know, it feels like very intense menstrual cramps. Women may find it helpful to discuss with a doctor or midwife when and under what circumstances to seek medical help and when to go to the hospital or birth center.
In general, anyone who thinks that they might be in labor should call their healthcare provider for advice and to alert them that it could be time. Many healthcare providers recommend transferring to the hospital or birth center when contractions come every 3—5 minutes for an hour or longer, and each one lasts 45—60 seconds.
However, women who plan not to get an epidural, have no serious underlying medical conditions, or hope to deliver at home may wait longer in consultation with their healthcare provider.
In addition to labor intensifying, other reasons for women to go to the hospital at this stage include:. If the urge to push appears or the fetus begins crowning, it is important to call and the doctor or midwife. Tracking contractions can distract women from the pain and help them regain a sense of control over the process. Delivery will happen whether or not women track their contractions, though, so those who feel overwhelmed by the process can focus on managing their pain and consulting with their healthcare provider instead.
Between the early stages of labor to the point of delivery, the cervix opens up from a tight, closed hole to an opening the size of a large bagel…. Braxton-Hicks contractions prepare the body for labor, but they are not real contractions. Real contractions are consistent and increasingly frequent….
In this article, we provide a guide…. However, this is not always the case, and…. The mucus plug is a collection of cervical mucus that helps block the cervix during pregnancy.
Learn about what it means to lose the mucus plug here.
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