Summary: At the end of pregnancy, expectant mothers are always uneasy, worried that \”unloading\” will suddenly come and they will not be able to cope with it. Understand the signs of labor in advance so that expectant mothers can be fully prepared for childbirth. Expectant mothers know that the due date is not the exact date of delivery. According to scientists, only about 5% of women can give birth on the expected date. Since it is difficult to accurately determine the time of conception, medical regulations stipulate that the expected date of delivery is calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period, and the entire pregnancy period is 280 days and 10 pregnancy months (each pregnancy month is 28 days).
The expected date of delivery can indicate the time period when the fetus will be born, but expectant mothers should not pay special attention to the expected date of delivery. It is best to prepare for delivery at 37 weeks of pregnancy. At the end of pregnancy, expectant mothers are always uneasy, worried that unloading will suddenly come and they will not be able to cope with it. Understand the signs of labor in advance so that expectant mothers can be fully prepared for childbirth.
1. Regular uterine contractions
Uterine contractions are physiological contractions of the uterus and are the most powerful evidence of childbirth. They mainly include false uterine contractions and true uterine contractions.
Real contractions are one of the main signs of labor. These contractions, which are irregular and weak at first, become regular over time, increasing in intensity, lengthening in duration, and shortening in interval. If the interval is 2 to 3 minutes, last 50 to 60 seconds.
Doctors may advise women to wait until contractions are very strong and occur every five minutes or so before leaving home to go to the hospital.
When contractions occur, expectant mothers can sit astride a chair, lie prone on a chair, place their weight on a wall, or lie in a lying position with their upper body slightly elevated to relieve the discomfort caused by contractions.
2. See red
In the third trimester of pregnancy, many expectant mothers will find that their private parts have more and more secretions, and even a lot of sticky secretions will appear on their underwear, which are usually white or transparent. This is actually a signal from the body that the cervix is preparing for labor.
If there is blood in these secretions, it means you have redness and swelling that needs attention. During pregnancy, thick, bloody mucus can clog the cervix. This bloody mucus is secreted from the vagina when the cervix begins to dilate. If there is only a small amount of light blood, you can observe it at home. If your menstrual flow is excessive or accompanied by abdominal pain, you need to go to the hospital to wait for delivery. Redness usually occurs 24 hours before labor pains.
3. Amniotic membrane rupture
When the fetus is in the womb, it is surrounded by a thin membrane called the membrane, which contains a fluid called amniotic fluid. Water rupture means the amniotic membrane ruptures and amniotic fluid flows out. Normal delivery is when the cervix is dilated or the cervix is completely expanded, and the water begins to break when the fetus enters the birth canal, so water breaking is an important sign of delivery.
When an expectant mother finds that her water has broken, even if there are no contractions, she should call the hospital or midwife immediately and go to the hospital in time.
If in the third trimester of pregnancy, the expected date of delivery has not yet arrived, and the expectant mother feels pain in the lower body and water leaks from the vagina, it may be that the water has broken prematurely; or the amniotic water has broken but there are no contractions, both of which require immediate hospitalization. Because there is a risk of infection after the amniotic membrane ruptures.
Although you should always observe the physical changes of the expectant mother when the due date arrives, you should also try to relax as much as possible. Excessive tension is not conducive to childbirth. If there are abnormal uterine contractions, such as severe abdominal pain, redness and swelling, you must seek medical treatment in time.