Natural childbirth is generally divided into three stages of labor, and each stage of labor is a major challenge for the expectant mother. Understanding the relevant knowledge of each stage of labor can help expectant mothers to \”get through\” smoothly.
First stage of labor (6-12 hours) – replenish energy, rest, eat
Elapsed time: The first period is from the regular contraction of the uterus to the complete dilation of the cervix. If you are a primiparous woman giving birth for the first time, your first period will take about 12 hours; if you are a multiparous woman who has given birth before, it will take about 6 hours.
Performance: When contractions begin to become regular, contractions will begin approximately every six or seven minutes and last for half a minute each time. As labor progresses, the intervals between uterine contractions gradually shorten, the duration and intensity of each contraction gradually increase, and the cervix opens slowly.
When the cervix dilates to about 5 cm, uterine contractions will become stronger. You who were calm just now may become nervous and fearful. This is when you feel the most severe pain, and you may worry that your baby won\’t make it. When you are down and out, you may think that you can no longer hold on, and you will strongly urge the doctor to give you a caesarean section. If you stick with it, you will see a bright future, everyone around you will tell you so.
How to get through the first stage of labor smoothly
(1) Rest, sleep, eat, drink, chat or listen to music between contractions. During this period, the contractions are intermittent. The non-contraction time is long and the contraction time is short. You can have time to rest. Although you are often interrupted by sudden pain, try to relax yourself, take time to rest or eat, and listen to music when you can\’t sleep.
(2) Breathe abdominally and keep your posture casual when contractions come. When contractions come, relax your abdomen through abdominal breathing. Adopt the posture you like. Don\’t deliberately follow the posture told by books or doctors. That posture may not be suitable for you. But in general, the side sleeping position is better.
Second stage of labor (12 hours) – extreme sprint, coordination of exertion and breathing
Elapsed time: The second period is the period from the complete expansion of the uterus to the delivery of the fetus. It takes about 2 hours for first-time mothers and about 1 hour for multiparous women.
Performance: The interval between contractions is shortened to 12 minutes, each lasting 50 seconds. For you, there may be no rest, it seems like you have constant contractions, and the pain in your stomach is constant. At this time, the fetus\’s head gradually protrudes from the pelvis, and while rotating, moves toward the exit of the birth canal as the uterus contracts. As a mother, you can only work hard, work hard, work hard.
Most water breaks occur during this period. The midwife could already see the baby\’s hair and the vaginal opening was dilated to its maximum size. You will feel a big thing holding up the baby (crown), which is a sign that the baby is about to be delivered. From the moment you put on the crown, the midwife will ask you to stop pushing, let you gasp for breath, and at the same timeThe abdominal wall begins to relax. Soon, the baby\’s head and shoulders came out, and then the entire fetus was delivered naturally.
\”Wow -\” The clear and loud baby\’s first cry reached his ears. All difficulties and obstacles were over, and his heart was filled with happiness and joy. This is the happiest moment of your life.
How to go through the second stage of labor smoothly
(1) Uterine contractions are forceful, but there is no relaxation. Use force according to the rhythm of contractions, force when contractions occur, and be sure to relax after contractions stop. If you keep exerting yourself, you will feel unusually tired. If contractions come, you cannot use the correct force and cannot cooperate well with the contractions and the fetus to complete the delivery process.
(2) Use the correct method of force. When the contractions start and the pain kicks in, you take a deep breath, then close your lips, hold your breath, and start pushing.
(3) Stop when it’s time to stop. If your midwife tells you to stop pushing, you must stop pushing or you may develop a perineal laceration. When the midwife does not ask you to exert force, you should cooperate, breathe shallowly and quickly, make a \”ha, ha\” sound, and relax all the muscles of the abdominal wall and body at the same time.
The third stage of labor (330 minutes) – the placenta is delivered, which is relatively easy
The third period is the period from the birth of the fetus to the delivery of the placenta. This period is relatively easy to pass. The mother no longer had labor pains and heard her newborn\’s first cry. The mother finally saw the long-awaited baby, and the pain disappeared in joy.