Hello Lovelies,
Are you a first time preggy (used to refer to pregnant women in this context)… or you can’t wait to be one? Either way, you need to aquaint yourself with the basics first.
Going through labour and childbirth is a glorious experience. It’s such an epic feeling to go through the perilous journey of labour and have a matchless gift to show for it at the end- your bundle of joy. No feeling on earth compares to it.
There are lots of myths and misconceptions about labour that a lot of us believe to be true. Here on this post, I have tried my best to put together some of the basics for you.
Undoubtedly, Vaginal births are the natural way to give birth to an infant and, while most women aspire to have a complication-free vaginal birth, there are some instances during labour when health and safety concerns for both mother and infant make natural birth too risky and medical intervention is required, resulting in an emergency caesarean, which is absolutely fine as it doesn’t make one any less a woman as opposed to what people may think. Other medical complications or personal choice can result in a planned caesarean and in these instances birth is scheduled and labour is not experienced by the mother.
On the other hand though, vaginal birth experiences vary dramatically from person to person. The process of childbirth from the start of uterine contractions to delivery also vary. Labour should generally begin between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy. If it starts sooner than 37 weeks it is considered pre-term or premature labour and immediate medical observation will be required. If later than 42 weeks, the preggy would have to be induced or operated upon to avoid other complications which I will share in my next POST.
During pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes many unique physical changes, to carry, grow and nurture her child, then move through labour to give birth. Here are five significant changes that take place during the third trimester in preparation for labour and birth:
1. The uterus expands to accommodate the growing baby.
2. The cervix prepares to dilate and expand so the baby can make its way through the birth canal.
3. The placenta acts like a sieve, moving oxygen and nutrients from the mother’s body to the baby’s through the umbilical chord, taking carbon dioxide and waste materials from the baby into your body for elimination.
4. During late pregnancy, hormones soften and relax the ligaments of the pelvis, making the bones elastic rather than rigid, so they can stretch and open more easily for the birth of the baby.
5. The perineum, the strong, flexible muscle between the opening of the vagina and anus, stretches during a vaginal birth to allow your baby to be born.
The baby should engage – meaning it will position itself with its head down in preparation for its journey down the birth canal – any time from around week 34 of gestation. If the baby does not engage prior to labour there is the possibility of a breech birth (the baby will come down the birth canal feet first).
As part of planning for your birth, you should consider who will be with you during the labour process. Perhaps you intend to just have your partner, or perhaps a close friend or a relative. Whoever you choose, ideally they are the sort of person who can be unconditionally supportive on both emotional and physical levels throughout labour. Research has shown that if a woman has continuous, hands-on nurturing and encouragement from a sympathetic caregiver, or childbirth companion throughout her labour, she is LESS likely to:
- need pain relief
- have a prolonged first stage of labour
- need an oxytocin drip to stimulate her labour
- need an episiotomy
- need an operative delivery (i.e. forceps, ventouse or caesarean)
- have a baby that becomes distressed during labour, or for her baby to need assistance at birth.
During the first stage of labour, the cervix opens slowly, with regular contractions of the uterus. Fully dilated, the cervix will open to 10cm. Each contraction works to open the cervix wider so the baby can pass through the birth canal.
The first stage is made up of three different phases. These are:
- The Latent Phase – Generally, this stage is the longest and the least painful part of labour. The cervix thins out and dilates zero to three centimetres. This may occur over weeks, days or hours and be accompanied by mild contractions. The contractions may be regularly or irregularly spaced, or you might not notice them at all.
- The Active Phase – This phase is marked by strong, painful contractions that tend to occur three or four minutes apart, and last from 30 to 60 seconds. The cervix dilates from three centimetres to seven or eight centimetres.
- The Transition Phase – During transition, the cervix dilates from eight centimetres to 10 centimetres (that is, fully dilated). These contractions can become more intense, painful and frequent. It may feel as though the contractions are no longer separate, but running into each other. It is not unusual to feel out of control and even a strong urge to go to the toilet as the baby’s head moves down the birth canal and pushes against the rectum.
How long labour takes can vary dramatically from woman to woman. As a guide (only), the average time of labour for a first baby is 12-14 hours.
It could last longer or shorter than that. Well, I hope I was able to assist with some of the preliminaries… Good luck momas!
XOXO!
