The duration of the birth process will differ not only in different women, but even in the same woman during the first, second and subsequent pregnancies. This indicator depends on a large number of factors: the age of the pregnant woman, her state of health, the position of the fetus, emotional mood and other things. From many mothers you can hear that they gave birth so quickly that they did not notice. For others, the process drags on for a day or more. However, there are certain standards for women who give birth for the first time, in the second, third and subsequent times, and deviation from these indicators to a greater or lesser extent is considered pathological.

The average duration of the first is from 12 to 20 hours   - Such time frames are considered normal.

There are also quick births in which the baby is born for 4-6 hours in women who are pregnant for the first time, and for 2-4 hours in pregnant women for the second or third time. If the baby is born in less than 4 hours (less than 2 hours in multiparous), such a birth process is called rapid.

The most favorable for the baby and mother is the duration of the process at 12-16 hours in the first-born and 6-8 hours in the multiparous. But prolonged childbirth, which cause pain, discomfort and torment to mother and baby, can last more than a day.

The whole process begins at the moment - rhythmic, involuntary muscle contractions of the uterus, through which the birth canal opens, and the child is pushed out.

Delivery ends with the moment when the last, consisting of and fetal membranes, leaves the woman. Then the woman in labor is restored within 42 days of the postpartum period.

In feature films, one can often see such a picture of childbirth: in a woman, contractions immediately begin, and she is hastily taken away to the hospital, where she soon gives birth.
  In fact, the birth process is stretched over time and occurs in several stages: first, the cervix opens, then the fetus is expelled (the baby is born directly) and the birth of the afterbirth.

Did you know? Only 5% of women give birth on the estimated date of birth, which the doctors determined. In most cases, the child is born within a week before this date or within two weeks later.

The opening period of the cervical pharynx is the first stage of labor, the duration of which varies from 8 to 10 hours in women who are pregnant for the first time. The end of this period occurs with the full disclosure of the cervix and the willingness of the child to pass through the birth canal.

There are three stages when opening the cervix:

1. Latent phase. Starts when the frequency of contractions reaches 2 times in 10 minutes, the period lasts 5-6 hours. During this period, the cervix is \u200b\u200bsignificantly smoothed and opens up to 4 cm, contractions are almost painless.
2. Intensive phase. Lasts an average of 2-3 hours. During this period, the cervical pharynx rapidly expands from 4 to 8 cm, the frequency of contractions increases up to 5 times in 10 minutes, pain in the lower abdomen increases during the period of contractions. When the width of the pharynx reaches 6-8 cm, a physiological dissection of the fetal water occurs, with about 200 ml of amniotic fluid flowing out. If it doesn’t open itself, the doctor does it. By the end of the second phase, the cervix is \u200b\u200bfully open, and the baby’s head reaches the pelvic floor.
3. Deceleration phase. The duration of this stage is from 20 minutes to 2 hours. During this period, the erroneous impression is created that labor activity has stopped. The final opening of the pharynx occurs up to 12 cm.

During the entire first period, careful monitoring of the condition of the woman and the child takes place: the pulse, blood pressure, temperature, and the nature of the vaginal discharge are checked.

It is the stage of the direct birth of the baby, for which he must go through a closed pelvic ring and narrow birth canal. The period of exile lasts on average from half an hour to an hour and takes from 6 to 10 in first-time pregnant women.

It starts from the moment the cervix is \u200b\u200bfully opened and ends directly with the expulsion of the child. During this period, the abdominal muscles and diaphragm, which help push the child out, are actively contracting.

There are such basic options for the status of women:

1. Horizontal on the back. It is not very convenient and physiological for a woman, a child, complicates the contractile activity of the uterus. However, this situation is the most frequent in obstetrics, since it is convenient to control the course of childbirth.
2. . It is more convenient for stretching the perineum, so that childbirth is faster. However, in this position it is impossible to control the state of the perineum in order to prevent tears, it is also difficult to remove the child’s head.

  Alternative provisions can be called, as well as on special chairs.

Important! In the second phase of childbirth, timely and frequent emptying of the bladder and lower intestines is very important, since their overcrowding significantly complicates labor. In the event that a woman cannot empty herself, catheters and enemas are used.

When the baby is born, the umbilical cord is not cut immediately, since part of the blood is in the placenta, so you need to wait a few minutes until the blood pulsates and returns to the baby.

Also, in no case should you raise the baby above the level of the delivery bed until the umbilical cord is cut, otherwise the blood will return to the placenta.

The final stage of labor begins from the moment the baby is born until the birth of the placenta. This usually occurs within 2-3 uterine contractions.

Usually the duration of this stage does not exceed 30 minutes.

It consists of such stages:

• detachment of the placenta;
• exit of the placenta with the umbilical cord and amniotic membranes.

Deviations from the norm and possible consequences

The above option for the baby to be born is physiological, correct and most favorable for the state of mother and child. However, sometimes obstetricians have to deal with pathological births: swift or protracted.

There may be an erroneous opinion that the faster a child is born, the better for him and for a woman. However, advancing events when a baby is born is very dangerous, because during the longest first stage, total preparation of the female body occurs.

A number of hormones are released that trigger contractions, contribute to muscle relaxation, anesthetize, the pelvic floor bones also open, and the fetus takes the necessary position for a smooth appearance.

Childbirth is called rapid if it passes in less than 6 hours in women and in 2-4 hours in. Rapid birth can be recognized by the following signs:

• frequent and painful contractions, the duration of muscle contraction is about 10 seconds, the frequency is 3-5 times in 10 minutes;
• rapid pulse;
• heavy, rapid breathing.

  Among the causes of this phenomenon, doctors distinguish the following:

• genetic predisposition;
• age less than 18 or older than 30 years;
• the presence of any gynecological diseases;
• history of abortion;
• neurosis, psychosis and irritability;
• any violations during gestation.

A quick birth process is fraught with huge risks, primarily for the health of a woman:

• rupture of tissues of the cervix, external genitalia and perineum is the easiest consequence;
• discrepancy of the pelvic bones;
• placental abruption or retention.

Important!One of the most dangerous consequences of rapid and rapid birth is the development of severe bleeding during rapid birth as a result of rupture of the body or cervix, detachment of the placenta. In especially severe cases, they resort to the removal of reproductive organs, which leaves the woman barren.

But for a child, the risks with a quick birth are no less:

• possible damage to the head, spine and musculoskeletal system;
•   brain;
• intraorgan or cerebral hemorrhage.

A protracted labor process is also a pathological abnormality. Its duration is determined in different ways - in recent years there has been a tendency to an ever-shorter duration of childbirth, therefore, such births that last more than 18 hours in first births and 12 hours in women giving birth again can be considered protracted.

Lingering labor is called onset, on time, starting with good increasing contractions, which for various reasons weaken or stop altogether.

With a weak labor activity, the child gets stuck in the narrow birth canal, while strong pressure occurs on his head and body. The woman in labor itself is very tired during a long process.
  The reasons for weak labor are many:

• endocrine system diseases (including overweight);
• age before 18 years or after 30;
• history of abortion;
• inflammatory diseases of the reproductive system;
•   in your current pregnancy or history.

There are also other causes of weak labor, the result of which is the same - the production of the hormone oxytocin, which is a contraceptive stimulator, decreases. In the event that from the very beginning the contractions are weak and rare, do not increase, then they speak of the primary weakness of labor.

Did you know?Prolonged labor accounts for 5 to 20% of all cases in all world countries.

Danger of prolonged labor:

• increased risk of infection;
• squeezing the fetal head with circulatory disorders in the brain;
• increased trauma for women;
• danger of delay in the uterus of the placenta;
• increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage.

When the duration of the first or second birth period exceeds the permissible norms, doctors resort to using medications based on oxytocin.

If the child is already in the birth canal, special forceps or a vacuum extractor are used for obstetric practice in obstetric practice.

Features of the second, third and subsequent genera

The second and subsequent births differ from the first due to both physical and psychological factors. The multiparous woman is often more calm, confident and relaxed.

She is aware of what will happen in the coming hours, because the level of stress and excitement is lower.

How long does the second birth last?

From a physiological point of view, second births are easier due to such changes and factors:

• the inner and outer rings of the pharynx open simultaneously;
• large friability and elasticity of the cervix;
• opening of the pharynx occurs in 6 hours;
• expulsion of the fetus proceeds in 15 minutes;
• pain is less pronounced compared with the first birth.

If for the first and second time a woman gave birth on her own, and not through, then the third birth in most cases goes even faster: on average, the whole process takes 4-5 hours for women.
  The cervix by that time becomes very elastic and trained, because its opening is as fast as possible.

Important!If a woman is completely healthy, and her age is less than 35 years, the third and subsequent births are much easier, faster and less traumatic than the previous ones. In the opposite case, exacerbation of existing chronic diseases, weak labor, divergence of sutures and an increased risk of bleeding are possible.

However, it should be borne in mind that by the time of the third birth, the likelihood of gaining excess weight increases, which very negatively affects the course of the process. Also, by the time of the third pregnancy, the muscular apparatus of the uterus and the anterior abdominal wall is stretched and contracted less effectively.

In approximately 1/3 of cases, contractions significantly weaken at the moment when the width of the pharynx reaches 5 cm. In this case, drug stimulation is used. If there are pathologies of the reproductive sphere, the afterbirth can be quite difficult and painful.

Carrying out COP always has medical grounds and is never carried out at the request of a woman.

Video: when you need to do a cesarean section   There are two types of operations: scheduled and emergency, which determines the duration of the entire process.

With a planned COP, the date of operation is assigned in advance, for some time a woman is placed in a hospital for examination.

On the day of surgery, she is given an enema, then epidural anesthesia (less commonly, general anesthesia) is administered, which begins to act after 15-30 minutes.

The operation itself takes from 20 to 40 minutes, and the baby is born after 5-10 minutes from the beginning of the COP. The rest of the time takes suturing on the uterus and the anterior wall of the peritoneum.

In urgent cases, the duration of the caesarean section depends on many factors. Sometimes an operation is prescribed when during the birth process it turns out that the woman's pelvis is too narrow. Then the duration of the operation itself does not change, but the time of the entire first stage of labor is added to it.

If the situation is critical, they can be replaced by general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia, which begin to act as soon as possible.
  The duration of physiological birth differs in women who are pregnant for the first time and repeatedly, and also depends on many individual physical and psychological factors.

The period of gestation is coming to an end, and the woman is looking forward to the birth. And so the first fights begin. As a rule, mothers giving birth for the first time are afraid of this and begin to panic. But in no case should this be done. It is best to lie down, calm down and take a few deep breaths. Doctors advise women to rest before childbirth as much as possible so that the body can accumulate enough strength and not overload during labor.

Where does it all begin

Some women begin to feel the so-called training contractions at about 32 weeks of gestation. They are almost painless and feel like a sharp tension in the abdomen, which disappears in a couple of minutes. Training contractions prepare the uterus for the upcoming birth process and are therefore very important. But there is such a category of mothers for whom the time of labor in this case passes without any sensations. This does not mean that training fights do not occur at all, but due to individual characteristics, attentiveness, lifestyle and pain threshold of a woman, they may be less noticeable.

There are frequent cases when inexperienced parents take this training of the body for the beginning of childbirth and rush to the hospital. You do not need to do this, because during the fights the real sensations will be slightly different. As a rule, immediately before childbirth, everything starts with a slight strain. A woman feels that her stomach has become hard and pointed. It does not cause any pain. After a while, the feeling repeats. Then the intervals between contractions become less and less, and they themselves are more and more long.

Time between bouts

Very often, expectant mothers do not notice the very first labor pains. And this is not surprising, because their duration is only 5-10 seconds, and they cause only slight tension and fossilized abdomen. But if you listen carefully to your body, you will notice that the time between contractions is always the same. In other words, real fights, unlike training ones, have a certain regularity and frequency. And these indicators need to be monitored very carefully. For example, training, or “false” contractions can occur alternately after 20, 15, 30 minutes, while the time of real contractions is clear intervals, every 20 minutes.

The period of the first contractions is necessary for a woman in order to prepare mentally and physically for the contractions during childbirth, which will be much stronger and more painful. If the future woman in labor is at home, then she focuses only on her subjective feelings, but as soon as she gets into the hospital, doctors begin to monitor the time between contractions using a special device. A woman is given a cardiotocogram, and the onset of labor is determined by her testimony.

Fighting time: how to distinguish labor from prenatal labor

The first sign that childbirth begins is the discharge of water from the woman. It is advisable to get to the hospital before this point, although most mothers come after. At this time, they experience prenatal contractions with a frequency of 15-20 minutes. Depending on whether the first is a woman’s birth or the second, the total time of labor before the birth process itself can last from 4 to 18 hours. Obstetricians observing a woman in childbirth, of course, will let you know when the baby begins to be born, but any mommy can determine this on her own by the following signs:

• Intervals are getting smaller. Labor pains pass with a frequency of 1-5 minutes;
• Fights are getting longer. At birth, the duration of labor can be 50-60 seconds. Doctors closely monitor this time, because excessive tension of the uterus can lead to convulsions, which will adversely affect the baby;
• Intensity. Prenatal contractions irritate a woman and bring slight pain, but in the process of childbirth, uterine contractions become tens of times stronger, which, of course, any woman in labor feels.

What to do during contractions

The best is to lie down and fall asleep. As long as the contractions are not painful and allow the woman to rest, this is the best she can do. But depending on what time the contractions begin, mom may not be up to sleep. In this case, it is necessary not to worry, but to look for a comfortable body position for yourself and relax. It will also be useful to check whether everything is ready for the upcoming birth, whether the bag is packed, and whether all the necessary things are in place. Preparing a husband is also an important aspect. So that he does not unnerve the future mother, you can give him a responsible task - to ensure that she does not strain, and to remind her of the need for relaxation.

The experience of many women indicates that the time of labor is best tolerated if the woman in labor understands what is happening to her. No need to think that this is a dull and senseless pain. In fact, at this time the cervix gradually opens and the baby is nearing the birth date. The more mommy resists and strains, the more pain she inflicts on herself and her baby. Therefore, the advice to relax is not just words, but the only useful recommendation in this situation.

Time between contractions: how to breathe

To reduce pain, a woman is very important to learn how to breathe. If she attended preparatory courses, then surely she was taught proper breathing. However, at the most crucial moment, as practice shows, many women in labor forget all the advice. Therefore, there should always be someone who reminds her of them. If there were no courses, then you can practice proper birth breath on your own. This will greatly facilitate the time of labor and help to calmly transfer the birth.

The most important thing is to remember that you need to inhale air through your nose, and exhale through your mouth. In this case, one should not try to inhale as much air as possible, everything should happen naturally. The chest should not twitch, let its movements be smooth. This restores breathing before contractions and returns to the woman some of the strength, which is very, very important in the process of childbirth.

Text: Alina Litovchenko

4.75 4.8 out of 5 (32 votes)

Very often, labor begins with labor. At the very beginning of this process, the pain is very weak and many women who have a low pain threshold may not even feel them.

In order to understand that childbirth really began and it’s not, which have been observed recently, you need to start detecting them. When the gap between them is reduced, and the fight itself becomes longer, then it is time to gather in the maternity ward.

How long does the struggle for primiparas last?

When a woman is at home before giving birth, she may not be in a hurry to rush to the hospital with the onset of labor. To do this, you need to know how long the labor before the birth lasts. After all, the future mother, who will have her first child, may feel discomfort a day before the birth. On average, the birthright fights last about 8-12 hours.

If the water flowed off at the very beginning of the birth process, the “dry” (anhydrous) period should not exceed 12 hours, because there is a threat of infection from entering the baby. If childbirth does not begin during this time, then labor stimulation or cesarean section is used.

  - How long are the contractions?

If the woman in labor does not go through this process for the first time, then the time of labor is shorter than the first time. This takes about 6-8 hours. But do not forget that we are all different and the generic process is also different for each. Childbirth can begin without contractions and be taken by surprise, or cramping pains grow very quickly, which leads to accelerated disclosure of the cervix. Therefore, the multiparous woman at the first sign should gather in the hospital.

Knowing how many hours the contractions last, you can plan the time for which you need to get to the hospital. This is especially true for those who expect a third, fourth or more birth. As a rule, an organism familiar with the process takes 3-4 hours to open the cervix and the baby is born very quickly compared to primiparas.

So the pregnancy came to an end, and childbirth, as if future mothers did not want it, are inevitable. But what scares women the most in the birth process? Of course, labor pains during childbirth. All kinds of stories of girlfriends, mothers, grandmothers, and others, aggravate fears, as they had a hard time during battles.

In this case, we can offer only one thing: do not listen to anyone, every person has an individual structure, which means that everything happens in different ways. Someone easily tolerates pain, and someone becomes sick from a prick with a rose thorn. Knowing about the birth process will help get rid of fears of the upcoming pain in childbirth, how to reduce pain during labor and how to breathe correctly at this time.

Childbirth and their periods

Childbirth is a complex physiological process by which pregnancy ends. Depending on the gestational age, labor is divided into premature (up to 36 weeks), urgent, that is, at 38 - 41 weeks and belated, which occur on the 42nd week. The generic process itself is divided into 3 periods:

• 1 period is called the period of the opening of the uterine pharynx or the period of contractions;
• 2 period - this is the period of expulsion (i.e. birth) of the fetus;
• 3 period - last (in this phase the last is born).

The longest period of labor is. It is characterized by contractions and the pain that accompanies them. The period of exile, many women mistakenly consider childbirth. Although it lasts normally 5 to 10 minutes and is accompanied by attempts that occur against the background of labor and push the fetus out of the uterus. The third period is the expulsion (birth) of the afterbirth, normally also short-lived and amounts to 5-15, maximum 30 minutes. It becomes clear that childbirth is not only the process of giving birth to a baby, but also contractions, at the end of which amniotic fluid and the birth of an afterbirth depart (“baby place” or placenta).

Contractions: what is it and what is it for

Contractions are called involuntary uterine contractions (carried out by the muscle layer), which occur regularly and are necessary to expel the fetus from the uterus. Contractions are classified into false and true.

The expectant mother begins to feel contractions before childbirth or false a few weeks before the start of labor. For the first time, such uterine contractions occur after 24 weeks. They are characterized by short duration, only a few seconds (less often a minute), irregularity, intervals between contractions range from 10 - 15 minutes to half an hour and last no more than two hours. Arising at the end of the gestation period means the approach of childbirth. Still such uterine contractions are called training, as they prepare the woman’s body, in particular, the uterus, for the upcoming work in the process of childbirth.

True contractions mark the beginning of the birth act. It is impossible not to notice and miss them, as most women are afraid, especially giving birth for the first time. First, the onset of labor is preceded by their many precursors, the passage of the mucous plug (3-7 days before delivery) is especially important. Secondly, amniotic fluid discharge is possible. And thirdly, contractions have their own parameters, knowing that even a primogenous woman will not doubt at the beginning of the birth act.

Contractions are necessary in order for the uterine pharynx to open, the head of the baby, and then the entire baby, will pass through it first. Uterine pharynx is the external and internal pharynx of the cervical canal. Normally, before the onset of labor, the uterine pharynx is closed (closed) or misses the tip of the finger. To facilitate the expulsion of the uterus from the uterine cavity, the uterine pharynx opens up to 10 - 12 cm. This opening is called complete. In addition, in the process of the first stage of childbirth, due to contractions, not only the neck is opened, but also the preposition of the fetus along the planes of the small pelvis. When the cervix opens fully, and the baby’s head passes the bony ring of the pelvis and appears on the pelvic floor (that is, in the vagina), attempts appear, which indicates the second period of labor that has begun. Attempts and contractions belong to the fruiting forces, it becomes clear that childbirth without contractions is impossible.

Contractions: How to Recognize Them

As already mentioned, it is impossible to miss a fight, even if a woman is preparing to become a mother for the first time. But one should not believe in films where such a situation is often shown: a woman in the last stages of pregnancy amid full health suddenly and vigorously begins labor, and after a couple of hours she becomes a happy mother. Yes, such situations are not excluded, but this applies to rapid delivery, which lasts no more than 4 hours in primiparas, and in the second birth, 2 or less hours elapse from the moment of uterine contractions until the birth of the baby.

True contractions (normal) begin gradually, gradually increasing, and the gap between them decreases. How to understand that the contractions began, if the first birth? You need to listen to yourself. Sensations can be different. Someone compares uterine contractions with menstrual pains, and someone has pulling pains or sipping in the lumbar region, gradually spreading to the lower abdomen, encircling a woman. True contractions, as they say on many sites on the Internet, do not refer to the precursors of childbirth, but to the beginning of childbirth. To recognize contractions during childbirth, you should know their characteristics:

• contractions are always regular and resume after certain periods of time;
• the duration of uterine contractions increases, and the gap between them is shortened;
• pain (if any) is gradually increasing.

Another sensation that the expectant mother experiences during uterine contractions, especially if she is not worried about the pain, the uterus is “stony”. It is easy to identify with your hand. From the beginning of the fight, the uterus contracts and becomes firm to the touch, and towards the end it gradually relaxes.

How long are the contractions? When the birth has just begun, each uterine contraction lasts 10 - 15 seconds, over time, contractions elongate and reach 1 - 1.5 minutes (60 - 90 seconds) by the end of the first period. Breaks between contractions at first are 10 - 15 minutes, then they become shorter, and in the busy period, contractions occur on average after 1.5 - 2 minutes, but possibly after a minute.

Fighting Phases

In view of the fact that the neck opens unevenly, and the fetus moves along the bone ring at different speeds, the period of contractions is divided into three phases:

The first (latent phase)

Its beginning coincides with the establishment of regular contractions, and it ends with smoothing of the cervix and its opening up to 3-4 cm. Contractions continue from 20 to 45 seconds, occur every 15 minutes, the phase itself lasts up to 6 hours. This phase is called "latent" in connection with painlessness or weak pain and does not require medical anesthesia.

The second (active phase)

As soon as the uterine pharynx opens 4 cm, the active phase starts. This phase is characterized by intense labor and fairly rapid opening of the cervix. The active phase lasts 3 to 4 hours, the duration of uterine contractions reaches 60 seconds, and the intervals between them last 2 to 4 minutes. When the neck opening is 8 cm and the whole fetal bladder should be opened (timely amniotomy).

Third or slowdown phase

It begins with the opening of the neck to 8 cm and ends with a full opening. If contractions occur during the first birth, then the third phase lasts 40 minutes - 2 hours. In the case of second birth, the absence of a delay phase is possible. Uterine contractions last 1 to 1.5 minutes and are repeated every minute.

Based on the foregoing, it is easy to calculate how long the contractions and childbirth in general are. So, the duration of 1 period and childbirth as a whole in primiparous is approximately 10 - 12 hours. With repeated birth, this distance decreases to 6 - 8 hours. If the duration of the birth exceeds the specified norms, they speak of a prolonged birth.

When it's time for the hospital

If contractions began before childbirth, when to go to the hospital? As often happens, especially in primiparous women, they come to the maternity hospital either too early (which makes the woman in labor very nervous) or late. To avoid this or that situation, we will decide when it is time to call an ambulance.

To understand that the contractions began, especially in the case of the first birth, is quite simple. Uterine contractions are regular, that is, they are repeated every 10 minutes, and then the interval between contractions slowly but surely begins to decrease to 7, then to 5 minutes and so on. Since the first birth, then when the woman herself establishes regular contractions with an interval of 5 - 7 minutes, it is time to call the ambulance station. If the birth is repeated, then the regularity of contractions is usually established almost immediately, and the periods of rest between them decrease rapidly. Therefore, it is necessary to call doctors immediately to avoid rushing when entering the hospital, when the disclosure is complete, and it is time for the birth table. The risk of so-called road births also increases (especially in large cities, where travel is often difficult due to traffic jams).

In addition, to call, and immediately, the ambulance team is necessary in cases:

• discharge of amniotic fluid (often this happens in a dream, a woman wakes up in a wet bed and thinks with horror that she urinated);
• suspicion of the outflow of water (odorless light fluid leaks or suspicious liquid discharge appeared);
• bloody appeared, with clots or without allocation of dark or scarlet color (placental abruption is not excluded).

The beginning of childbirth, the appearance of regular contractions makes a woman and her relatives fuss and get nervous. Therefore, the bag in the hospital must be collected in advance, according to a previously compiled list, so that in a hurry and fuss you do not forget something important. Before the ambulance arrives, the expectant mother, as well as her relatives, should calm down and tune in to a favorable outcome of an important event (sometimes the ambulance team does not know who to help the first: a woman in labor - to accompany her into the car or her excited relatives).

How to relieve birth pain

This is not to say that birth pain is so unbearable that it is easier to die than survive it. I repeat, if you believe the stories of friends and relatives, they all felt so hard and bad at the time of the bouts, there was such unbearable pain that they decided to survive it again, giving birth to a second or third child. Smiled So, the devil is not so terrible as he is painted. Everything in this life can be experienced, and childbirth is a natural process and laid down by nature. As a reassurance of expectant mothers, I would like to bring another well-known fact: men could not bear the pain that a woman experiences during contractions. What is this talking about? This only confirms that women are much stronger and more enduring than men, therefore, women, not men, have been given the opportunity to bear and give birth to a child.

Undoubtedly, pain to one degree or another will accompany the contractions, but there is not always a need for medical anesthesia, and does your unborn baby need it? There are a number of recommendations, observing that pain during contractions if they do not disappear, then at least decrease.

How to relieve pain during childbirth:

Psychoprophylactic preparation

Such preparation begins in the second half of pregnancy. In the lessons at the “school of mothers”, doctors and midwives give a detailed coverage of the entire process of childbirth, from A to Z, answer questions and tell how to behave in each period of childbirth, how to breathe and how you can help yourself during labor to make them easier . The main female fears originate in ignorance of the process, what can be expected and how to behave in a particular situation. A good psycho-preventive preparation will not only fill the gap in the knowledge of the birth process, but also will set the expectant mother to a successful outcome of childbirth, to a happy expectation of meeting her baby.

“Drive out demons”

Demons mean fears of an impending birth. You should not again and again relive the upcoming process in your soul, wind up yourself and think about pain, how to survive it or about possible complications. Otherwise, a vicious circle is formed: the more you fear, the more likely the occurrence of complications and severe pain during contractions. Remember that all thoughts are material, expressed in a scientific language, negative emotions “give an installation” to the brain, and he will try to realize this installation. Childbirth should not be expected with fear, but with joy, because for so many long months the woman carried under the baby’s heart, how does she want to quickly meet and get to know him.

Warm water

If the contractions started at home and time allows, it is recommended to take a warm but hot bath (provided that amniotic fluid does not leave). Warm water will help to relax as much as possible and relieve tension of the uterine muscle, contractions will become softer, and neck opening will accelerate. If the water has diverted, a warm shower is allowed. In the maternity hospital, upon receipt, a woman in labor is also sent to the shower, where you can stand under the warm jets for your pleasure.

Maximum relaxation

In the event of the start of fights at home and long breaks between them, you need to ensure yourself comfort and relaxation. You can listen to pleasant music, watch your favorite movie, calmly drink tea (if not to be) and even take a nap. The first period, especially among primiparas, is quite long, so a woman needs to gain strength and energy for childbirth.

Active behavior

Active behavior during the period of contractions means walking and taking comfortable postures at the time of uterine contraction. Not so long ago, a woman in labor was ordered to be in a horizontal position in the first period. To date, it has been proven that movement in an upright position forces the opening of the cervix (the underlying part presses on the cervix) and facilitates contractions. You can swing the pelvis, dance or make circular movements with the hips.

Massage

The first period of the Sámi birth is the time for the massage. You can perform the massage yourself, but it is better to entrust this matter to your husband (if he is present at the birth). With light movements during the contractions, you can stroke the stomach (but only clockwise). Massaging of the lower back and sacrum, pressure with fists on the points on the sides of the spine in the lumbar region and pressing with the thumbs in places of the front upper awns of the pelvis are also allowed (they can be easily identified - the parts of the pelvis that protrude most in front).

Correct posture

At the time of the fight, the woman in labor takes the most comfortable posture for her. This can be a tilt of the body forward with an emphasis on the wall or the back of the bed (as an option - the husband), while the legs are spread apart shoulder width apart. You can stand on all fours or squat down, it is also convenient to lift one leg, putting it on a chair, leaning on a wall (bed, window sill). Many maternity hospitals today have special large balls on which you can jump during uterine contraction or lie down. When choosing and taking a comfortable position, it is important not to forget about proper breathing.

Breathe right

Proper breathing will not only reduce pain during contractions, but also provide the maximum flow of oxygen to the fetus. It is not recommended to scream during fights. Firstly, during a cry, breathing is held, which means that oxygen does not enter the child. Secondly, a lot of energy is spent on cries, which will still be needed in the busy period. And thirdly, with a cry, you simply scare the child (yes, he believes that since mom screams, then not everything is in order).

Distracted

It helps to relieve pain or at least forget about it various distractions. You can read poetry or sing songs, repeat the multiplication table aloud, or perform simple arithmetic.

Confidence in the doctor

Another important point that affects the intensity of pain in the first period is trust in the doctor. If you don’t like the doctor or don’t believe him instinctively, ask for a replacement obstetrician. But the best option is a preliminary agreement with the doctor who will be giving birth.

Case study

I had a young, pre-pregnant woman. Something I won her trust, and she decided that I should take birth from her. And then one day, on a weekend, early in the morning a doorbell rang. I open and see this woman who says that her labor has begun, and she came for me to pick up the hospital. She came not alone, of course, with her husband. I asked, how long have they begun and is it tolerable so far? She replied that she was tolerant, the fights were already around 4 hours, the water did not leave. Well, since such a thing, there’s nowhere to hurry, we drank tea, talked and laughed, and slowly went to the hospital (the hospital can be seen from the window of my house). When a woman in labor was registered and measured the size of the abdomen and pelvis (the pelvis, by the way, turned out to be normal), I determined the position of the fetus and its presentation, listened to the heartbeat and invited the woman to the gynecological chair. During the examination, it turned out that the opening of the uterine pharynx is complete, the head is already on the way to exit the small pelvis. About an hour later we gave birth to a healthy full-term boy.

Summing up, I want to note why the woman did not experience pain, but only slight discomfort during the contractions:

1. sufficient size of the pelvis and fetus of medium size;
2. a positive attitude to childbirth and their successful completion;
3. husband support;
4. unlimited trust in the doctor.

Right breathing

Proper breathing during childbirth and contractions not only alleviates pain, but also helps the woman in labor to relax as much as possible, provides both the mother and the fetus with oxygen, and favors the opening of the uterine throat. Unfortunately, many women relate to the need to learn proper breathing with a fair amount of skepticism, not believing in its "miraculous" capabilities, but in vain. How to breathe properly during contractions and childbirth, they are taught in the "school of mothers", in terms of 30 - 32 weeks. It is necessary to master the breathing technique so that all movements are performed automatically, this will facilitate the course of childbirth in the future.

Breathing technique

How to breathe correctly depends on the strength of the scrum and their phase. It is important to follow the rule: the longer and more intense the contractions, the more often the breath. Proper breathing techniques:

Breathe deeply and slowly

This method of breathing is recommended in the latent phase of contractions, when they still do not cause pain, but bring only discomfort. Inhale briefly and quickly, and exhale slowly and long. You need to inhale through the nose, and exhale through the mouth, stretching out your lips with a “tube”. It is recommended to count in the process of breathing: on inspiration, count to 3, on exhalation to 5.

The technique of "candle"

As soon as the contractions have gained strength and become longer, we breathe often and superficially. Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth with extended lips. Breathe so often and not deeply, as if blowing out a candle. By the end of the bout, you can return to deep slow breathing. The slight dizziness that appears after this breathing technique is due to hyperventilation of the lungs. Frequent shallow breathing also promotes the release of endorphins (“hormones of joy”) that reduce pain.

Big candle technique

By the end of the first stage of labor, we move on to the “big candle” technique. We breathe with effort, inhaling as if with a stuffy nose, and exhaling through almost closed lips.

Early breathing

When the neck is not fully opened, and the head begins to lower, early attempts occur, which are contraindicated and can provoke tearing of the neck. In this case, it is recommended to change the position of the body (to stand or squat), at the beginning of the bout, breathe “a candle” (superficially and often), then briefly inhale and repeat the “candle”. Thus breathe until the end of the contractions. In between uterine contractions, we breathe freely.

The technique of "dog"

We breathe often and superficially, but the mouth is open (inhale and exhale through the mouth).

Breathing in attempts

At the beginning of the effort, we breathe in as deep as possible and push into the perineum, trying to push the child out. Avoid pushing in the face (otherwise there will be tears in the blood vessels of the retina and headache). For the fight you need to push three times. As soon as the head was born, we stop pushing and breathe “dog-like”. After the team, the attempt is resumed, during which the child is born.

By labor after childbirth women mean labor pains of the last period. After the birth of a child, the afterbirth is necessary. When the placenta has separated from the uterine walls, the pains resume, but not as intense as in the first period. In this case, no special effort is required, it is enough to push a little and the "child's place" leaves the uterus.

No less exciting than the first time is a second pregnancy and repeated second births. Often, repeated births can differ significantly from the first ones both physically and psychologically.

How is the second birth

But expectant mothers are concerned with the question of how the second birth in women goes. Usually experienced mothers say giving birth to second or third children is simpler and easier than giving birth to a first-born. Firstly, the expectant mother has already become older and more experienced, so she will behave much more calmly and collectively. In addition, the already established program of the first birth will help to realize the birth process already “on the thumb track”.

Signs of the onset of labor during the second pregnancy

Many girls note significant differences between the first and subsequent pregnancies, due to changes in the female body. The tummy will become noticeable earlier, since the muscles are stretched more actin and more supple, the abdominal wall is no longer so elastic. The kid earlier for a couple of weeks begins to move, and mom feels it. Usually, the belly sags more, and by the end of pregnancy, the baby’s head falls lower, and the weight of the second child is usually higher than the first-born. Due to this, girls can more often and more feel pain in the back and lower back, legs swell and gait changes. If the pregnancy is not complicated, it can be somewhat easier than the previous one, the body already knows how to cope with the tasks.

With age, especially if the difference between births is large, health problems can accumulate, which will affect the course of pregnancy. Close attention will require a second pregnancy with a scar on the uterus after cesarean section, especially if the difference between births is less than two years, and placenta previa is also observed. Often during the second pregnancy, pyelonephritis, gestational diabetes, or increased pressure with the development of preeclampsia and gestosis can recur.

What will be the signs of the onset of childbirth during the second pregnancy? The second birth portends the same signs as the first, but a more experienced girl can recognize them earlier. Harbinger of the second birth of the second baby will be such symptoms before the second birth in women, as the prolapse of the fundus with the insertion of the head into the small pelvis. In multiparous children, this happens literally a couple of days before childbirth, which can be seen by a change in the shape of the abdomen, relief of symptoms of heartburn and easier breathing. At the same time, the baby will not rest so much against the legs under the ribs, but it will begin to put more pressure on the bladder, pelvic bones, and perineum. This leads to increased pain in the lower back, more frequent trips to the toilet and difficulty in moving.

Immediately before childbirth, due to the beginning of the opening of the cervix, the mucous plug goes away, which the pregnant woman will definitely notice. And naturally, she will be able to understand that the waters began to flow away, even if they are leaking gradually and the fetal bladder has not been fully opened.

Duration of second birth

The duration of the second birth is usually shorter. Second births are simpler, faster, and easier.

Usually the answer to the question of how long the second birth lasts in time is this answer - if on average the first birth lasts about 10-14 hours, then the second usually half or a third less - this is 7-10 hours from the time of labor to the birth of the baby .

This can be explained by a softer and more elastic cervix, the body remembered the program of previous births, and during subsequent births everything goes more smoothly and energetically. Also, a woman is psychologically ready for childbirth and knows about the rules of behavior during contractions and attempts.

Features of the second birth

The question always arises - how is the birth a second time? In fact, nothing changes in the physiological sequence of the first and second births, the difference will only be in the duration and characteristics of each of the periods of childbirth. It is worth knowing how the second birth begins. They begin from the moment the cervix opens, at which labor pains occur. The area of \u200b\u200bthe cervix in giving birth to girls differs visually and in its physiological properties from the uterus that did not give birth.

During the first pregnancy, the neck is round and dense, while in the multiparous, the neck is flat and soft, which relaxes and stretches more actively. Consequently, the first period of labor is faster.

However, the often active process of opening the cervix is \u200b\u200bpainful, and then many mothers, in order to survive the second birth without pain, are often asked to use epidural anesthesia. This helps not to spend energy on contractions, normalize the process of opening the neck and relieve nervous tension. In addition, analgesia helps to pass the second birth without gaps. The experience of re-giving mother helps the same. She actively listens to doctors, knows how to breathe properly and when to push, and when not.

Contractions in the second birth

Even at the stage of preparation for delivery, mothers who give birth again feel pronounced false contractions during the second birth. They are especially pronounced in the last weeks before childbirth and portend a soon birth. An important question will be how to recognize false contractions during the second birth? They usually occur in the evening, are not painful, are not accompanied by any discharge from the vagina and pass after resting on one side or taking antispasmodic drugs. This is the training of the whole organism and the uterus, in particular, for an early birth, you should not go to the maternity ward with them.

But how to understand that in the second birth contractions began, which are already generic? These contractions, as in the first birth are regular, begin with a period of 20-30 minutes, are painful and do not pass after rest and antispasmodics. At the first birth, the girls with the first contractions are in a hurry to the hospital, and those who give birth again prefer to be at home, although this is not entirely true.

It is important to know that the duration of contractions in the second birth can be quickly reduced, since the neck is already prepared for disclosure, and the interval between contractions in the second birth can decrease quite quickly. Often, rebirthing girls may not immediately notice how contractions begin during the second birth, since they can become strong and painful when the cervix is \u200b\u200bopened. With an interval of contractions of less than 10 minutes, you must immediately go to the hospital so as not to give birth outside the hospital.