Giving Birth World: Labor and Delivery

It's only natural to be apprehensive at giving birth, so knowing what to expect during Labor will ease those worries and help you understand the miracle that you and your

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Unborn baby are about to experience.  So let's start in reverse, and discuss what to expect when Labor starts to kicks in...

If this is your first baby it can be difficult to predict.  However, there a few tell-tale signs that all women will experience that are a clear indication that the first stage of Labor is about to happen...

First Stage Of  Labor.

When your baby moves into position you will likely feel extreme pressure low down.  This is caused by the baby’s head pushing against the amniotic sac.  When this breaks the amniotic fluid is released (your waters have just broke!) and your baby is getting ready to be born.  It’s worth mentioning here that when the amniotic sac breaks the fluid released can quite literally gush down your leg, so be prepared.  Also worth noting is the amniotic fluid is seldom clear and may resemble something like soup.

Every women and pregnancy are different so predicting when Labor will start isn’t an exact science.  Nevertheless, once your waters have broke you can expect Labor to start within twelve to twenty-four hours.  However, it could be as short as just a few hours, so get ready for the trip to hospital just in case.

The uterus or womb where you baby has been developing these past nine months also acts as a muscle to deliver you baby into the world via the birth canal.  However, before this can happen your cervix needs to dilate (widen) to allow the baby enough room to be born.  It’s the muscle lining of the uterus that’s contracting that causes the cervix to relax and slowly expand that brings on a contraction.

The contractions will gradually grow in strength as the cervix widens from zero to ten centimetres.  It’s normal to experience a dull pain in the pelvis or lower back just before a contraction.  Once the contractions are frequent and lasting over thirty seconds each, it’s safe to assume you are now in Labor.

To verify that you are in the early stages of Labor, try changing your position, move around and then sit down.  If the pain is still evident make sure you keep a log of how frequent and how long each contraction last.

It’s not uncommon for women who are giving birth for the first time to be in Labor longer, so prepare yourself mentally for the experience ahead. When the contractions are frequently occurring, at about five minutes apart it's time to make your way to hospital.  It’s best to be cautious here, five minutes is just a guide, so contact the hospital whenever you feel the time is right.  It’s better avoid possible complications by arriving too early then it is being too late.

Second Stage Of Labor.

As the cervix dilates between eight to nine centimetres, you reach the ‘transition’ period.  This is the transition between stage one of Labor, when the cervix dilates from zero to ten centimetres to the second stage of Labor when the babies head appears at the top of the cervix.  It’s likely you will feel the urge to bear down or ‘push’.  However, it’s important not to ‘push’ until you’re well into the second stages of Labor and you midwife or health care assistant has confirmed it’s okay to do so.  Pushing too early may cause the cervix to tear especially if not fully dilated.

By now the contractions are very strong and lasting longer as the baby starts to descend through the birth canal.  Your pregnancy is almost over as the head now passes under your pubic bone.  It should now be possible for your partner to see the top of the baby’s head; this process is aptly named crowning as only the top of the head is visible.

Once the entire head is visible, the shoulders then follow.  The midwife or practitioner will then clear your baby’s nose and mouth to help as your baby takes it’s first breath.  Once the shoulders are free the baby will usually slip out.

Third Stage Of Labor.

Once the baby is born the placenta that has sustained the life of your baby for so long needs to be pushed out by the continued uterine contractions.  The placenta is shaped like a pancake and approximately ten inches in diameter.  It has remained fixed to the wall of the uterus the entire pregnancy, but the ongoing contractions and birth of your baby will now cause it to separate from the uterus.  The umbilical cord is then cut freeing your baby from the placenta.

Congratulations, you have now experienced the miracle of giving birth.  Now what about cute baby names...