Course of labor – 4 phases ending with a happy ending

Pregnant women who have no medical contraindications to natural childbirth must prepare for arguably one of the most exciting, quite difficult but also happiest moments of their lives. Natural childbirth consists of four consecutive periods. The closer we get to the due date, the more doubts, however, a good knowledge of the course of labor, the calmer this wonderful process will be.

First phase of labor

The first symptoms of labor are small, rather uncomfortable pains caused by uterine contractions. They are very rare in the first phase of labor. When they appear at night, the pregnant woman may not even notice them. Sometimes pregnant women use a birth calculator, however, it is worth bearing in mind that it only gives an approximate date, and the actual one can differ by up to a week. When contractions become more frequent and get stronger – every 2 minutes or so and last a minute, it’s a pretty clear sign that labor is near. As a result of recurrent contractions, the cervix is dilating. This is when the fetal membranes rupture and fetal waters are released. This is the moment when natural childbirth begins and the time for the anesthesiologist to administer the epidural. Full cervical dilation is considered to be about 10 centimeters long. The first symptoms of labor unfortunately last the longest, up to 18 hours. This is, of course, an individual matter. To speed up labor, midwives and gynecologists need to keep a woman moving as long as possible and recommend walking or gentle exercise on a ball. Also, don’t forget about proper breathing technique, which not only relaxes the mom-to-be but also oxygenates the behemoth.

Second phase of labor

Signs of labor in its second phase indicate pushing. A woman in natural labor pushes the baby out of the birth tract. It is helped by the movements of the uterus and diaphragm. At this stage, breathing plays an important role. First of all, it helps oxygenate the toddler. And secondly, it prevents the bursting of blood vessels in the eyes and face. In some cases, the doctor opts for an episiotomy, simply put – a perineal incision. The final stages of this phase are the arrival of the baby.

Third phase of labor

The penultimate phase of labor is the placental phase. The last forces should be devoted to expelling the placenta from the uterus. Usually women in this phase are already so happy and fulfilled that the next phase of pushing goes painlessly and quickly. Sometimes there may be a little bleeding after delivery, which is related to the natural process of shrinking of the uterus and the expulsion of the so-called “blood”. puerperal feces.

The fourth phase of labor

This period is also known as the early postpartum phase. It will be a few more weeks when the vagina regenerates completely after childbirth. After delivery, the doctor assesses the condition of the uterus and perineum after the incision is made. It is important whether the reproductive tract is not bleeding and there is no capillary damage. Observing a woman for the first 24 hours after delivery is very important. In the final stage, the newborn undergoes an APGAR test, which assesses its health. A fully healthy child is considered to be one who scores between 8 and 10 points. The baby is then handed over to the mother for the first feeding (midwives are helpful in this, and will show how to attach the baby to the breast). If a woman has given birth by natural force, she is usually discharged home from the hospital after 2-3 days.

 Read also: Diseases during pregnancy. Which ones put the child at risk?