Rhythmic contractions are the most important sign that work has actually begun, while rupture of the bag, loss of the mucous cap and dilation of the cervix are signs that the pregnancy is coming to an end, indicating that work can begin in a few hours.
For the first child, the duration of work can vary between 12 and 24 hours, but this duration tends to decrease with each pregnancy.
- Preterm birth may occur after 20 weeks of gestation.
- But ideally it should begin after 37 weeks.
- Most commonly.
- Symptoms appear gradually.
- With cramps becoming more intense and painful.
The 4 main signs that the work is starting are
Contractions are relatively common throughout pregnancy, especially during the last trimester, when the body begins to prepare muscles for delivery.
However, in the pre-birth hours, these contractions begin to become more frequent, stronger and appear with less spacing between them, becoming more rhythmic. In general, it is appropriate to go to the hospital when the contractions last about 60 seconds and appear every 5 minutes.
Usually, when the work starts, there is a loss of this mucous cap, which can be identified when the pregnant man goes to the bathroom and, during cleaning, observes the presence of a pink or slightly brown gelatinous secretion. In addition to the lid, there may still be slight bleeding. If your blood loss is more severe, it’s important to get to the hospital quickly or contact the obstetrician.
The mucous cap is a secretion that closes the entrance to the uterus to protect the baby during pregnancy, preventing the entry of microorganisms and preventing infections.
Find out how to identify the mucous plug
Water bag rupture also tends to occur at the beginning of labor and usually causes the release of urine-like, but lighter, cloudier fluid, which may contain whitish markings.
Contrary to the urge to urinate, if the water bag breaks, the woman cannot stop the loss of fluid.
Another indicator that the baby is near birth is dilation of the cervix, which increases as labor develops, but that only the obstetrician or midwiser can observe in the hospital through the “touch” exam. .
10 cm of cervical dilation is needed to allow the baby to pass, and this is the longest delivery period.
When you identify that you are in labor, it’s important to consider the type of delivery you want:
1. Caesarean section
When a pregnant woman wishes to have a C-section, she should inform the obstetrician of the symptoms she experiences during her trip to the hospital.
In most cases of C-section, surgery is already scheduled a few days before the scheduled date of delivery, and as a result, the woman may not show signs of labor.
2. Normal delivery
When the pregnant woman wants a normal birth and discovers that she has given birth, she should be calm and observe how often the contractions appear on the clock. Indeed, work is slow and there is no need to go to the hospital immediately after the first signs, especially if the contractions are not rhythmic and more frequent.
At the beginning of labor, the pregnant woman can continue her daily activities, especially when it comes to the birth of the first child, because in this case, the work takes on average 24 hours. See what to eat during work while waiting for the perfect time to go to the maternity ward.
You should go to the hospital when the contractions become very strong and occur every 5 minutes; However, it is important to consider traffic and distance to the hospital, and you may need to prepare to leave when the contractions are every 10 minutes. Minutes.
During labor, the pain should gradually increase, but the calmer and more relaxed the woman is, the better the process of childbirth. It is not necessary to go to the hospital immediately after the first contraction because the work is done in 3 phases, which include dilation, which is the longest phase, the active phase, which is the birth of the baby and the gradual termination of the placenta. . Learn more about the 3 phases of the job.