Phases of normal labor occur continuously and usually include dilation of the cervix, the period of expulsion, and discharge of the placenta. Usually, work begins spontaneously between 37 and 40 weeks gestation, and there are indications that the pregnantness will begin work, such as the expulsion of the mucous ice cap, which is the release of a gelatinous fluid. , pink or brown through the vagina and breaking the water bag, that is, when the clear amniotic fluid begins to come out.
In addition, the pregnantness begins to have irregular contractions, which will intensify, until regularized and with intervals of 10 to 10 minutes. Learn how to identify contractions.
- Thus.
- When the pregnant woman has these symptoms.
- She should go to the hospital or maternity ward.
- Because the baby’s birth is near.
The first stage of childbirth is characterized by the presence of contractions and dilation of the cervix and genital canal to reach 10 cm.
This phase is divided into latent, in which the dilation of the cervix is less than 5 cm and is characterized by a gradual increase in uterine activity, the presence of irregular uterine contractions and an increase in cervical secretions, with loss of the mucous plug, and active, in which the dilation is greater than 5 cm and the woman begins to present regular and painful contractions.
The duration of the first phase of labor may vary from woman to woman, but lasts an average of 8 to 14 hours. During this period, it is common for women to experience pain due to contractions, which become more regular and with a shorter interval between them, as greater dilation of the cervix and vaginal canal is checked.
What to do at this stage: At this stage, the pregnant woman should go to the maternity ward or hospital for help from health professionals. To reduce the pain, the pregnant woman should inhale slowly and deeply during each contraction, as if she were smelling a flower and exhaling as if she is blowing out a candle.
In addition, you can walk slowly or climb stairs, as this will help the fetus position themselves out and, if the woman is lying down, can turn to the left side, to facilitate better oxygenation of the fetus and reduce pain. Discover other natural ways to do the job.
In the hospital, during the first phase of delivery, a vaginal touch is performed every 4 hours to accompany the dilation and promote movements towards the vertical position. In addition, for women at low risk of requiring general anesthesia, fluid and food intake is allowed.
The active phase of childbirth is followed by the expulsion phase, in which the cervix has already reached its maximum dilation and begins the phase of the expulsion period, which can last between 2 and 3 hours.
The beginning of the ejection phase is called the transition period, which is relatively short and quite painful and the cervix develops between 8 and 10 cm at the end of the period. When adequate dilation is checked, the woman should begin to apply force for the decline of fetal presentation. In addition, the position of childbirth can be chosen by the pregnant, provided that she is comfortable and favors the second phase of childbirth.
What to do at this stage: During this stage, the woman must follow the instructions given to facilitate childbirth. For example, a woman is advised to push following her own thrust, as well as keep her breath under control.
During this phase, certain techniques may also be practiced to reduce perineal trauma, such as perineal massage, hot compresses or perineal hand protection. Manual pressure on the cervix or episiotomy, which is equivalent to making a small incision in the perineum to facilitate delivery.
Although episiotomy is a recurrent practice, it is not recommended to be performed in women who have no indication, since the benefits of this technique are contradictory and there is insufficient scientific evidence, in addition to the observation that the performance of this procedure does not promote the protection of the pelvic floor and corresponds to the main cause of pain , bleeding and complications during and after childbirth.
The delivery phase is phase 3 of labor and occurs after the baby is born, characterized by the exit of the placenta, which can come out spontaneously or be removed by the doctor. At this stage, oxytocin is usually given, which is a hormone that promotes the work and birth of the baby.
What to do at this stage: At this stage, after the baby’s birth, the obstetrics and nursing team will perform a general evaluation of the woman, in addition to performing a controlled traction of the umbilical cord.
After birth and in the absence of signs of complications in the mother or baby, the newborn contacts the mother for the first breastfeeding.