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Pregnancy Every Week |
| You will be amazed to know
how your baby develops in every passing week of the pregnancy.
Learn about the changes taking place in mother's
body and the growing baby. |
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ALL ABOUT LABOUR AND BIRTH
Whether giving birth will be
difficult or easy, painfull or pain free, long-drawn-out
or brief, it is something where every one ends
up with own unique experience. Perhaps the best
preparation you can make is by being as knowledgable
as you can about the labour process.
What's a "normal" labour?
A normal labour is one which :
- occurs between 38 and 42 weeks of
pregnancy.
- Starts by itself.
- lasts between four and twenty four
hours
- has no complications
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Signs of Labour
The signs that indicate
that you're really in labour:
Water Bag Breakage
A quarter of labour starts when the amniotic sac
surrounding the baby breaks and the amniotic fluid
escapes. If labour does not start with in 24 hours
of rupturing of membrane, your doctor may induce
contractions with oxytocin or prostaglandins.
Contractions
Contractions start slowly and feel a bit like a
period pain, sometimes with a backache and diaarhea
as well. They will increase in frequency and intensity,
with the contractions interval reducing from 20
minutes to 5 minutes. You have to record the duration
of contractions and gap between the two contractions
before calling your birth centre. Having a record
of your contractions, hospital staff will let you
know when to reach there.
Show
It is a small bloodstained discharge as your cervix
thins and the mucus plug drops out. Many times show
passes unnoticed by the expectant mother.
Stages of Labour
Labour is divided into three stages - the dilation of the cervix, the delivery of the baby, and the delivery of the placenta.
First Stage- Dialation of Cervix
The first stage has 3 phases:
Initial (latent) Phase-
This stage is the longest and the least
painful part of labour. The cevix thins and dialates to about 4 cm.
The contractions intervals from 5-20 minutes and lasts from 30-60 seconds.
Active Phase- The contractions
tend to occur around 2 or 4 minutes apart and last
up to a minute or so. The cervix dilates from 4
-10cm.
Transition Phase- This is the
phase that takes you from first to second stage
of labour.contractions are running into each other.
You 'll feel pressure in your bottom due to the
baby's head moving down the birth canal.
Second Stage - Delivery of the baby
For the first baby this stage lasts between half to
one hour, however for second and subsequent pregnancies
it sometimes takes only few minutes. When the baby's
head touches the pelvic floor muscles it triggers a
reflex known as Ferguson's reflex which, creates the
uncontrollable urge to push.Once the head has emerged, the delivery staff will turn the body to deliver the shoulders.
The rest of the baby will then slip out.Third Stage - Delivery of the placentaThe delivery of placenta usually happen five to 30 minutes later. It only takes few minutes for uterus to gently contract and push out the placenta.
Pain Relievers In Labour
No matter how many people tell you about labour
pain, you won't really understand until you experience
it yourself. Using pain relievers is again a personal
choice, here is a list of commonly used and offered
pain relievers.
Epidural
A mixture of local anaesthetic and painkilling drugs
are injected into the epidural space around the
nerves attached to the spinal cord, which makes
the mother feel numb from the waist down. Since
an epidural may cause the mother's blood pressure
to drop, it is not recommended for women with low
blood pressure or a bleeding placenta. While this
can provide excellent relief from pain it may also
mean that you lose all sensation and feel no urge
to push, So you may not get to feel your baby actually
coming out. In some cases, the baby may have to
be delivered by forceps or vacuum cup, or by caesarean
section.
Pethidine
This drug is usually given during the first stage
of labour, as an injection in the thigh or buttock.
It is is similar to morphine, which may make you
feel sleepy and give an unpleasant "high" sensation,
but at the same time may also let you relax or even
sleep in preparation for labour.
Gas and Air(Entonox)
This is the most commonly used method of pain relief
and involves inhaling a mixture of oxygen and nitrous
oxide(laughing gas) through a mouthpiece or mask.
Nitrous oxide doesn't stop the pain entirely, but
takes the 'edge' off the intensity of each contraction.
Many women prefer nitrous oxide because it allows
them direct control – you can hold the mask yourself
and take deep breaths whenever you feel the need.
For others it has no effect whatsoever.It can also
cause nausea and vomitting.
TENS(Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
)
With this method of pain relief, four small electrodes
are attached to your lower back on either side of
your spine. These are linked to a battery powered
unit. You control the delivery of electrical impulses
by using a hand held portable machine. These electrical
impulses send a signal to through your neuron system
to the brain where they compete with pain impulses
arising from the uterus, and help to block the pain.
It is also believed to stimulate the production
of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers.
These machines can be hired before birth. To have more details, you can visit one of the providers www.labourtens.com.au |
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| Motherhood Shop
has been launched with aim of providing its visitors the
latest innovative, unique and practical products to help
them in smooth sailing of pregnancy and early years of
parenting.We assure you of a safe and secure shopping
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| Click here to visit Motherhood Shop |
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Baby Pillow
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The Lovenest Newborn Head Support is a small, soft heart shape developed by French Pediatrician, Dr Manuel Maidenberg
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expectantSee - CD - see your baby's development
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| The award-winning pregnancy screensaver.
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Dunstan Baby Language DVD |
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DIY Pregnancy Belly Casting Kit
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Milkscreen - Home test for
Alcohol in Breastmilk |
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