How does labor begin in primiparas: stages and precursors

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

First pregnancy is like a nine-month semester. Not every woman prepares for it in advance, guessing the dates for the expected birth, and therefore, conception. Often, everything happens unexpectedly, and the expectant mother is not always psychologically and informationally ready for the imminent appearance of a child. Therefore, immediately after pregnancy is confirmed, the stage of studying the process begins: how her body will change from month to month, at what time and how childbirth begins, what happens in this case. There are no problems with sources of information on the topic in our time.

Giving births will help

Previously, future mothers received the necessary information about pregnancy and childbirth from books, magazines, medical brochures, as well as stories from women who had already had children. Today, the first assistant to obtain all the important and useful information is the Internet. But even with him, who knows the answer to any question, a lively conversation with already heldmothers who have personally gone through the ordeal of childbirth - an indispensable tool in preparing for their own experience. They will help to create the right opinion about the phases of body changes and the characteristics of the female body in these nine months, they will teach you to recognize certain movements of the baby in the stomach, advise on how to ease contractions, and determine by the timing when menstruation begins after childbirth.

It is especially helpful to talk to women who have given birth in a clinic where the mother-to-be is planning to give birth to her first child. The location of the wards, the number of beds in them, the hospital staff, the mode and diet - any information is valuable. It is necessary to prepare comprehensively so that your stay in the prenatal and postnatal departments will leave a pleasant impression in your memory. And knowing the situation in the clinic itself, it will be easier to arrange your daily life in the first days of communication with the baby. Because neither a husband nor close relatives helping to take care of him will be around. Therefore, it is so important to have an idea of the clinic environment in advance. Those who know it will give complete and comprehensive information about the hospital. Close communication with those who have already given birth can provide a lot of various useful information. Not only in the course of pregnancy, but also in terms of knowledge, when, after childbirth, a full-fledged intimate life begins for newly-made parents.

Training courses

Where and how to prepare for the upcoming birth, each woman decides individually. Her main consultant during this period is the gynecologist who monitors the course of pregnancy. HowThe sooner the expectant mother is registered with the antenatal clinic, the better. In addition to the fact that she will regularly take tests and have an idea about her condition and the development of the child, she will be able to attend training courses for pregnant women in a timely manner, depending on the period. There are quite a few of them, and they will be especially useful for those giving birth for the first time, since it is very important to know what to do and how to behave correctly during the period of bearing a child. In the courses, women are taught how to respond to all changes in her body, how to avoid complications when something goes wrong, how to understand that childbirth has begun, and much more. It is not uncommon for parents-to-be to attend classes together.

This is necessary not only in the case of the direct presence of the husband during childbirth in the department, as is often the case. Many men express a desire to be close to their spouse at such an important moment for the family as the birth of their first child. But the husband's help may also be needed in the prenatal period, especially in the last months of pregnancy, when it is difficult for a woman to even turn on her own during a night's rest on the other side due to her large belly. Often, his participation is required when performing strengthening physical exercises, which are extremely necessary for the expectant mother. In addition, by being able to recognize the signs of incipient labor, the husband will be able to more easily respond to the pain experienced by his wife during the onset of contractions. Therefore, training courses must be attended without fail by both mother and father.

Alarm case

Most often the first birthoccur between 38 and 42 weeks of gestation. Such a large run-up depends largely on the different times of ovulation of a woman at the time of conception, as well as the duration of her menstrual cycle. The individual development of the child in the womb, his personal readiness for birth also play an important role in how early this can happen. Therefore, counting from the 38th week, the young mother should be ready to be sent to the hospital at any time, especially having only a theoretical idea of how labor begins in primiparas and how soon after obvious signs one should go there. It often happens that the waters leave before the contractions appear, and in this case you can’t hesitate. Here it is important to be in the hospital as soon as possible.

Therefore, it will not be superfluous to prepare documents and things in advance. It is more reasonable to keep an exchange card, a passport, a policy of compulsory or voluntary medical insurance in one place, and it is better somewhere on the surface, so as not to search in a hurry. A nightgown, slippers, a dressing gown, a scarf or a hat - things recommended for the maternity hospital from the appropriate fabric can be folded into a bag designed for this in advance, so that all that remains is to grab documents and food for the first time. You should also worry about your own diet in the hospital and think carefully about what is better to take with you immediately, and what relatives should bring later. Until the 38th week, a woman does not have to be under the constant supervision of her relatives, but after this time, and even more so if the birth does not begin after the 41st week,it would be wiser to have someone close to her as often as possible. Since now everything can happen at any moment.

Mommies young or mature

In young and older women, the period of pregnancy and the first birth can take place in different ways. The body of older mothers is either too active or, conversely, too weak in labor. That the first feature, that the second can affect the child negatively. A rapid birth threatens to end in trauma to the baby, as the mother's body may not have time to create a safe path for it to pass. A sluggish process can lead to oxygen starvation of the baby, especially if 40 weeks have passed, and childbirth does not begin. In adulthood, this period can be perceived as critical.

In addition, older women are much more likely than younger women, under 35, to reproduce children with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular and nervous systems. The risk of having a child with Down syndrome is also high. Anomaly of the fetus develops at the level of chromosomes and genetic mutations, since the optimal age of the body for the reproduction of a he althy baby is limited to a certain number of years of a woman. It is easier for a multiparous woman to find out how much her body is already adapted to this. The correct conclusion she could draw from the first pregnancy, especially when menstruation after childbirth with breastfeeding began too early. This phenomenon indicates the rapid recovery of her body and readiness fornew pregnancy.

Decades ago, it was believed that the optimal time for a first pregnancy was no younger than 21 and no older than 30. Today, both the lower and upper thresholds for safe childbearing have expanded significantly. Women spend a lot of time taking care of their bodies. In fashion - youth and a he althy lifestyle. In our time, pregnancy at 40 and older is no surprise to anyone. However, when deciding on late motherhood, especially the first one, it is important to realize how strong a woman's own body is for bearing a child. It is not enough to know and understand how childbirth begins, how it goes, and what needs to be done at each stage. It is important to realize how great the risk of the birth of a sick or injured child is, therefore it is not worth being heroic and insisting on a natural birth. Due to the age of the birth canal, which has lost its elasticity, a caesarean section is a safer option for mature women.

Danger of pathologies

Having a he althy child is a great happiness. But no one is immune from tragedies: neither a young he althy mother, nor one that is already aged. Pregnancy and fetal development do not always go as parents would like. The discrepancy between the Rhesus blood of the father and mother can complicate the condition of the baby and interfere with its normal formation. The presence of chronic diseases in parents or representatives of their older generation can transmit illness to the baby by inheritance at the gene level. The development of intrauterine infection, mechanical injuries and bruises of the mother, her strong nervous excitability or emotional shock are not onlynegatively affect the proper formation of the fetus, but can also speed up the time the baby is born. How to understand that childbirth has begun, given all of the above factors? Careful observation of your own body will help. Characteristic contractions may be absent, but the appearance of pain in the lower abdomen or in the upper pelvic part is the reason to call an ambulance.

Preterm birth can lead to less frightening circumstances. For example, the shortening of the mother's cervix. She is still able to hold a small fetus, but the grown-up one will be asked to go out ahead of schedule. An experienced gynecologist who monitors the course of pregnancy immediately determines this distinctive feature of a woman and warns of the possibility of a premature process and the likelihood of injury to the baby during childbirth. How the contractions begin, their difference from those coming on time, other harbingers of the imminent birth of a child - it is important to discuss all these points with your doctor as soon as the slightest suspicion of a pathology in a woman is revealed. Also, the development of several fetuses in the womb can significantly bring childbirth closer. Twins or triplets are usually born at 34-36 weeks. And she is considered full-term already on the 32nd.

Alarm drill

Often, panic among primiparous and inexperienced mothers can be caused by such a phenomenon as training, or false, contractions. In their main features, they are very similar to real ones, and a woman who is not familiar with them can easily take them for harbingers.actual labor activity. However, after observing your own body for a while, you can understand that the alarm is false. Training bouts have weak urges and the period between them is not reduced, but, as a rule, keeps at around a 20-minute interval. After a few hours, they pass, but for a woman, especially for the first time giving birth, this phenomenon is practically a textbook on the real process awaiting her in a couple of days. Firstly, the onset of false contractions is a sign that the baby may be born in the next week. Secondly, the expectant mother is given a chance to experience for herself what they look like and how to act correctly, feeling that they are starting. When she gets the opportunity to compare them with the real ones after giving birth, she will be able to see for herself how similar they are.

Intensive preparation of the body for the birth of a child begins at 38 weeks. For an inexperienced mother, this is a milestone. From now on, caution and careful observation of one's own body should be the utmost. In addition to false contractions, the approaching birth may indicate:

• sagging belly;
• frequent urge to urinate;
• stool problems (constipation or diarrhea).

There are many signs of active labor activity. Their future mother needs to be studied thoroughly. Theoretical knowledge will help not only in the process of the birth of a child, but also in the future. In this case, the upcoming processes will not be frightening by surprise when a woman experiences for herself that her gait is changing or when menstruation beginsafter childbirth while breastfeeding, although this is quite rare. Knowing that this has already happened to someone, it is easier to react to the same events in your life.

Tips from your own body

A few weeks before the birth, the woman's body itself shows her that it is time to prepare for an important event, but it is worth rushing to the hospital only if the expectant mother observes direct signs of labor. A drooping belly or a change in gait is not one of them. These only say that the baby’s birthday is coming soon, he has grown enough, gained weight and is preparing for the appearance. The body itself suggests that it is ready for some processes. So, if a month after the birth, menstruation began, the body seems to say that it is ready for regular intimate relationships. As for frequent urination or a changed stool, there is only one signal - the child in the uterus has gained a certain mass and presses on the walls of the intestines and bladder. In primiparas, this can be observed a few days before birth, and a month. It all depends on the weight of the baby in the womb.

Another thing to look out for is whitish or clear vaginal discharge at the end of pregnancy. They can be plentiful, but liquid. You should not be afraid, this is all just a consequence of hormonal changes in the body. But the release of excess fluid reduces the weight of the woman herself by 1-2 kg. It is important to know and remember this so as not to panic for no reason when you find a loss of a couple of kilograms. At the next examination by a gynecologist, the process of fluid release should be described in detail. However, evenif there is still time before the next visit to the doctor, and along with the liquid on the underwear, the woman found a clot of mucous substance, this should be notified immediately. This indicates that the plug has come off. When childbirth begins after her separation, the process is strictly individual for each woman, regardless of whether she is primiparous or pregnant with a second or subsequent child. It may take a week or three, but it will be soon anyway.

Ready number one

The next stage is active labor activity. It occurs when the fetus is strong enough, and the uterus is ready for its reproduction into the world. The harbingers of the imminent process are experienced by all women. For the first time, they are sometimes difficult to recognize for the mother giving birth due to the weakness of the signals and inexperience in such matters, but by carefully listening to your body, you can read its signs, like a pregnancy manual. It is difficult not to notice such significant changes in the body. For mothers who already have children, understanding how the second birth begins will no longer be difficult. For those who are waiting for the first child, readiness number one comes with regular contractions, the interval between which starts from 20-25 minutes, but gradually decreases. The phenomenon indicates that the uterine neuromuscular apparatus is ready to push the fetus out of the womb. And the child has accumulated enough vital functions to use them independently, without communication with the mother.

The appearance of contractions is not the only sign indicating that it is time to go to the clinic. Intense leakagewatery fluid from the vagina - the second signal of the body that labor is beginning. As soon as the expectant mother notices something like this, you can not hesitate. The waste of amniotic fluid should ideally occur already in the hospital, since giving birth, as the people say, “dry”, is quite difficult. It is easier for a child to pass through the birth canals when they are soft and elastic. Amniotic fluid just creates this environment. Even a primipara is easy to understand what this process looks like. There is usually a lot of water and it flows in a stream. These two signs - contractions and fluid - are the main signals for the expectant mother.

A small feat

The procreation instinct will help the body cope with this complex process. At the right time, the stomach will drop, contractions will appear, the water will break, attempts will come, pushing the baby out of the uterus and leading him through the birth canal. The mechanism is laid down by nature itself. How long after the birth begins after the first contractions, it largely depends on whether the mother is expecting her first child or her body has already gone through a similar test, and it is easier for him to adjust to the already familiar process. But no matter how intensely or, on the contrary, sluggishly the body does not react, it needs help. And not only by the medical staff. The mother herself can facilitate the birth of a child.

At training courses, which parents are strongly advised to attend during pregnancy, a woman gets the opportunity to work out a system of behavior that will help her later in the process of childbirth. How to breathe properly during contractions and attempts, what physical exercises canrelieve pain during contractions? In some, they give in the stomach, in others - in the lower back. Therefore, the courses teach to massage all possible places. And how childbirth begins - to apply certain breathing techniques. They are few and easy to remember. However, to follow the lessons learned when the pain breaks the body is the second question. Not every woman is capable of this small feat. But it is important to remember one thing - proper breathing helps to save the life and he alth of the child during childbirth. The main thing is to help him to be born without complications. For this, the mother endures all the inconveniences of nine months of pregnancy. When there is very little left, it is necessary to mobilize all the remaining forces.

Patience and work

So, massaging contractions. What will have an effect: acupressure or forceful rubbing of a fairly large area of the abdomen or lower back - again, this will tell your own body. But the right tactics will help ease the pain of contractions. As for breathing, slow and deep filling and emptying of the lungs must be alternated with sharp, short and quick breaths / exhalations when the child goes through one or another stage of his birth. Sometimes obstetricians themselves tell mothers how to breathe in a given period of time. The coherence of the actions of the medical staff and the woman in labor can both shorten the process of the appearance of the baby and make it easier for him to move along the narrow and cramped generic tupi. That is why proper breathing of the mother is so important. And even more so, you should refrain from screaming, as they squeeze the already small space through which the baby comes out.

First births usually last between ten and 12 hours. This is an estimated time. It happens a little faster or longer - everything is individual. But a primiparous woman should mentally prepare for a long test. If the process is too sluggish, and the baby is already on the way, so that he is not threatened with hypoxia, doctors conduct stimulation. The period is accelerating. After the birth of the baby, detachment and exit of the placenta follows. This is often a quick and painless process, but if obstetricians suspect that not all of it has come out, they perform mechanical cleaning under general anesthesia of the mother.

In many ways, the peculiarity of placental abruption is an indicator of how easy and when menstruation begins after childbirth in women. Individual intimate characteristics of the body are interconnected. Therefore, during the first birth, the slightest changes in your own body should be noticed. Observation will make it easier and easier to endure a second pregnancy when a woman is ready for it. In addition, the body, having once passed this test, will remember it physically and it will be easier to rebuild when the time comes for the next baby.