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The phases of normal labor occur in a continuous manner and, in general, include the dilation of the cervix, expulsion period and the exit of the placenta. Generally, labor begins spontaneously between 37 and 40 weeks of gestation, and there are signs that indicate that the pregnant woman will go into labor, such as the expulsion of the mucous plug, which is the exit of a gelatinous liquid. , pink or brownish through the vagina and the rupture of the water bag, which is when the transparent amniotic fluid starts to come out.
In addition, the pregnant woman starts to have irregular contractions, which will intensify, until they become regular and with intervals of 10 in 10 minutes. Learn how to identify contractions.
So, when the pregnant woman has these symptoms she should go to the hospital or maternity, as the baby's birth is near.
1st Phase - Dilation
The first stage of delivery is characterized by the presence of contractions and the process of dilation of the cervix and birth canal until it reaches 10 cm.
This phase is divided into latent, in which the cervical dilation is less than 5 cm and is characterized by a gradual increase in uterine activity, presence of irregular uterine contractions and increased cervical secretions, with loss of mucous plug, and active, in which the dilation is greater than 5 cm and the woman starts to present regular and painful contractions.
The duration of the first stage of labor can vary from woman to woman, however it 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 each other as greater dilation of the cervix and vaginal canal is verified.
What to do at this stage: At this stage the pregnant woman must go to the maternity ward or hospital to receive assistance 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 exhale as if she were blowing out a candle.
In addition, you can walk slowly or climb stairs, as it will help the fetus to position itself to get out and, if the woman is lying down, she can turn to the left side, to facilitate better oxygenation of the fetus and reduce pain. Discover other natural ways to induce labor.
At the hospital, during the first stage of labor, vaginal touch is performed every 4 hours to accompany the dilation and encourage movement to the upright position. In addition, in the case of women who are at low risk of needing general anesthesia, fluid and food intake is permitted.
2nd Phase - Expulsion
The active phase of labor is followed by the expulsion phase, in which the cervix has already reached its maximum dilation and the phase of the expulsive period begins, which can take between 2 and 3 hours.
The beginning of the expulsion phase is called the transition period, which is relatively short and quite painful and the cervix acquires a dilation between 8 and 10 cm at the end of the period. When an adequate dilation is verified, the woman must begin to apply force for the descent of the fetal presentation. In addition, the position for delivery can be chosen by the pregnant woman, as long as she is comfortable and favors the second phase of labor.
What to do at this stage: During this stage the woman must follow the instructions given to her in order to facilitate childbirth. Thus, it is recommended that the woman perform the pushing movement following her own thrust, in addition to keeping breathing controlled.
During this phase, some techniques to reduce trauma to the perineum can also be performed, such as perineal massage, hot compresses or perineal protection with the hands. Manual pressure on the cervix or episiotomy, which corresponds to making a small cut in the perineum to facilitate birth.
Although episiotomy is a recurrent practice, its performance is not recommended in women who have no indication, this is because the benefits of this technique are contradictory and there is not enough scientific evidence, in addition to the fact that it was observed that performing this procedure routinely does not promotes protection to the pelvic floor and corresponds to the main cause of pain, bleeding and complications during and after delivery.
3rd Phase - Delivery: Exit of the placenta
The phase of delivery is phase 3 of labor and occurs after the baby is born, characterized by the exit of the placenta, which can leave spontaneously or be removed by the doctor. At this stage, oxytocin is normally administered, which is a hormone that favors labor and the birth of the baby.
What to do in this phase: In this phase, after the baby is born, the obstetrics and nursing team will make a general assessment of the woman, in addition to performing controlled umbilical cord traction.
After birth and in the absence of any signs of complications in the mother or baby, the newborn is placed in contact with the mother for the first breastfeeding to be done.