Braxton Hicks contractions can begin as early as the 20th week of pregnancy, but most often they begin between weeks 28 and 30. You`ve been through nine (ish) months of pregnancy, and now the big day has arrived: your baby`s birthday! You might be eager to take over the phases of the work, or you might be nervous about what`s to come. Keep in mind that weeks before the actual visit to the hospital or birth center, you may feel signs of labor (if you do not give birth at home). Try to relax as much as possible: you need to save your strength for later. Rupture of the membranes of the amniotic sac. Before or during the start of labor, your water may break, either in a hot stream of liquid or in a slow but continuous trickle of liquid — although this is more likely to occur at some point during active labor. From the moment you check in at the hospital or birth center, your doctor will regularly have you undergo an internal examination to determine how far you have progressed. The three stages of labor and delivery are: Increased pain and discomfort. You may not be able to speak during labor now. (If you`ve had epidural anesthesia at this point and it has happened, you probably won`t feel any pain.) It is usually during the active phase of labour that you go to the hospital or birth centre. Guests are asked to wear a hospital dress upon arrival. Your pulse, blood pressure and temperature are checked. A monitor is placed on your abdomen for a short time or continuously to look for uterine contractions and assess the baby`s heart rate.

Your doctor will also examine your cervix during a pelvic exam to determine how far labor has progressed. Labour (also called childbirth) is the process by which your baby leaves the womb (uterus). You have labor if you have regular contractions that cause a change in your cervix. Contractions occur when the muscles in your uterus become tense and then relax. Contractions help push your baby out of your womb. Your cervix is the opening of the uterus that sits at the top of the vagina. When labor begins, your cervix expands (opens). WomensHealth.gov: “Stages of Labor.”, Mayo Clinic: “Stages of Labor and Birth: Baby, It`s Time!” Try to feel comfortable and relaxed by work. Move around and try different positions to find out what works best for you. Keep yourself busy while saving your energy. Drink plenty of water and eat small snacks.

Keep an eye on the timing of your contractions. If early labor begins at night, it`s a good idea to get some sleep. If you can`t fall asleep, focus on light activities like tidying up your closet, packing your bag, or packing lunches for the next day. Eating a little is probably good. If you have a low-risk pregnancy and are hungry in the early stages of labor, most doctors say it is okay to eat a light and energizing snack like toast, plain pasta or rice. In fact, it will give you the energy you need later. Avoid fatty foods (hamburgers, chips) and anything acidic (orange juice). Drink water to stay hydrated. After birth, your body begins to change to help you heal.

Your provider will measure your temperature and check your heart and blood pressure to make sure everything is fine. If you had anesthesia during labor, your provider will make sure you recover without complications. Last revision: March, 2019 Although this phase of work is the most intense, it is also the shortest and usually lasts from 15 minutes to an hour (although it can sometimes last longer, such as up to about three hours). Pee often. A full bubble can hinder work. Use relaxation techniques. Try meditation, light stretching, or deep breathing. But don`t start doing breathing exercises yet, otherwise you may be exhausted long before you really need them. It can be hard to know if you`re really at work. Sometimes your uterus contracts, but labor has not yet begun. This is called “bad work.” These contractions are called Braxton Hicks contractions.

They can occur as early as the second trimester. However, they are most often felt in the third trimester, if at all. Other more intense symptoms. As your labor progresses, your symptoms will also progress, although labor painkillers like an epidural should help relieve some of them. You may have increasingly severe back pain, discomfort or heaviness in the legs, fatigue and bloody bleeding. Early labour is often the longest part of the birth process and sometimes lasts 2-3 days. Uterine contractions: Once you reach the end of the transitional contractions, you will be taken to the delivery room if you are not already there. Or if you are in a birth bed, the foot of the bed is simply removed to prepare for childbirth.

If you`re not sure if you`re at real work or in bad work, call your doctor. Sometimes checking the cervix and monitoring contractions is the only way your doctor can tell for sure. This can be the hardest and most painful part of the job. This can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. During transition: Compared to early labor, contractions during the first phase of labor: For most first-time mothers, early labor lasts about 6-12 hours. You can spend this time at home or where you feel most comfortable. During early labor: Here are some ways to tell the difference between real work and fake work. This is usually the longest phase of work, but fortunately the least intense.

Contractions become stronger and more frequent, so they are distributed at intervals of about five minutes when you move on to active labor. Knowing when you`re in labor can be difficult. Every woman`s job is different. Also, when and how it starts is different. But there are common signs that you can look for the signal that your child is about to arrive. The duration of a normal pregnancy is 37-42 weeks, measured from the date of the woman`s last menstruation. Preterm labor occurs before the 37th week of pregnancy. Before 20 weeks, preterm labor, which leads to childbirth, is a miscarriage (spontaneous abortion).

Here are some tips to help you feel better prepared during early labor: This is the perfect time for you to rely on your doula or support person at work. Try the methods you learned in birth preparation classes to relax and cope with the pain. During the beginning of labor: How many times you have given birth. All stages and stages of labor tend to progress faster if it`s not the first time you`ve given birth to a baby. Active labor: The cervix expands from 4 to 6 centimeters up to 7 to 8 centimeters. The contractions last about 40 to 60 seconds and are spaced about three to four minutes apart. Know when to go to the hospital. Follow your practitioner`s instructions. Most women go to the hospital between the first two stages of labour – when the early phase ends and the active phase begins, or when contractions are spaced about five minutes apart. Moderate and intense contractions.

Early contractions of labor intensify over time rather than relax, and they are not mitigated by a change in position. They usually last from 30 to 45 seconds and can be regular or irregular. They gradually become more frequent, initially up to 20 minutes apart, until the end of early labor about five minutes apart. This part usually takes about 4 to 8 hours. Your mood may become more severe if you focus on managing contractions. You are more dependent on your support person. Transitional contractions: The cervix completely expands up to 10 centimeters. Contractions last about 60 to 90 seconds and occur about every two to three minutes. The second phase of labor begins when your cervix is completely dilated by 10 centimeters. This phase continues until your baby passes through the birth canal, vagina and birth. This phase can last 2 hours or more.

Push and give birth to your baby. You`ll have very intense contractions and a huge urge to press (although you won`t feel much if you`ve had epidural anesthesia either). During this phase of childbirth, press as if you had a large bowel movement when your doctor asked for it and rest between contractions. Most women press for 30 minutes to an hour, although the flare-up phase may last a few hours – at this point, your doctor will reassess whether further interventions are needed. While the cervix expands by 6 to 8 centimeters (called the active phase), the contractions become stronger and are spaced about 3 minutes apart and last about 45 seconds. You may have back pain and increased bleeding from your vagina (called the “bloody show”). If your fruit membrane ruptures – or if your “water” breaks at this point – the contractions can become much stronger. That`s when you go to the hospital! Active work usually takes about 4 to 8 hours. It starts when your contractions are regular and your cervix has dilated to 6 centimeters. Active work: In certain situations, when your membranes rupture. If the amniotic fluid is green or brown, your baby may have had his first bowel movement. Also, tell your doctor immediately if your water breaks before the 37th week of pregnancy (you might be in preterm labor) or if you feel anything from your cervix slipping into your vagina (which could rarely be a sign of umbilical cord prolapse).

During this phase, the mother will rely heavily on her support person. It is the most difficult, but also the shortest. Try to think “one contraction at a time” (this can be difficult if the contractions are very close to each other). Remember how far you`ve already come, and if you feel the need to push, talk to your doctor. Know when to call your doctor or midwife. Your doctor has probably given you instructions on when to call (for example. B if the work is spaced five to seven minutes apart, although you don`t need to feel them at regular intervals). If you think you might be at real work but you`re not sure, get it wrong on the side of caution and call…