The development of your baby during the last forty weeks have been leading to this moment when you actually begin to give birth to your newborn.
The first stage consists of contractions which serve to dilateThe opening of the cervix during labor, caused by the contractions of the uterus. The cervix dilates so that it will be large enough for the baby to pass through the birth canal during delivery.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. the cervix and thin it in preparation for the delivery of the baby. At the end of the first stage your midwife will confirm that the cervix is fully dilated.
Since all pregnancies are different it can be difficult for most women to know when labor has begun. Intense contractions of the uterus as well as confirmation of the dilation of the cervix as well as the breaking of the watersRupturing of the amniotic sac releasing the amniotic fluid. It is usually one of the first signs of the onset of labor. Also called Rupture of the membranes.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. usually signal the onset of labor.
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There are three distinct steps that take place during the first stage of labor, the latent, active and trasitional phases. During the last few weeks your hormonesA complex chemical substance created in a part or organ of the body. When released it initiates or regulates activity in an organ or group of cells in another part of the body.
Hormones secreted by endocrine glands are transported through the bloodstream to their target organ. The amount of hormone secreted is regulated either by other hormones, by neurotransmitters, or simply when an excess of the organ's activity indicates a need to reduce the amount of the hormone produced.
Other hormones are produced locally by the organs themselves and are common in the digestive tract.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. have softened your cervix but now the intense contractions of the uterus will thin and widen it in a process called effacementA term used to describe the process during labor whereby the vagina shortens and the walls of the cervix thin as it is stretched by the fetus. At its finish, the cervix becomes one with the lower segment of the uterus. Doctors measure the extent of effacement during labor by vaginal examination and express its progress as a percentageof full effacement.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. and dilationThe opening of the cervix during labor, caused by the contractions of the uterus. The cervix dilates so that it will be large enough for the baby to pass through the birth canal during delivery.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. so that it becomes one with the uterus creating a birth canalThe passage through which the baby passes during delivery from the inlet of the true pelvis to the vaginal orifice.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. through which your baby can pass.
While you may have experienced contractions prior to entering labor, they change form when labor actually begins. They soon become more regular, rhythmic and painful. Once started you no longer have control over them and they will continue until your baby is born.
During the latent phase the cervix remains about three quarters of an inch in length until the contractions thin it out. That is followed by the active phase in which the cervix is fully effacedA term used to describe the process during labor whereby the vagina shortens and the walls of the cervix thin as it is stretched by the fetus. At its finish, the cervix becomes one with the lower segment of the uterus. Doctors measure the extent of effacement during labor by vaginal examination and express its progress as a percentageof full effacement.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. with the contractions serving to dilate the opening. Finally you will reach the transitional phase at which point the cervical opening will have widened to about four inches.
Because the uterus is such a large muscle it requires a lot of oxygen. The compression of the blood vessels during your contractions reduce the amount of oxygen that can be absorbed leading to a sensation similar to that of menstrual cramps. Some mothers also feel an intense back ache caused either by the stretching of the cervix or the back of the baby's head resting against the spine if it is in the posterior positionA term used to describe the position of the baby in the uterus prior to entering labor. Also known as occipito posterior, it describes the baby when its head is facing backward towards the mother's back.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions..
The sensations you will experience have been described as a wave of pressure across your abdomen while you feel the uterus tightening. After the intensity peaks it will hold for a few seconds before relaxing.
When you feel the contractions beginning, time them from the start of one contraction to the start of the next. During the early latent phase of your labor the contractions will last approximately thirty seconds to one minute. The next contraction will start about five to twenty minutes later. As you enter the active phase your contractions will last about 1 - 1.5 minutes with about 2 to 4 minutes separating them. Contractions don't necessarily get stronger, more intense and more frequent, it is also normal for a strong contraction to be followed by a weaker one.
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The final phase of the first stage of labor is the transitional phase. Your contractions will last somewhere between 1 - 1.5 minutes with only thirty to ninety seconds separating them. This is the most intense time during the first stage of labor and you may experience a strong urge to push. Your doctor will try to stop you and wait until the cervix is fully dilated. You may find that you become irritable with your birthpartner and wonder if you have the energy to continue. Of course your birthpartner will be there to remind you that your baby is only minutes away from being delivered.
At some point during the first stage of labor the membranes containing the amniotic fluidThe liquid, which is produced by both the fetal membranes and the fetus that surrounds the baby during pregnancy. The liter of fluid at term serves to protect the fetus during pregnancy and also provide active chemical exchange.
The amniotic fluid consists of maternal and fetal plasma in varying concentrations. The pH of the fluid is almost neutral and clear, although lipids and desquamated fetal cells can make it cloudy.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. will rupture. Sometimes called the breaking of the watersRupturing of the amniotic sac releasing the amniotic fluid. It is usually one of the first signs of the onset of labor. Also called Rupture of the membranes.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions., the amount and flow of fluid will depend where the sac has ruptured and if your baby's head is plugging the hole. Usually the breaking of the waters signals the onset of labor although it sometimes is delayed in which case your doctor may advise you to induce labor.
The length of labor can vary widely. For first time mothers it usually lasts between twelve to fourteen hours. If it lasts longer than that your doctor may decide to intervene. Subsequent pregnancies usually last about seven hours on average and your doctor may decide to intervene if it goes over nine hours.
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