Childbirth Delivery Methods and Types
Every woman’s experience is unique but most mothers would honestly say, yes, childbirth is painful. However, it is short-lived, and there are many types and methods to effectively reduce the intensity of childbirth pain. There are many choices in childbirth. Women can choose the method that makes them most comfortable, and that makes sense for their personal and medical situation.
Medical technology has made childbirth a much safer experience over the past century for both mother and baby. Hospitals have responded to trends in childbirth, such as the need for a more home-like environment in the hospital. Many hospitals now offer comfortable maternity suites that convert into state of the art delivery rooms.
An easy birth and a perfectly executed birth plan are ideal. But we know that even the most carefully planned birth can take twists and turns. In those cases, it’s important to be prepared for alternative delivery methods.
Different Kinds of Childbirth and Delivery Methods
Vaginal Delivery
In a vaginal birth, the baby is born through the birth canal. It’s hard to know when exactly you will go into labor, but most women give birth at around 38-41 weeks of pregnancy.
A vaginal birth without medication benefits both mother and baby. The microbiome, or bacterial environment, is established by birth method. There is some research that suggests the development of the infant microbiome is associated with the likelihood of developing allergic diseases during childhood, but the association isn’t clear.
Benefits of vaginal delivery:
- Infants born vaginally tend to have fewer respiratory problems.
- Quicker recovery for the mother
- A lower rate of infection and a shorter hospital stay
Disadvantages of vaginal delivery
- Tearing of the perineum
- Sometimes, a vaginal birth may not be recommended for medical reasons.
Cesarean Section (C-Section) 
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about 1/3 of births are delivery by C-section, although rates are highly variable by hospital and region. The World Health Organization (WHO) says the rate of Cesarean deliveries should be about 10%-15%; the higher level is because of both elective Cesareans and overuse in the U.S.4 A C-section involves a horizontal incision across the lower abdomen through which the infant is delivered. The typical hospital stay is three days after a Cesarean to ensure the incision is healing. Full recovery can take 8 weeks. One advantage of a C-section is that the delivery date can be planned ahead of time. In certain circumstances, a C-section is scheduled in advance. In others, it’s done in response to an unforeseen complication.
Events that may require C-Section:
- Multiples (twins, triplets, etc)
- A very large baby
- Previous surgery, C-Sections, or other uterine conditions
- Baby is in breech (bottom first) or transverse (sideways) position
- Placenta previa (when the placenta is low in the uterus and covers the cervix)
- Fibroid or other large obstruction
- Medical conditions/complications
Water Birth
A water birth means the mother goes through some or all of the stages of childbirth in a portable tub similar to a hot tub. The baby can be delivered underwater or the mother can get out of the water and deliver in a different position. Women chose water births because it can be more relaxing, and less painful to be in the water. Birthing tubs can be brought into the home for a home birth, and they are often found in birthing centers. Some hospitals may have birthing tubs as well.
Benefits of Water Birth:
- It allows the woman to move into a variety of positions that can feel more natural and less painful.
- The partner can also get into the tub with the mother to support the delivery.
Disadvantages of Water Birth:
- May increase the risk of infection, but as long as the water is fresh and clean, water births are not any riskier than non-water births.
- Unless the water birth takes place in a birth center with established tubs, there are logistics involved in setting up the tub and warming the water for a water birth.
- If the birth plan at home does not progress normally, it may require transport to a hospital.
Lamaze Method 
The Lamaze method is typically known for controlled breathing techniques but it includes a number of comfort strategies that can be used during labor. Breathing techniques increase relaxation and decrease the perception of pain. In addition to breathing, other information about preparing for childbirth is covered. Lamaze is taught in a series of classes attended by both the mother and her partner, when possible. The Lamaze method doesn’t explicitly encourage or discourage medications but seeks to educate women about their options so they can make a birth plan that suits their individual needs.
Benefits of the Lamaze Method:
- Lamaze training prepares the mother and her partner with a number of tools to use to get through labor and delivery naturally.
- The breathing and relaxation techniques reduce the perception of pain and keep labor moving smoothly.
- The Lamaze courses help the couple be prepared with what to expect over the first few days and weeks together.
Disadvantages of the Lamaze Method:
- Learning the Lamaze method takes time. The couple must plan ahead and attend classes starting in the second trimester of pregnancy.
Vacuum Extraction 
A vacuum extraction is a procedure sometimes done during the course of vaginal childbirth. A vacuum-assisted delivery involves attaching a soft cup to the head of the infant while it is in the birth canal and a hand-held pump is used to create suction to facilitate delivery.
- The advantage is that this assisted birth option has a lower risk than a C-section of prolonged fetal distress.
- The risks of this method include minor scalp injuries or more serious trauma or bleeding of the head.
Forceps Delivery
A forceps delivery is a type of operative vaginal delivery. It’s sometimes needed in the course of vaginal childbirth. A forceps-assisted delivery means that curved instruments are used to facilitate the progress of the infant in the birth canal. Forceps cannot be used if the infant is breech, but it can be an option if the mother is too exhausted or if the infant has to be delivered more quickly than is naturally occurring.
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this website is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Resources:
https://www.medicinenet.com/7_childbirth_and_delivery_methods/article.htm#what_is_a_water_birth
What You Need to Know When You’re Pregnant with A Rainbow Baby
When you see that second pink line on a pregnancy test, your whole life transforms in the blink of an eye. Having a baby is an experience unlike any other in your lifetime, and you are filled with joy, hope, and expectation. Alongside this joy though, comes the fear of miscarriage, stillbirth, or loss of the baby you’ve dreamed about so fervently.
You may have seen beautiful pictures of babies draped in rainbow wraps or mothers proudly displaying rainbow T-shirts, clothing, and other memorabilia, but never really understood what they were talking about. What exactly is a ” rainbow baby?”
What is a Rainbow Baby?
A rainbow baby is a baby born shortly after the loss of a previous baby. A pregnancy loss could be a miscarriage or a stillbirth (which is typically defined as a baby that has passed away after 20 weeks). The baby that the parents have after the pregnancy that was a loss is called a rainbow baby. Just like the light of a rainbow only appears after the darkness of a rainy sky, a rainbow baby happens after the pain of a loss.
What to Expect If You Are Expecting a Rainbow Baby
Having a baby soon after losing one brings a slew of emotions, and many rainbow moms will tell you that not all are positive emotions. Many mothers who have weathered the loss and gone on to have another baby feel a tremendous sense of self-doubt and guilt at times. They fear that others will think they have gotten over their previous loss, or that they have moved on or replaced their baby. They fear that having a rainbow baby after stillbirth in some way dishonors their baby who has passed and that the joy of the next baby will prevent the mother from properly grieving.
If you are pregnant with a rainbow baby, you will probably experience a lot of different emotions. Many women will have fear and anxiety during their pregnancies after a loss and worry that they will have another miscarriage or that something may be wrong with the baby.
Talking with a doctor who knows your history and asking for certain accommodations, such as working with an ultrasound tech who will be sensitive to your fears, can be helpful. Some women may choose not to disclose their pregnancies to avoid difficult conversations and other women may want to let her family and friends know early on in her pregnancy for emotional support throughout the journey. Every woman is different and what you tell others about your pregnancy is entirely up to you.
The mom’s grief will not necessarily end with the arrival of a rainbow baby.
The significance of a rainbow baby
Pregnancy losses can be devastating, but most women go on to mother again. In doing so, they face the complicated emotional journey of mothering after a miscarriage or stillbirth.
How to Support Your Partner
It’s important to maintain an open line of communication throughout her pregnancy. You may not have physically experienced pregnancy, but the loss was still yours and it’s healthy to discuss how the loss of the pregnancy may have affected you and how you are feeling now.
- Offer unconditional support – Listen without offering advice or suggesting that she feel any one way about her loss or her rainbow pregnancy.
- Honor her as a mother – Remember that she feels like a mother even though her baby is no longer here. Embracing her motherhood may be important and healing for her. Even for mamas who miscarry early in pregnancy, their identity as a mother cannot be erased after a loss.
- Know that grief is an ongoing, lifelong process – Don’t expect mamas to stop grieving a pregnancy loss once a rainbow baby arrives. Resist saying things like “you’ll get pregnant again” or “you’ll have another baby” to comfort her.
Navigating grief and remembering the loss
As time passes, it’s important for many parents to honor and certain dates associated with pregnancy loss. Due dates, birth dates, and death anniversaries are especially poignant. Grief knows no timeline. Many families will choose to acknowledge these dates and the existence of their angel baby long after a loss occurs.
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this website is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Resources: https://www.verywellfamily.com/what-to-expect-when-pregnant-with-a-rainbow-baby-4112638
Reasons Why You May Suffer From Low Oxygen Levels
Blood oxygen level is the amount of oxygen circulating in the blood. Most of the oxygen is carried by red blood cells, which collect oxygen from the lungs and deliver it to all parts of the body.
The body closely monitors blood oxygen levels to keep them within a specific range, so that there is enough oxygen for the needs of every cell in the body.
A person’s blood oxygen level is an indicator of how well the body distributes oxygen from the lungs to every cell in your body to allow them to live and function properly.
Why Does oxygen Matter?
Oxygen is a very important element because we need it to live. It is a part of the air people breath and the water people drink. Many living things (including humans) need oxygen to live and breathe.
Not enough oxygen makes it to the cells and tissues that make up your body causes a condition called Hypoxia. Lack of oxygen can lead to many serious, sometimes life-threatening complications.
Hypoxia can cause problems with the mitochondria and the brain.
Mitochondria is an organelle found in large numbers in most cells, in which the biochemical processes of respiration and energy production occur and it plays a prominent role which is to produce the energy currency of the cell. Your mitochondria need oxygen.
Mitochondrial problems are at the heart of all chronic diseases.
When your mitochondria are working well, you will build up healthy levels of ATP and NAD+ levels, which are important for energy utilization and metabolism.
ATP converts to a cyclic AMP, which is a critical messenger molecule for so many cellular processes. the cAMP is needed for the regulation of glycogen, sugar, and lipid metabolism.
The following hormones also require adequate cAMP levels to function optimally: FSH, LH, ADH (V2=kidneys), TSH, CRH, hCG, ACTH, MSH, PTH, PTH, GHRH, Glucagon, and Calcitonin.
Your body fights infections with the superoxide that’s created from oxygen.
Your health and energy will in part depend on how much oxygen you have and how well your mitochondria utilize it.
Now there’s obviously more to the story, but you want to make sure the fundamentals are right.
How To Measure Your Oxygen Level?
Pulse Oximeter and Hypoxia
A pulse oximeter is the easiest method to measure blood oxygen, but it’s only a part of the story. 
A pulse oximeter is a small clip that is often put on a finger, although it can also be used on the ear or toe. It measures blood oxygen indirectly by light absorption through a person’s pulse. Although the pulse oximeter test is easier, quicker, and not painful, it is not as accurate as the ABG test. This is because it can be influenced by factors such as dirty fingers, bright lights, nail polish, and poor circulation to the extremities.
For people who wish to purchase a pulse oximeter, there is a range of easy-to-use devices available online https://torontek.com/
Blood Test and Hypoxia
Red blood cells carry hemoglobin, which carries oxygen. The more red blood cells you have, the more you can carry oxygen. Hemoglobin actually carries the oxygen. The more hemoglobin you have, the more oxygen you transport.
Hemoglobin comprises about a third of the total red blood cell volume. This protein is responsible for the transport of more than 98% of the oxygen (the remaining oxygen is carried dissolved in the blood plasma).
Hematocrit is a blood test that measures the percentage of the volume of whole blood that is made up of red blood cells. This measurement depends on the number of red blood cells and the size of red blood cells.
Red blood cells and hemoglobin are all the info you need in your Complete Blood Count to determine your levels of hypoxia.
Low Iron or iron stores can also cause less oxygen utilization because oxygen binds to iron-containing molecules (heme) in your hemoglobin. However, your RBC and hemoglobin will often reflect an iron deficiency.
A low RBC or hemoglobin count indicates that your EPO (Erythropoietin)may be low, all of which are extremely important to oxygenate the blood. Hemoglobin holds oxygen and RBCs hold hemoglobin. EPO produces both.
EPO is important for mood and memory independent of its effects on RBCs.
Blood Pressure and Hypoxia
You can have good RBCs, hemoglobin, and oxygen saturation, but if your blood isn’t flowing to your brain, it’s meaningless.
Blood pressure is one measure of blood flow. Higher blood pressure can indicate that the blood is more viscous and thick, which will require more force and pressure to move it. It can indicate blood vessels that are hardened and not able to relax easily. It can indicate lower nitric oxide.
Low blood pressure means that blood is not flowing with a certain force level to reach the brain in optimal concentrations.
Your doctor won’t think anything of a blood pressure of 90/60, but this means that not enough blood is flowing to the brain for optimal function. Your blood pressure should be 110-120/70-80.
Why You May Be Suffering from Hypoxia?
Few main reasons why you can have lower oxygen.
- Nasal problems or Mucus
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea or Low Oxygen During Sleep
- Living in an Elevated Area
- Chronic Inflammation
- Psychological Stress
- Lower Blood Pressure and Poor Circulation
- A Lack of Sunlight
How Increase Oxygen
- Breathing Exerciser
- Oxygen Concentrator
- Healthy Fluids
- Cellular Therapy to Improve Oxygen Levels
- Be Calm
Some self-care measures can be taken by people to reduce symptoms of shortness of breath and improve general health and quality of life. These include:
- Quitting smoking
- Avoiding passive smoking in places where others smoke
- Eating a healthful diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables
- Exercising regularly
When To See A Doctor
- experience severe and sudden shortness of breath
- experience shortness of breath when at rest
- have severe shortness of breath that worsens during exercise or physical activity
- wake suddenly with shortness of breath or a feeling of choking
Low oxygen levels in the blood are not necessarily harmful and can occur in people who can recover, or in healthy people when they are at high altitude. These people do not need to monitor their blood oxygen levels regularly.
But people with chronic lung diseases, such as COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, or emphysema, may have blood oxygen levels below the normal because of their illness. These people may require regular blood oxygen monitoring.
People with low blood oxygen can also make lifestyle changes, such as not smoking or improving their diet and exercise habits, as well as being treated with supplemental oxygen.
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this website is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Resources: https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/why-you-may-be-suffering-from-low-oxygen-and-not-realize-it/
Why You Should Take a BabyMoon
What is a Babymoon?
A babymoon is essentially a relaxed getaway for expectant mothers and their partners. It’s the last hurrah before the baby enters your world. Some couples choose to go on a babymoon as their ‘final’ holiday as just a couple before they transition into having a family.
During pregnancy, the relationship you have with your partner goes through a transition. Together, you begin to experience a natural shift between what was and what will be. It’s an exciting, magical and beautiful time that also comes with its share of many sleepless nights, emotional ups and downs and fears and worries.
- Quality Time with Significant Other
Having a child changes the family dynamic and the baby becomes the center of attention from the moment you give birth. This can sometimes put a strain on couples. By investing time and space to be together for your babymoon, you’ll walk into parenthood more connected than ever.
- Time to Reflect
How will you want to raise your child? How will you nurture this new relationship as well as old relationships? What do you want your legacy to be a mom? These are all great questions to reflect upon as you are on your babymoon. This will help you be an intentional and conscious parent.
- Timeout
Getting away from the daily grind is so good for us physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. As you approach this life-changing event, it can be even more important to get away from the drains of extra rest and relaxation to recharge you for parenting. On a babymoon, you’ll explore new sights, sounds, tastes, and traditions. These fun, spontaneous, and exciting discoveries will take a backseat when your newborn arrives. You’ll do plenty of discovering but it will be of a more local variety.
- Rest
Parenting is exhausting. It’s wonderful but tiring. Get as much extra rest and relaxation now before baby arrives. Many of us get our best sleep on vacation and can come back feeling rejuvenated. Taking a babymoon is a wonderful way to “recharge” many areas of your life from romance to sleep to adventure. As you enjoy your time away, you’ll come back ready to do your last trimester and welcome your new baby with open arms.
- Romance
Once you have kids, your sex life will change particularly those 3 months postpartum. It will eventually return to a very satisfying one but there will be some adjustments. Use your babymoon to “stock up” on love to carry you through some more spartan months.
During pregnancy, sex and physical intimacy are incredibly beneficial. For example, it provides better sleep, a stronger immune system, lower blood pressure, decreased stress levels to boost self-esteem and happiness, and a comfortable labor and delivery. Also, according to a Danish study, frequent sex may help prevent preeclampsia. Researchers believe it’s because of a protein found in sperm that can regulate the body’s immune system.
- Dream and plan
Have you put off thinking about baby’s name? Or whether you’ll co-sleep? Or do you a dream nursery you want to create? Now is a great time to tackle these topics while you have uninterrupted time with your partner.
When is the best time to go for a Babymoon?
To play it safe, I always suggest a babymoon right before the 28-week mark. This period proves to be more enjoyable anyway; because the morning sickness is behind you (hopefully) and the exhaustion from the third trimester hasn’t set in.
Always consult your doctor/midwife and doula before traveling and get the thumbs up. It also helps them to know to be on alert if you need them or have any questions. It’s also smart to ask them advice about medical faculties in the area, just in case. The primary goal is to keep you comfortable, but most importantly—healthy.
Remember that your babymoon is about relaxation—so keep your travel day as stress-free as possible. Think carefully about what it will take to get to your destination and be realistic about the time you can take off from work or your everyday life. Would you be okay sitting on a flight for 3+ hours? Would you instead jet off somewhere more local? These are the questions to ask yourself and to discuss with your partner.
The danger of stress during pregnancy
Some stress during pregnancy is normal, just as it is during other times of life. But if stress becomes constant, the effects on you and your baby could be lasting. During pregnancy, stress has specific dangers for the physical and emotional wellbeing of the baby, mother and family unit as a whole.
“A stressful pregnancy matters — it can affect a baby’s genes”
Everyone has heard of postnatal depression, but not everyone knows that mothers are as likely to be depressed during pregnancy as afterward. As well as the distress of the mother herself, this matters because of the effects on the developing baby in her womb. We have long known that how we turn out depends on how our genes interact with our environment. We now know the environment starts before birth. How we develop there can affect our health and wellbeing for the rest of our lives.
The effects of stress
In pregnancy, stress exposure is associated with a higher risk for preterm delivery and lower birth weight. Preterm birth is the major cause of death and disability in children up to the age of five in Australia.
Many pregnant women are anxious or depressed, and this can affect how the baby’s brain develops. This, in turn, leaves the child at greater risk of anxiety, depression, slow learning or behavioral problems such as ADHD later. If the pregnant woman is in the top 15 percent of the population for symptoms of anxiety or depression this doubles the risk of her child having emotional or behavioral problems. The risk of the child at 13 years old having a mental health problem goes from about 6 percent to 12 percent. The children of mothers who reported multiple stressful events during pregnancy are more likely to develop behavioral problems throughout childhood. Studies also show reduced cognitive abilities in children whose mothers experienced a natural disaster while pregnant.
Relationships, especially with the father, matter too. A supportive partner can buffer against these effects, but an unsupportive or abusive one can stress the mother in a way that harms her developing baby.
How does this happen?
What many of us have difficulty conceptualizing is how something that is experienced in the mind can translate into both mental and physical health problems in the child. It’s suggested that experiencing stress results in increased circulation of the stress hormone cortisol, which then crosses the placenta to the fetus, changing the hormonal makeup and compromising fetal development, both neurological and physical. Exposure to elevated cortisol could prepare the developing fetus for a world that the mother perceives as stressful. In this way, outcomes such as behavioral problems might be seen as adaptive.
The changes we see in the child may have been protective in such an environment. More anxiety means greater vigilance and more ability to detect danger. Readily distracted attention, as in ADHD, may have helped to spot the danger more quickly. Rapid aggression may have helped also. But these changes, adaptive in the presence of real danger, are disadvantages in our society.
How to reduce stress during pregnancy
Some ways to reduce stress include utilizing social support, either by spending time with friends or accepting help from those around you to relieve the stress of daily activities. Light exercise, yoga, meditation, and relaxation can all assist in managing stress. While yoga class might be perceived as inaccessible or elitist. Scheduling time to rest and discussing work demands in pregnancy with your employer are other ways to reduce stress.
The good news is that we should be able to do something about all this. At the moment most anxiety, depression, and stress in pregnant women are not detected by health professionals and very little is done to help. Mental health is the most neglected aspect of obstetric care. But it is not difficult either to detect or to help. If we can help the pregnant woman we will be helping the next generation too.
Building resilience in families and children in the face of stress is extremely important, and this is why it’s vital we include stress management strategies into not just pregnancy care, but also the early years of parenting and child development.
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this website is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Resources:
http://theconversation.com/health-check-can-stress-during-pregnancy-harm-my-baby-81825
10 Signs of Approaching Labor
While there are characteristic changes in the body with impending labor, every woman’s experience is unique and different. “Normal” can vary from woman to woman. The signs and symptoms of normal labor can begin three weeks prior to the anticipated due date up until two weeks afterward, and there is no precise way to predict exactly when a woman will go into labor.
“It’s the event you’ve been happily (and nervously) anticipating for months: Your baby’s birth! “
How will you know when it’s time to grab your hospital bag and get to the delivery room? Thankfully, your body will give you some solid clues.
Here are 10 common signs that labor is near.
- The baby drops
Medically known as “lightening,” this is when the baby “drops.” The baby’s head descends deeper into the pelvis and is getting into position to make his exit. For some women, this occurs up to 2 weeks prior to the beginning of labor; other women may not notice this event at all. In subsequent births, this “lightening” doesn’t often happen until you’re truly in labor.
- An increased urge to urinate
An increased urge to urinate can be a result of the baby’s head dropping into the pelvis. The low position of the baby’s head puts even more pressure on the urinary bladder, so many women approaching labor might feel a frequent need to urinate. As the baby drops, breathing can become easier since there is less pressure on the diaphragm from underneath.
- The mucus plug passes
Passage of the mucus plug is a known sign that labor is near. Thick mucus produced by the cervical glands normally keeps the cervical opening closed during pregnancy. This mucus plug must be expelled before delivery. It can come out in one large piece (it looks similar to the mucus in your nose) or lots of little ones, though you may not get a glimpse of it at all and some women don’t lose it before delivery. Pressure from the baby’s head causes the mucus plug to be expressed from the vagina, sometimes as blood-tinged vaginal discharge (referred to as “bloody show”) and is a good indication that labor is imminent, but without contractions or dilation of three to four centimeters, labor could still be a few days away.
- The cervix dilates
Your cervix, too, is starting to prepare for birth. Dilation of the cervix is a sign that labor is approaching, although this is detected by the health-care professional during a pelvic examination. This begins in the days and even weeks prior to the onset of labor; “Fully dilated” means the cervix has dilated to a width of 10 cm. But everyone progresses differently, so don’t be discouraged if you’re dilating slowly or not at all yet.
- Thinning of the cervix
In addition to dilation, thinning (effacement) of the cervix also occurs. This occurs in the weeks prior to labor, since a thinned cervix dilates more easily. This sign is also detected by the health-care professional during a pelvic exam.
- Back pain
Contractions can often begin in the back and move forward to the pelvis. And some women do experience “back labor,” which is characterized by severe discomfort in the lower back that is most intense during contractions and often painful between contractions. Women also notice loosening of the joints, particularly in the pelvic area, as the third trimester progresses, in preparation for delivery.
- Contractions
It’s inevitable—at some point, you’ll realize that crampy feeling you’re having might be more than just cramps. They’ll change to regular contractions, which indicate your body is beginning the process of a birthing baby. Contractions, which can vary among women and can be described as pounding, tightening, stabbing, or similar to menstrual cramps, increase in strength and frequency as labor approaches.
Irregular contractions, known as Braxton-Hicks contractions or “false labor” occurs toward the end of pregnancy during the third trimester. Braxton-Hicks contractions are usually milder than those of true labor, and they do not occur at regular intervals. The best thing to do? Relax, get comfortable or perhaps take a shower. Time the contractions and head to the hospital or birthing center when they become about five minutes apart.
- Burst of energy
Many women describe feeling a sudden burst of energy and excitement in the weeks prior to labor, in contrast to feeling extra tired as is typical of pregnancy. Often referred to as “nesting,” this impulse often is accompanied by a sense of urgency to get things done or make plans for the baby.
- Nausea and diarrhea
Just as the muscles in your uterus are relaxing in preparation for birth, so too are other muscles in your body, including those in the rectum. And that can lead to diarrhea, that pesky little labor symptom you may well have experienced at other times during pregnancy. Though annoying, it’s completely normal; stay hydrated and remember it’s a good sign!
- Your water breaks
Despite what movies will have us believe, how your water breaks (in other words, how the membranes of the amniotic sac burst) can vary a lot.
If your water breaks and you’re experiencing contractions, this is one of the biggest signs of labor. But if contractions haven’t set in yet, your doctor may want you to wait a few hours before coming in. Rupture of the amniotic membranes, or one’s “water breaking,” usually is a sign that labor has begun. Amniotic fluid should be colorless and odorless. It can sometimes be hard to distinguish from urine, but amniotic fluid does not have an odor. If you are leaking amniotic fluid, it is essential to contact your health-care professional right away.
Should I Call the Doctor?
It’s not necessarily your due date—that’s just an estimate, and there’s really no telling exactly when the baby will arrive. Keep in mind too that some women may deliver before 37 weeks (which would be considered a preterm birth); others, who go past 41 weeks, may wind up getting induced, depending on your doctor and your hospital’s policies.
If you think you’re going into labor, your practitioner should have advised you on what to do when your contractions become regular: “Call me when they’re coming about five minutes apart for at least an hour,” for example. Contractions won’t all be exactly spaced, but if they are becoming pretty consistent, more painful and longer (usually around 30 to 70 seconds), it’s time to check in with your doc. If you think you might be in labor but aren’t sure, get on the phone; your provider can advise you on what’s going on. Don’t feel embarrassed or worry about calling outside of office hours (your doctor or midwife knew this would happen when she got into the baby-catching business!).
You should always call if:
- You experience any bleeding or bright-red discharge (not brown or pinkish).
- Your water breaks — especially if the fluid looks green or brown; this could be a sign that meconium is present (which is your newborn’s first stool; it can be dangerous if your baby ingests it during birth).
- You experience blurred or double vision, a severe headache, or sudden swelling. These can be symptoms of preeclampsia, which is characterized by pregnancy-induced high blood pressure and requires medical attention.
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this website is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Resources:https://www.medicinenet.com/early_signs_and_symptoms_of_labor/article.htm#7_contractions