Stages Of Labor and Delivery
Written on September 27, 2008 by steven
The birth process has three stages. The exact mechanisms that signal the mother’s body that the baby is ready to be born are unknown. During the few weeks preceding delivery, the baby normally shifts and turns to a head-down position, and the cervix begins to dilate(open up). The junction of the pubic bones also loosens to permit expansion of the pelvic girdle during birth.
In the first stage of labor, the amniotic sac breaks, causing a rush of fluid from the vagina(commonly referred to as “breaking of the waters”). Contractions in the abdomen and lower back also signal the beginning of labor. Early contractions push the baby downward, putting pressure on the cervix and thereby causing it to dilate further. The first stage of labor may last from a couple of hours to more than a day for a first birth, but is usually much shorter during subsequent births.
The end of the first stage of labor, called transition, is the process when the cervix becomes fully dilated and the baby’s head begins to move into the vagina, or the birth canal. Contractions usually come quickly during transition. Transition usually lasts 30 minutes or less.
The second stage of labor follows transition when the cervix has become fully dilated. Contractions become rhythmic, stronger, and more painful as the uterus works to push the baby through the birth canal. The second stage of labor(called the expulsion stage) may last between one and four hours and concludes when the infant is finally pushed out of the mother’s body. In some cases, the attending practitioner will do an episiotomy, a straight incision in the mother’s perineum, to prevent the baby’s head from causing tearing of vaginal tissues and to speed the baby’s exit from the vagina. Sometimes women can avoid the need for an episiotomy by exercising and getting good nutrition throughout pregnancy, by trying different birth positions, or by having an attendant massage the perineal tissue. However, the skin’s natural elasticity and the baby’s size are limiting factors.
After delivery, the attending practitioner cleans the baby’s mucus-filled breathing passages, and the baby takes its first breath, generally accompanied by a loud wail.
In the meantime, the mother continues into the third stage of labor, during which the placenta, or afterbirth, is expelled from the womb. This stage is usually completed within 30 minutes after delivery. The umbilical cord is then tied and severed. The stump of cord attached to the baby’s navel dries up and drops off within a few days.
Most mothers prefer to have their new infants placed next to them following the birth. Together with their spouse or partner, they feel a need to share this time of bonding with their infant.
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