1. First stage of labor

The period from the regular contraction of the uterus to the complete opening of the cervix (expanding to 10 cm wide) is called the first stage of labor.

At the beginning of the first stage of labor, the uterus contracts every 10 minute, and the contraction time is relatively short. Later, uterine contractions became more and more frequent, about once every minute or two, and each time lasted about 1 minute. The tighter the contraction, the shorter the interval, the faster the cervix opens, and the more uncomfortable the parturient is. When the uterus contracts, you will feel that the uterus is tight and stiff, and your stomach (that is, the lower abdomen) or waist hurts, and you will feel like falling. At this time, you will feel that this is the longest, most painful and most painful stage.

With the continuous contraction of the uterus, the contraction force is also increasing, so the cervical opening is getting bigger and bigger. When the cervix is fully open, the fetal membrane in the uterus ruptures and the amniotic fluid inside flows out of the vagina. This is called "breaking water". Breaking water is an important signal that the fetus is about to be born.

The first stage of labor of primipara is about 8 ~ 12 hours. It takes about 6-8 hours for a prolific woman to give birth. If there is no special discomfort, you can use this time to do some light activities indoors (such as walking slowly) and eat a small amount of meals. Eat some high-calorie digestible food, such as porridge, custard, milk, wonton, or drink some white sugar water. It is good to drink as much water as possible.

In the first stage of labor, try to conserve your physical strength. As the uterine orifice is not completely opened, it is useless to exert force. The midwife will measure your blood pressure, listen to your fetal heart rate, observe contractions, know whether the uterine orifice is fully open, and monitor your fetal heart rate. I believe they will make correct judgment and timely treatment according to your specific situation.

Empty your stool after delivery and the midwife will give you an enema.

You should also take the initiative to urinate every two or three hours to avoid bladder overfilling, which will affect uterine contraction and fetal head descent.

When the doctor tells you that the cervix is completely open (when the cervix is larger than 4cm), you will enter the second stage of labor. At this time, you have to lie on the delivery bed and give birth. It is best to lie on the left.

Some parturients are extremely afraid of giving birth, and they are very nervous. The pain caused by normal uterine contraction after delivery has become unbearable pain for them. Shouting, not resting, not eating, and being in a state of high tension are very harmful to them. The result of this tossing is a great waste of physical strength. When real exertion is needed, people will be exhausted and not have enough strength to increase abdominal pressure to give birth to a fetus. Inadequate contractions usually make natural childbirth difficult. You should accept these lessons and welcome the birth of the baby with sufficient energy and good attitude.

2. Second stage of labor

Fetal delivery is the second stage of labor, that is, the period from cervical opening to fetal delivery. At this time, you should wait in the delivery bed, and the midwife will help you deliver the baby. Whether your exertion is correct or not is directly related to the delivery speed of the fetus, whether the fetus is hypoxic, and the severity of your perineal injury. So at this time, you should listen to the guidance of the midwife, push when you should, and take time to rest when you shouldn't.

The uterine contractility is stronger in the second stage of labor, and the fetus gradually descends along the birth canal. When the fetal head descends to the pelvic floor, it will oppress the rectum, and the parturient can't help but hold her breath downwards, as if to relieve the stool. At this time, the uterine contraction is getting tighter and tighter, and each time the interval is only one or two minutes, lasting for one minute, so the fetus quickly descends, enters the birth canal from the cervical opening, and then reaches the vaginal opening outcrop along the birth canal until the whole body is delivered.

At this stage, it usually takes one or two hours to complete, but for the parturient, it only takes half an hour or a few minutes.

During the second stage of labor, the pain of uterine contraction was obviously relieved. When the uterus contracts, put your feet on the delivery bed, hold the armrest beside the delivery bed with both hands, take a deep breath, then hold your breath, push it down like defecation, and hold your breath against the anus as long as possible. If the contractions do not disappear, try to change your breathing as hard as possible.

During the interval when contractions stop, relax muscles, rest quietly, and avoid shouting or crying, which will waste your strength. When the contraction occurs again, you repeat the above actions.

When the fetal head is about to be delivered, the midwife will remind: "Don't push any harder." At this time, you can loosen the armrest of the delivery bed, put your hands on your chest, open your mouth to breathe during contractions, and hold your breath slightly in the anal direction during contractions. At this time, the midwife will protect the fetal head from being delivered slowly, and at the same time carefully protect your perineum to prevent serious tearing. When the baby is delivered, don't twist your hips and keep the correct posture. At this time, the midwife will explain it to you carefully.

3. The third stage of labor

The third stage of labor refers to the period from fetal delivery to placental delivery. At this time, the child was born, but the placenta was still in the uterus and was not delivered. At this time, you will feel relaxed immediately. But a few minutes later, the uterus began to contract again, stripping the placenta from the uterine wall and expelling it from the body. The third stage of labor usually takes ten minutes. At this time, the whole delivery process is over.