Stretches my back every 10 minutes. The onset of labor: how to understand that contractions have begun? What are “false” abbreviations?

In order to help everyone prepare for childbirth, we have created a “School for Expectant Parents” on the pages of our magazine.

Regular contractions

The classic onset of labor is the occurrence of contractions that are insignificant in duration and sensation. The first contractions are usually not associated with pain or significant discomfort. Describing their feelings at this moment, women in labor say that the stomach seems to “turn to stone” for 5-10 seconds, and then completely relaxes until the next contraction. The only subjective sensation with this type of onset of labor may be a slight “straining” in the lower abdomen and lumbar region. Most women experience similar sensations during the premenstrual period. Very important sign The truth of labor is regularity, that is, equal intervals between contractions. For example: a contraction began at 6:00 and lasted 7 seconds, the next contraction began at 6:20 and also lasted 7 seconds, the next contraction began at 6:40, etc.

Another sign of true labor activity is the ability to develop dynamically. From the moment labor begins, contractions should gradually intensify in sensation and lengthen in time; the intervals between contractions, on the contrary, will become increasingly shorter. If at the beginning of labor contractions last about 5-7 seconds, and the interval is 20 minutes, then by the time full opening cervix, when the baby begins to descend along the birth canal, the duration of the contraction can increase to 40-50(!) seconds, and the interval can decrease to 1-2 minutes. With this option for the onset of labor, you should go to the maternity hospital as soon as the interval between contractions is reduced to 10 minutes no later than, and only if the journey to the maternity hospital is guaranteed not to take more than an hour. Until this moment future mom may be at home under the supervision of relatives. However, this is only possible if wellness women in labor. If a woman begins to lose amniotic fluid, pressure increases bloody issues from the genital tract - go to the maternity hospital immediately!

Training contractions

Now let's consider another option for the onset of labor - irregular, or training, contractions. They feel similar to the real thing, but the intervals between them may differ significantly from each other. For example, “real” first contractions will occur clearly every 20 minutes. And in case of a “false alarm,” the interval between adjacent contractions will be uneven. Let's say: 20 minutes - 15 minutes - 30 minutes - 10 minutes - 45 minutes, etc. The dynamics of the process are also not typical for training contractions: they will neither intensify nor lengthen, and the intervals between them will remain uneven. Training contractions can have two different options outcome. In the first case, they will stop on their own. It should be noted that this scenario is the most frequent women, preparing to become a mother for the first time. After all, the uterus is muscular organ and before the decisive event has the right to practice. Normally, such training can be repeated several times over a period of time. last week before childbirth; they usually last no more than 2-3 hours and do not cause much discomfort (except, of course, for the worries of the expectant mother and her loved ones).

Much less often, such a “rehearsal” can turn out to be a dress rehearsal. Then the initially irregular intervals between contractions will gradually become regularized, and training contractions will turn into regular labor. If it becomes obvious that the contractions that have arisen are irregular (and in order to understand this, it is enough to compare a couple of intervals between adjacent contractions), the best thing to do... go to bed! Before giving birth, it is especially important to save energy - because you will need it so much!

Remember: even if training contractions turn into regular labor, it is impossible to sleep through labor! In the first case, you will get enough sleep and calmly wait for the real start of labor. In the second, also get enough sleep and wake up with good regular labor. Premonitory contractions never precede rapid labor, so you will not be late for the maternity hospital. But in the case when false contractions are repeated every day, cause significant discomfort and deprive the pregnant woman of sleep, it is necessary to consult a doctor, she will be hospitalized in the maternity hospital.

Premature rupture of amniotic fluid

Now let's talk about the rupture of amniotic fluid. Normally, the fetal bladder, which contains water, should open no earlier than the middle of the first stage of labor, when the cervix is already half dilated. Until this moment, the amniotic sac is actively involved in the process of dilation of the cervix, so its “early” rupture can cause a weakening of labor. In addition, with the violation of the integrity of the membranes, the risk of infection of the uterus and fetus increases significantly. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion of leakage of amniotic fluid, you should urgently go to the maternity hospital - regardless of the presence of contractions, the size of the intervals between them and the amount of fluid released from the genital tract!

In obstetrics, a distinction is made between central and lateral rupture of the membranes. Central is called a rupture of the bladder at the level of the cervix. With this location of the rupture, the amniotic fluid “gushes out like a torrent,” as if a faucet had been opened somewhere inside the woman in labor. The liquid will flow down your legs, all clothes below the waist will instantly become wet. As you can see, it is simply impossible to miss such a phenomenon!

The water breaks completely differently if the rupture occurs high and the “hole” in the amniotic sac is covered by the wall of the uterus. This type of gap is called a high lateral gap. In this case, water will constantly leak in small quantities, wetting the sanitary pad and underwear women. Gap amniotic sac may be independent in nature, not accompanied by any subjective sensations. That is, there will be no pain, no spasm, no urge to urinate, there may not even be contractions - just at one “wonderful” moment you will feel that liquid is being released from the vagina, in addition to your desire.

When going to the maternity hospital, it is necessary to note the time of rupture of amniotic fluid, the approximate amount and color of the released fluid. In the absence of complications, the amniotic fluid is almost transparent and contains inclusions in the form of particles of a cheese-like lubricant that covers the baby. If the amniotic fluid has various shades green color, this indicates intrauterine hypoxia fetus - lack of oxygen. In any case, all information about the nature of amniotic fluid that will be communicated to the doctor will help him take quick and effective measures help mother and baby, and the birth will end safely.

So, let's summarize our first lesson:

If contractions begin, interspersed with uniform and gradually shortening intervals, the mother and baby feel well, no water has been poured out - we go to the maternity hospital no later than a 10-minute interval between contractions.
If the contractions that begin are irregular, mother and baby feel well, no water is poured out - rest and wait further development events.
If water has leaked or is leaking in any quantity, or there is even a suspicion that water has broken, we go to the maternity hospital immediately. In doubtful cases, a special test will be performed in the emergency room of the maternity hospital - a smear for water. The result will be ready in 15-30 minutes and will allow you to confirm or refute the fact of rupture of the amniotic sac, regardless of its size and location.

Contractions are the first stage of labor that has begun. Their main task is to open the cervix. In order for the baby to leave the uterine cavity, the cervix must dilate completely. The uterus can be compared to a muscular sac that is tied. If you untie the knot, it will be possible to remove the contents from the bag. The process of opening the neck is the process of “untying”.

Real contractions - what are they?

Pregnant women are usually actively interested in the nuances of their condition, and today there is plenty of information. Therefore, expectant mothers are well aware that contractions are different from contractions.

There are training contractions of the uterus that never, under any circumstances, promote dilatation of the cervix. There are preparatory and precursor contractions. They are associated with active physiological preparation body for childbirth, smoothing the cervix, softening it. Such contractions also do not lead to the opening of the uterus, but symbolize the start of the preparatory stage.

Real contractions begin after a woman’s body is completely ready for childbirth. This preparation is long, painstaking and detailed. It begins almost from the very first day of pregnancy and ends when the baby is ready to be born. Preparations are underway different levels: hormonal background a pregnant woman must change before giving birth - the primacy of progesterone is replaced by estrogens, relaxin, prolactin, oxytocin. When the concentration of oxytocin reaches the required level, the uterus begins to contract.

During preparation for childbirth, a new intracellular process starts in the uterine tissue: the protein actomyosin is produced. Thanks to it, the cells (myocytes) that make up the uterine tissue will be able to shrink and stretch. When all internal conditions for the onset of labor are observed, those very real labor pains begin, which expectant mothers await with such excitement in the later stages of pregnancy.

Each contraction gradually leads to the opening of the cervix. The neck is a tight, round muscle that is very difficult to open. That is why the contractive period of labor from the first uterine contraction to full dilatation of the cervix is the longest.

Real contractions are different from all other contractions that a woman experiences while carrying a baby. They are characterized by periodicity, regularity and irreversibility. Once they have begun, it will no longer be possible to stop or weaken the contractions - nature itself begins to “manage” the process. Regular contractions tend to progress: uterine contractions become longer, the time of uterine tension increases, and the break between contractions becomes shorter and shorter. It is on this basis that labor contractions differ from all other types of contractions - a woman needs to pay the closest attention to these intervals.

As the contraction intensity increases, so does the opening. The strongest contractions are usually observed before pushing, that is, immediately before the full opening and expulsion of the baby from the cozy womb.

During each spasm, a woman feels tension in the muscles of the uterus. This sensation usually begins in the lumbar region, then smoothly, like a wave, covers the sacrum, lower abdomen and spreads throughout abdominal wall. The moment the tension begins is the beginning of the contraction. The time elapsed from the beginning of contraction to relaxation of the uterus is the duration of the spasm. The time of relaxation and rest from the end of a contraction to the start of a new one is the interval.

Periods

Confusing real uterine contractions with other sensations that a pregnant woman experiences in abundance during pregnancy later, very difficult. Uterine contractions that lead to the opening of the cervix, that is, true contractions, cannot be subjugated to your will, it cannot be stopped by taking an antispasmodic tablet or standing in a warm shower - everything that helped reduce the tension of the uterus during training contractions no longer works. Contractions develop according to their own laws. The entire contractive period of labor is called the first stage. It consists of three successive stages, which will be discussed below.

Latent

The term “latent” means hidden. This period begins with the first contraction and lasts quite a long time. It is during this period that a woman is tormented by doubts whether labor has begun or not yet, what is happening and how to calculate contractions, whether it is time to go to the maternity hospital or is it too early. This period is usually not associated with severe pain.

Spasms in the latent period recur relatively rarely - Uterine tension occurs every 30-40 minutes, each contraction lasts no more than 20 seconds. A small error of 4-5 minutes is quite acceptable.

If such contractions begin, then there is no need to panic; it is also too early to run with your bag at the ready to the maternity hospital. The period lasts more than 8 hours, or even longer, and there is plenty of time to calmly drink tea, eat a small piece of chocolate, stock up on energy, and check that everything that needs to be taken to the maternity hospital has been collected.

The latent period, despite its long duration, does not lead to rapid opening cervix. By the end of the period, it opens to only 3 cm - this is about a third of the opening required for the birth of a baby. The level of oxytocin in the mother's body gradually increases, and contractions gradually become more frequent. By the end of the latent period, the duration of the contraction is on average about 30 seconds, the interval between them is at least 5-7 minutes.

Active

The next stage of contractions is called active. Active spasms are more frequent and more noticeable. Painful sensations may be more pronounced than in the previous phase. The main stage of cervical dilatation begins: it will open to approximately 7 cm. Each contraction in this period lasts 40-50 seconds, the interval between uterine tension is 4-6 minutes.

Cervical dilatation occurs faster. Now it is about a centimeter per hour. This period can be quite difficult for women, as it is long and painful. On average, active contractions last 3-5 hours.

Transition

This stage is the shortest of the three. Spasms are intense and frequent. Each of them lasts approximately 60-70 seconds. Rest intervals are minimal: about 1-2 minutes. It is very difficult for a woman during this period, but in 1-1.5 hours the cervix manages to open completely to 10-12 cm (depending on the size of the woman’s pelvis).

Transitional contractions are therefore called transitional, which means that when full disclosure turn into attempts. There is a feeling of heaviness and a desire to go and have a bowel movement immediately. The baby begins to be “pushed” into the genital tract by uterine contractions.

If such sensations occur, you should immediately report it. medical personnel– attempts should be carried out under the supervision of an obstetrician so that the child and woman are not injured.

Features during childbirth

First birth

If a woman is about to give birth to her first child, then the contractions will be longer. Disclosure cervix goes slower, so all periods of labor last longer with the exception of the birth of the placenta - it usually appears earlier in such women in labor than in multiparous women.

Pain during the first birth is usually more intense than in multiparous women. All successive stages of contractions during the first birth can last from 10 to 20 hours.

Repeated births

At second, third and next birth a woman’s body responds more readily to the demands of nature, so spasms last less, and painful sensations, according to women, they are much easier to tolerate. Cervix and itself reproductive organ somewhat stretched compared to first-time mothers, there is less fear, and the woman knows how to relax between contractions.

Often the hidden period of contractions in multiparous women goes virtually unnoticed. Women describe that they felt an ache in the lower back, a slight tug in the stomach, but this was not identified with contractions. As a result, a woman arrives at the maternity hospital when the baby is almost ready to be born.

All periods in multiparous women last much shorter: hidden usually does not exceed 6-7 hours, active - about 3 hours, transitional contractions can last about half an hour. On average, women give birth to their second or third baby in 8-12 hours.

When should you come to the maternity hospital?

When contractions occur every 15-20 minutes, it is too early to go to the maternity hospital. With such a contractile frequency up to active phase, which ideally should flow under medical supervision, there is still a lot of time.

Knowing that active contractions begin when the cervix is 3-4 cm dilated, and this process takes about 6-8 hours during the second birth and much longer during the first, it will not be difficult for a woman to determine the optimal moment to arrive at the maternity hospital. Doctors advise doing this when the latent period ends. Contractions are repeated every 5 minutes for 1 minute or a little less.

In order not to make a mistake, it is best to call an ambulance when contractions occur every 6-10 minutes. Those giving birth for the second or third time have less time, so you need to hurry up and call the ambulance in advance when uterine contractions are repeated every 10-15 minutes.

if amniotic fluid has leaked;
blood discharge appeared from the genitals;
contractions began before the woman’s pessary was removed;
in all cases when the mother’s condition has become significantly worse: blood pressure increases, there is dizziness, vomiting, loss of consciousness.

Before the maternity hospital, you shouldn’t eat anything except a small piece of chocolate. If you really want to eat or drink, you should drink a small amount of liquid, and tablets and other medications should be avoided.

How to count?

You can count as they did before: using a clock or a stopwatch. If a woman suspects that she is having regular contractions, it is worth noting the beginning of each contraction, indicating the time, the beginning of relaxation, and the time until the next contraction.

You need to try to accurately measure the seconds - they will help you understand whether real contractions have begun or training ones. Contraction counters can make things easier for a woman in labor - these are special applications for smartphones running on different operating systems.

The woman needs to mark the beginning of the contraction by pressing the button, and then follow the instructions of the program. The application will not only determine the duration of the fight with high accuracy up to tenths of a second, but will also analyze the pattern. As a result, the program will signal that it is time for the woman to go to the maternity hospital.

It is difficult to say how accurate such programs are. Women's bodies are individual, and the program works according to average specified parameters, so it may not identify abnormal contractions when labor develops with pathology.

Possible problems

Contractions may be abnormal various reasons. The most common is weakness of labor. Contractions may be weaker or stop. Cervical dilatation is too slow. Weak labor contractions may well be combined with incoordination of labor, while uterine contractions are often frequent but short, repeating after 30 seconds, a minute, but not exceeding 20-30 seconds in duration.

The timer on a smartphone often does not respond to such situations. The frequency of contractions should also be checked using a regular watch with a second hand or an electronic stopwatch.

Weakness of labor is called primary generic weakness. It should always have a primary source, a reason, but it is not always possible to find it in practice. Very often, primary weakness leads to emergency surgery.

Most often, the prerequisites for such a pathology are decreased uterine muscle tone due to hypoplasia, endometritis, tumors, a history of several abortions, and hormonal imbalance.

Complications are not excluded in women with gestosis and obesity who are pregnant. large fruit, in first-time mothers. There is also a pattern between fear and incoordination of contractions: what stronger woman afraid, the higher the likelihood that contractions will weaken and their frequency will be disrupted.

Heard about rapid labor in an ambulance and even at home, many girls worry about how not to miss the onset of contractions and arrive at the maternity hospital on time. For this, there are certain guidelines, knowing which it is very difficult to miss “hour X”. You need to pay attention to your well-being, the frequency of contractions, vaginal discharge and the baby’s movements. How do contractions begin before childbirth in primiparous and multiparous women, how to distinguish true from false?

Within a few days and sometimes even weeks, the pregnant woman’s body begins to intensively prepare for childbirth. Everything changes, from the nature of a woman’s breathing and well-being to the size of her stomach and vaginal discharge. Careful self-observation will help the expectant mother understand how soon she will give birth.

Signs that contractions are starting before childbirth

Already a few weeks before giving birth, you can notice changes that indicate that the body is beginning to prepare. In primiparous women, these processes occur more slowly, so they are somewhat easier to notice. With repeated upcoming birth many changes can occur simultaneously, quickly, so they are a little more difficult to detect. The main points are as follows.

The belly gets smaller. Gradually the baby descends deeper into the pelvis. At the same time, the fundus of the uterus also shifts behind it, so it seems that the stomach has become a little smaller.
It becomes easier to breathe. Due to the fact that the fundus of the uterus and fetus shift downward, space is freed up for the lungs, which until this moment are in compressed conditions. Therefore, the woman will note a decrease in shortness of breath and the appearance of ease when breathing.
Heartburn is reduced. Due to the decrease in pressure on the stomach, the speed and volume of reflux of its contents into the esophagus is reduced, which causes a decrease in the symptoms of burning and pain in the chest.
Pain appears in the lower abdomen. Periodic pulling painful sensations in the lower back, sacrum and lower abdomen - a sign of the imminent start of “training contractions”.
Pressing sensation on the perineum. The presenting part of the fetus, which descends into the pelvis, compresses nerve endings and tissue, causing a bursting sensation in the lower abdomen, on the perineum.
The mucus plug comes off. Throughout pregnancy in cervical canal Women have special mucus that protects against the penetration of microbes to the fetus. On the eve of childbirth, as the cervix dilates, it begins to come out. Women often notice it as thick, clear or slightly grayish mucus in their vaginal discharge.
Diarrhea appears. Nature has long made sure that a woman’s body is prepared for childbirth. Natural loosening of stool occurs no more than a day before contractions.
Body weight decreases. Usually, on the eve of childbirth, a woman loses 1-2 kg instead of gaining. This is due to a decrease in appetite and a decrease in fluid in the body.

If a woman notices all of these symptoms, or at least some of them, it will be easier for her to recognize contractions before childbirth.

What are “false” abbreviations?

“Training contractions” or Bragston-Higgs - contractions of the uterus that are necessary for preparation birth canal for baby's entry. Women often confuse them with the onset of labor, especially during their first pregnancy.

Normal

False contractions are no different in nature from normal contractions, but they are less intense, short, and irregular. As a result of false contractions, the cervix opens, and the baby descends even further into the pelvic cavity.

The period from the beginning of training contractions to regular labor is called preliminary. It can occur in physiological and pathological forms. Normally, a woman may feel the following:

contractions begin suddenly, often in the evening or early morning;
do not cause general anxiety to a woman;
despite them, the expectant mother can fall asleep;
decrease after taking antispasmodics;
irregular - there may be one contraction in two minutes, and then one after a 10-20 minute break;
contractions end as suddenly as they began.

Usually, after such training sessions, real contractions begin. The transition can be smooth, but often takes a couple of hours or even days. Also, false contractions can occur in several approaches, for example, over two days in the evenings. How training contractions go before childbirth depends on many factors, for example, psychological mood and the presence of diseases.

Pathological

Pathological preliminary period characterized by the following features:

contractions are painful and it seems that they are not going away at all;
a woman feels pain in the lower abdomen, lower back;
discomfort disrupt the psycho-emotional state;
impossible to sleep or rest;
pain is not relieved by antispasmodics.

The pathological preliminary period does not lead to structural changes in the cervix, but exhausts the woman and is accompanied by fetal suffering. Therefore, it is important to identify it in time and treat it. Often, a pathological preliminary period becomes the reason for a cesarean section or puncture of the bladder without contractions to stimulate labor.

How to distinguish

An important question is how to identify contractions before childbirth and when to go to the maternity hospital after that.

The intensity of true contractions does not decrease - they only become stronger and more frequent. They can start once every 20 minutes, but then become a multiplicity of ten, five, and then every three to five minutes. At this time, there is often a need for special breathing, which will help a woman endure not entirely pleasant and even painful sensations. At the peak of the fight - “like a dog” (frequent shallow breathing), as the intensity decreases, it becomes deeper and calmer. The following table will help you distinguish between true and false contractions.

Table - True and false contractions before childbirth

Options	False contractions	True contractions
Duration	- 10-15 seconds	- First, 5-10 seconds; - gradually increase to 30-40 seconds
Intensity	- Average	- At first not strong; - then the intensity increases
Periodicity	- Irregular; - at different intervals - from 15 seconds to an hour or more	- Every 15; - then 10 and 5 minutes
Is there fatigue?	- Lightweight	- Moderate
Is it possible to sleep	- Yes, especially after taking antispasmodics	- No
Vaginal discharge	- Mucous (often a “plug”)	- Mucus plug; - water may appear

The main difference between real contractions and training ones is that the latter come and go again. If labor has really begun, then uterine contractions only become stronger and more frequent.

Many women wonder how to count contractions. It is customary to determine its duration, and then the number of minutes until the next one. But modern gadgets allow you to use a simple program. By recording the time, it supposedly reveals whether contractions are false or true.

When to go to the hospital

Women always have a question about when to go to the maternity hospital if contractions begin - immediately with the first symptoms or wait a while.

If contractions begin, but the water has not yet broken and nothing else bothers the pregnant woman, as soon as the uterus contracts every three to five minutes, it is necessary to go to the maternity hospital, if it is no more than 30 minutes away. You should go to the hospital immediately in the following cases:

if water flows– they are usually milky in color, with pathology – yellowish or greenish;
if there is bloody vaginal discharge– one of the signs of placental abruption;
if there are pushings during contractions– feeling strong pressure on the perineum, when you want to expel the fetus;
if there is a sudden change in movements– either became excessively violent or stopped altogether;
if there is a suspicion of pathological “false contractions” - in this case than faster woman will apply for medical care, the higher the probability of a favorable outcome;
if the pressure has increased - or when other signs of gestosis progression appear (flickering “flies” before the eyes, severe headache).

What to do if in doubt

Often pregnant women doubt whether they are having contractions or just training. Such situations arise especially often in first-time mothers. However, you should not worry or hesitate to seek medical help. When visiting any maternity hospital, the doctor will confirm or deny the onset of labor. Multiparous women need to be especially vigilant, because contractions often last for some time and are hardly noticeable, and it is difficult to determine how long the interval is between them. As a result, such mothers barely have time to arrive at the maternity hospital.

How to relieve pain

Many women are confused and don’t know what to do during contractions. In fact, there is nothing special, but the basic rules on how to make childbirth and labor easier for yourself are as follows:

learn to breathe correctly in each stage of labor;
you can be in a warm shower, directing a stream of water to the sacrum and lower abdomen;
drink warm tea or water;
For many, pain at the stage of cervical dilatation decreases when walking;
you can massage the sacrum - with your hand, with tennis balls;
Exercises in which you need to sit on a gymnastic ball help.

If contractions look more like false ones, you can take antispasmodic drug(for example, “No-shpa” is safe), after this the pain should become less. You should not take other painkillers on your own.

Contractions, like pregnancy itself, occur differently for every woman. After all, there are no identical organisms. Then the question arises, how do you understand that contractions are starting? You should listen to your body, noticing even the slightest changes. With this approach important point it will be difficult to miss, and the woman’s reviews confirm this.

The first contractions of labor may be felt at long intervals, such as every 20 or 30 minutes. It is important not to confuse them with the preparatory work of the uterus. And to do this, you need to learn to calculate the interval between contractions, and when to go to the maternity hospital, questions are unlikely to arise.

Most doctors suggest imagining the contraction as a wave that comes and goes. And this interval between the retreat and the new advance is the one that is recommended to be measured. The interval between contractions begins to decrease: 10, 8, 7, 6, 3, 2 minutes gradually, over several hours. Moreover, this process occurs faster in women who are not giving birth for the first time. Firstly, their cervix is no longer as dense as that of firstborns. And secondly, many of them understand how to relax and know simple techniques, like walking, that is, what to do if the interval between contractions does not decrease, and how to speed up birth process they know without doctors.

Short intervals - less than 7-10 minutes between labor spasms - are best time to go to the maternity hospital. This needs to be done even earlier, for example, when contractions occur every 10 minutes, if the woman is outside the city, there are large traffic jams and there are other obstacles to quickly entering the maternity hospital.

But if there is no certainty that labor has begun. If the mucus plug has not yet come off, amniotic fluid is not leaking or leaving, the pregnancy is full-term and is not planned C-section, while there is following signs, you don’t have to rush yet:

contractions appear with an interval of more than 10 minutes, while the time intervals between spasms are different, sometimes 10 minutes, sometimes 20, sometimes 30;
no menstrual-type pain is felt, the stomach just periodically turns to stone;
the duration of the spasm is no more than a few seconds and does not increase over time;
you managed to get distracted, take a bath, fall asleep.

In addition, there is another way to understand that real contractions have begun - this is simply to pay attention to the vaginal discharge. If you didn't get out of it thick mucus, that is, a mucus plug, then if there is dilatation of the cervix, it is minimal, no more than 1-2 cm, and this is not yet a reason to rush to the maternity hospital.

How to count the intervals between contractions - manually or using contraction counters? In principle, it is possible both ways. But timing and making short notes on a piece of paper is not difficult at all. Therefore, if you don’t have a contraction counting application or any device with a program installed on it, it doesn’t matter.

When you determine how long the time interval between contractions lasts, you can safely call ambulance. Of course, if it happens once an hour, they are unlikely to come to you unless you complain about it. sharp pain or discharge. And at the very beginning, the intervals between contractions can indeed be quite long, you need to wait a little, try to calm down and pack your things for the maternity hospital, if necessary, do not forget about the documents - insurance policy, passport, birth certificate.

We have already written earlier about what interval between contractions is preferable to go to the maternity hospital. This is about 7-10 minutes. That is, there should be intervals between spasms when there is no pain. If the intervals between contractions are longer, but you do not feel well, or the child is too quiet, or movements have not been felt for a long time, you should also call an ambulance. Well, doctors are already on site using a CTG machine and observing the woman in labor to understand whether labor has begun and how effectively the cervix is dilating. If there are no indications for hospitalization, no one will detain you in the maternity hospital.

The last trimester of pregnancy is the most exciting period for a woman. The closer the birth gets, the more questions arise. The most relevant ones concern how contractions begin before childbirth, what sensations arise during this process, and whether pain is felt.

It is this process that is most feared by the fair sex, whose pregnancy is their first. There's really no need to be nervous about this. With negative emotions, pain can seem very strong. The less you think about it and fear contractions, the easier the birth will be.

Yes, and there are special techniques to reduce pain during this natural process.

A woman carrying a baby under her heart can be misled by false (training) contractions. They can begin from the 20th week of pregnancy. False contractions before childbirth cause slight discomfort, but are irregular, short-lived and in most cases practically painless. Uterine tension and discomfort can be relieved by a warm bath or walking. It is important to remember that the bath temperature should be between 36 and 38 degrees.

True contractions are the main harbinger of childbirth. How are contractions before childbirth and what are they like? Every woman experiences contractions differently. It depends on the physiological characteristics pregnant and the position of the baby in the tummy. For example, some may feel weak aching pain in the lumbar region, which after a certain period of time spread to the abdomen and pelvis, encircling the woman.

Others note that the sensations during contractions are comparable to the discomfort that occurs during menstruation. The pain subsequently intensifies. During contractions it may feel like the uterus turns to stone. This can be clearly seen if you put your hand on your stomach.

All of the above signs may also be characteristic of false uterine contractions. Then how to recognize real contractions before childbirth? There are general signs of this natural process that every pregnant woman can determine that she is about to go into labor:

regularity of occurrence;
gradual increase in frequency;
increasing pain over time.

At first, a pregnant woman may feel contractions after a long period of time. The pain is not severe. In the future, the intervals between contractions gradually decrease, and the pain of this natural process increases.

Based common features contractions before childbirth, we can distinguish 3 phase process:

initial (latent, hidden);
active;
transitional.

initial stage on average lasts about 7-8 hours. The duration of the contraction can be 30-45 seconds, the interval between them is about 5 minutes. During this period, the cervix dilates by 0-3 cm.

During active phase, lasting from 3 to 5 hours, contractions can last up to 60 seconds. The frequency of contractions during childbirth is 2-4 minutes. The cervix dilates 3-7 cm.

Transition phase(deceleration phase) is the shortest. A woman can stay in it for 0.5-1.5 hours. Contractions become longer. Now they last for 70-90 seconds. The interval between contractions also becomes shorter compared to other phases. After about 0.5-1 minutes, a woman in position will feel uterine contractions. Neck of this body opens to 7-10 cm.

Contractions during the second birth are also divided into three phases, but the total duration of each of them is shorter than during the first birth.

What to do if contractions start?

If contractions occur, a pregnant woman should calm down, because vanity is not best helper. Preferably take comfortable position in a chair, chair or bed and begin to record the intervals between contractions and their duration. It is advisable to record all this data. There is no need to think about what is more painful: contractions or childbirth. Fear will make the pain seem unbearable.

If contractions do not last long and the duration between them is long (20-30 minutes), then it is too early for the baby to be born. A woman has time to collect the necessary things, call an ambulance. At this time, with the help of loved ones, you can accept warm shower. When contractions occur, the intervals between which are 5-7 minutes, you already need to go to the maternity hospital.

A trip to medical institution There is no point in postponing, despite the fact that the initial phase of contractions can last several hours. The amniotic fluid may recede earlier, and at this time it is advisable to be under the supervision of an obstetrician-gynecologist. When your water breaks Under no circumstances should you take warm or hot bath, because this may increase the likelihood of developing infectious complications, the occurrence of bleeding, embolism, .

How to induce contractions and labor?

For many women, labor begins at 37-40 weeks. However, there are cases when pregnancy continues at 41, 42 and even 43 weeks. Representatives of the fair sex in such situations begin to worry and get nervous, because they so want to see their baby quickly, but he still doesn’t want to be born. Yes, and there are cases when the child died at this stage in the mother’s tummy, and contractions never began.

The death of a child can occur due to the fact that the placenta begins to age. Oxygen and nutrients the baby may no longer have enough. How to induce contractions and childbirth is a question that worries expectant mothers carrying a child longer than the date expected birth, which was calculated by the doctor.

To prevent the occurrence negative consequences, you can cause contractions and childbirth. However, this decision must be made only doctor. If there are no pathologies and the amniotic fluid is clean, then there is no need to stimulate the birth process. Everything has its time. If any deviations are found, the doctor will certainly suggest stimulation of contractions and labor. There is no point in giving this up.

Contractions can also be induced independently. For example, it is recommended to stay more vertical position, walk, move, but there is no need to provoke fatigue or stress, as this will not be beneficial.

Feelings of contractions before childbirth may occur because of sex. Sperm contains prostaglandins, which prepare the cervix for childbirth by softening it. Sexual arousal, orgasm tone the body and cause uterine contractions.

You can induce contractions using nipple massage. You can start doing it from the 37th week of pregnancy. During a massage, the hormone oxytocin is released in the body, due to which the muscles of the uterus can begin to contract. Massage allows you not only to stimulate labor, but also to prepare the skin of your nipples for breastfeeding your baby.

There are also folk remedies stimulation of labor and contractions, but you should not experience them yourself. For example, certain teas and decoctions can negatively affect the health of the mother and her baby, because some herbs are contraindicated for pregnant women, as they can cause miscarriage.

How to ease contractions during childbirth?

Doctors can help a pregnant woman reduce pain during labor and childbirth thanks to special drugs. However, you should not rely on anesthesia. There is a possibility that medicine will have a negative impact on the mother and her baby.

The main way to reduce pain is correct breathing during childbirth and labor. With its help, a woman in labor can relax. When a contraction occurs, it is recommended to focus on exhaling. At this moment, it is worth imagining that pain is “leaving” the body along with the air. A woman in labor may also make “noise” during contractions and childbirth. Sighs, groans and screams will ease the condition. Correct breathing You should learn in advance and practice more often, because childbirth is stressful, due to which all poorly memorized information can be easily forgotten.

The mother in labor can relax thanks to massage and simple gentle touches of a loved one. Contractions are the beginning of labor. It is when they occur that it is recommended to do slow massaging lower section backs. At this time, a woman can stand or sit on a chair, leaning on its back with her hands.

Massage lumbar region back during childbirth is considered very effective. This is due to the fact that the sacral nerve passes to spinal cord from the uterus through the lower back. If you massage this area, the pain during contractions will be felt less. It is very good if the spouse wants to be present at the birth and help his beloved at this difficult moment.

No less important psychological attitude . Positive emotions, the thought that you will soon be able to see the baby will help reduce pain. In order to react correctly to what is happening and not worry, a woman needs to understand how childbirth proceeds and what she can feel at this time.

Between contractions no need to wait for the next contraction. This time is given to the woman for rest. When you are tensely waiting for the next contraction, you can quickly get tired.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that contractions are natural process. All pregnant women go through this. The question of how contractions begin before childbirth worries many expectant mothers. It is worth noting that it is impossible to accurately describe all sensations, since they are individual. Some compare contractions to pain during menstruation, while others compare them to intestinal upset.

February 21, 2019