What to do before childbirth to make childbirth easier. “What you need to know and be able to do to give birth easily”

Many expectant mothers begin to experience fear towards the end of pregnancy. This feeling is associated with the fear of childbirth.

To ensure an easy birth, you can use the methods listed below.

Why does pain occur?

Cause of the strong labor pains is the pressure of the fetus on the cervix and the contraction of this organ. Following these processes, specific convulsions appear - contractions, which are localized in the groin and abdomen of the woman. This phenomenon leads to unhealthy sensations throughout the entire time the expectant mother is giving birth.

In some cases, the pain may vary depending on when the woman gives birth. For example, those who do this for the first time have a more difficult labor than those who give birth to their second or third child. But there are also exceptions.

For each woman, the process of childbirth is individual character. The pain itself varies. For some it is comparable to lungs menstrual cramps, and for the rest of the category – strong pressure on the organs, in which the contractions resemble a very strong wave of pain, as during severe diarrhea.

How to give birth without pain?

An easy, pain-free birth can turn from a dream into a reality.

In order for childbirth to be successful, it is necessary to prepare for it in advance, both physically and psychologically.

To facilitate this process, several techniques have been invented:

1. Good help on the way to easy birth will performing simple exercises for pregnant women, which will help strengthen the muscles and prepare the expectant mother’s body for such a process. Before starting this exercise, you should definitely consult a gynecologist and clarify contraindications. Such exercises are an excellent endurance trainer. While performing gymnastics, you need to be careful not to overwork and be sure to take into account your pregnancy period.

2. Hypnosis. This method has long been used to relieve severe pain during childbirth. He is one of the most safe ways, both for the child and for the mother. The main goal of hypnosis is to relieve fears and tension, since they only increase the nature of the pain.

3. Meditation and yoga. These methods help a pregnant woman prepare for childbirth in advance and make the process much calmer. Yoga and meditation are a good help for women who have already done these exercises before giving birth. And those who are just starting such activities need to treat them with caution.
It should be emphasized that before you start performing these techniques, you should consult a gynecologist.

Ways to reduce pain

There are several ways to help reduce pain during childbirth:

1. Lamaze method. This technique is the most common in the world. Its main tenet is that childbirth is natural and absolutely normal process. In order for them to pass painlessly, you should go to classes with a trainer who will teach expectant mother technology correct breathing. If this is not possible, then you can study on your own (from books or videos on the Internet).

2. Bradley method. This method means childbirth with the presence of a partner. Therefore, train correct technique carrying out birth process I'll have to do it with my husband. the main objective This technique involves natural childbirth without pain-relieving agents. Their substitute will be emotional support, which the partner will have to provide.

According to the Bradley method, it is possible to perform a caesarean section if there are any complications. Special role pay attention to teaching the partner how to behave with the newborn while the mother is still under the influence of anesthesia.

Medication technique

Each pregnant woman must decide for herself which relaxation method is right for her. But if you are sure that she has low pain threshold and endure painful sensations will be unbearable during childbirth, you should discuss the possibility of medical pain relief with your doctor in advance.

He can offer several types of pain relief:

• epidural anesthesia
• general anesthesia
• promedol injection
• local infiltration anesthesia

As for the second method, it is used only in case of critical situations. For example, during a caesarean section and surgical interventions of a different nature.

Analgesics are injected into a vein, they have a systemic effect on the body of the expectant mother, that is, they affect everything as a whole. Such remedies do not affect the duration of contractions or the contractions themselves. Pain with this method is significantly reduced.

You should be aware that there may be side effects in the form of nausea and vomiting. The newborn baby may also show signs of drowsiness and in some cases may have a slow heart rate.

Local anesthetics are used for partial pain relief or caesarean section. They are able to drown out painful sensations in any part of the expectant mother’s body.

As for epidural anesthesia, this method removes painful sensations in the lower part of the mother's body.

This method also has its drawbacks: a woman’s blood pressure may drop significantly or she may not be able to push. In this case, the newborn does not suffer (sometimes there may be stress that arises due to low pressure Mom).

Each pregnant woman must decide for herself which method she will use to relieve pain during childbirth.

Before you start choosing one method or another, you should first listen carefully to your body. In some cases, you can do without pain relief. After all, childbirth is a natural process that has been experienced a large number of women without the use of pain relief techniques.

Most expectant mothers, thinking about the upcoming birth, certainly remember such an unpleasant thing as ruptures of the cervix, perineum and vagina. And I think most women definitely want to know how not to tear during childbirth and avoid an episiotomy. This is what we will talk about.

Why do gaps occur during childbirth?

The tissues of the perineum stretch like rubber, but imagine what will happen if the rubber is dry and cracked. It will simply tear when stretched. The same thing happens in the presence of infections and accompanying inflammation- tissues lose elasticity and ruptures occur during childbirth as the baby passes through the birth canal.

Another reason for disruptions during childbirth may be lack of elasticity perineal tissue. For some, this is a natural predisposition (then you need to do exercises), and for most, the tissues lose elasticity due to a lack of vitamins.

Another one common reason ruptures in labor - incorrect or too early attempts. That is, in order not to tear, during childbirth you must follow the advice of the midwife.

How to behave during childbirth to avoid ruptures?

Obey the midwife and follow all her commands accurately and without objection. This is the only thing you can do now to help the baby be born easily, and to avoid ruptures of the vagina, perineum and cervix.

What can you do during pregnancy to prepare the perineum for childbirth?

The basis for the prevention of ruptures during childbirth is the identification and treatment of inflammation in the genital tract.

As already written, inflamed tissues lose their elasticity and tear very easily, so a few weeks before giving birth it is necessary to take a smear for flora and, if an inflammatory process is detected, be treated with suppositories approved for use during pregnancy.

Perform exercises to prevent ruptures during childbirth.

During pregnancy, you need to train your muscles, then they will be strong, and soft fabrics will become more elastic even if they are not very elastic by nature.

Here is an approximate set of exercises to help prevent ruptures during childbirth:

Slow compressions. You need to tense the muscles of the perineum with maximum strength and slowly count to three. Then you need to completely relax. Gradually increase the compression time to 15-20 seconds at a time. It is better to do this exercise at least three times a day for 10 compressions.

"Elevator". Let's ride the "elevator" up: we squeeze the muscles very weakly (we are on the first floor), hold them like this for 3-5 seconds, continue to rise - squeeze them harder (we reached the second floor), hold them again for 3-5 seconds. We continue the ascent using the same method , until we “travel” 4-6 floors, and the muscles are strained to the maximum. Now you can go down. We go down, again, gradually, lingering on each floor for 2-3 seconds. It is worth riding the elevator at least five times a day.

Abbreviations. We tighten and relax the vaginal muscles as quickly as possible. The faster it happens, the better. Do it until you get tired, at least three times a day.

Pushing. Push down as if you were about to go “big”, do it with average, not maximum tension. This exercise is useful not only for the muscles of the perineum, but also trains the abdominal muscles.

You can do these exercises while sitting, standing or lying down. You can do them at home, at work or even in public transport. People around you definitely won't notice it.

There is no maximum number of approaches - the more you do, the easier it will be to give birth and the more likely you will avoid perineal explosions during childbirth. In fact, there is no minimum either; it is better to do it just once than not at all.

To avoid tearing during childbirth, you can massage the perineum.

Perineal massage is best done from mid-pregnancy, but if there is a threat premature birth, then it is better to wait until 36 weeks. If you have time, you can do it daily, but even massage 2-3 times a week gives good results. It is best to do it after a shower, standing on one leg, placing the other on the bath or bed, or lying with your legs slightly apart at the hips.

We must accept comfortable position, moisten your fingers with oil to massage the perineum and begin to massage the vagina from the inside with pressing movements, alternately pressing its walls in a circle, especially for a long time, it is worth lingering on the wall directed towards the anus, since it is this wall that experiences the maximum load and most often breaks during childbirth.

Gradually begin to slightly stretch the vagina to the sides. This exercise should be started after you have done only perineal massage for 2-3 weeks.

While massaging the perineum, try to relax the vaginal muscles as much as possible. If you learn to relax them, this will also help you avoid ruptures during childbirth.

Oil for perineal massage.

Oil for perineal massage can be purchased ready-made in a store or pharmacy, or you can prepare it yourself.

To make oil for perineal massage, you need to purchase a pack of St. John's wort herb and regular vegetable oil(olive or flaxseed works well, but you can also use sunflower). Place the herb in an eight-hundred gram or liter jar with a lid, add oil so that all the herb is under it and heat in a water bath for about 20 minutes. After the butter is removed from the stove and has cooled slightly, cover it and place it in a dark cupboard for a week. After a week you can use the oil.

Fish oil and vitamins will also help increase tissue elasticity.

From 28 weeks of pregnancy, start taking vitamin E in capsules or consume as much vegetable oils as possible, which also contain vitamin E. This vitamin increases tissue elasticity, which directly affects the likelihood of perineal rupture during childbirth.

Another important element to increase the elasticity of fabrics - these are polyunsaturated fatty acid. They are found in fish and should be included in your diet. Additionally, or if you don't like fish, you can take fish fat(some brands produce capsules that specifically say omega-3).

I also recommend including in your diet linseed oil, if it is not to your taste (it is quite bitter), then you can replace it with olive oil. It is good to add oil to vegetable salads, you can also simply drink one tablespoon of oil daily if you like its taste. Oils are rich natural vitamin E and provitamin A, the lack of them, first of all, contributes to disruptions in childbirth.

Apple vinegar. It should be 3%. It is enough to drink one dessert spoon in the morning after you have already drunk a glass of water, before breakfast. You should start drinking vinegar from 28-30 weeks. It contains many substances that increase the elasticity of tissues and thus reduce the likelihood of perineal ruptures during childbirth.

Breathing exercises to prepare for childbirth.

Of course, execution breathing exercises will not directly affect the elasticity of tissues, but you will be able to control your efforts and follow the midwife’s commands, which also plays an important role in the prevention of ruptures during childbirth.

Excluding meat helps avoid ruptures during childbirth

Doctors have long known the fact that eating meat and meat products reduces the elasticity of body tissues, and low elasticity, in turn, leads to ruptures during childbirth. However, there is no consensus on whether to exclude meat or not to exclude it during the last trimester of pregnancy. Why? Because ruptures during childbirth, logically, are not the main evil, and the exclusion of meat can lead to protein deficiency and a decrease in hemoglobin, which is fraught unpleasant consequences. Therefore, the question of excluding meat from the diet remains at your discretion: if you are ready to replace it with fish, lentils, buckwheat and other products that will fill the shortage necessary substances, while you do not forget to take vitamins, then feel free to give up meat products from 28-30 weeks, if your diet suffers from the lack of meat, then continue to eat it, but try not to eat red meat and sausages, give preference to white meat.

Let's sum it up

It remains to add that the more of the above points you follow, the greater your chances of avoiding ruptures during childbirth. It has been tested on many friends, and I can personally add that I did all this and gave birth to three not too small boys, almost 4 kilos each, without tears.

The birth of a baby is a happy event for every family. However, many women have to recover for quite a long time due to the healing of stitches, and the joy is overshadowed feeling unwell, discomfort and pain. Those who have already given birth to one or more children have an idea of labor activity, but first-time mothers are especially interested in how to behave during labor and labor in order to give birth easily and without tearing.

A woman's fear of upcoming birth is quite understandable, but we should never forget that this is, first of all, the joy of the birth of a long-awaited child. Therefore, first of all, a woman in labor should push aside negative thoughts and try to think positively. Of course, there is hard work ahead, but the reward will be meeting your baby.

In fact, the mother’s mood is transmitted to the baby in her womb, and when fear goes off scale, the child also begins to get nervous. There is no need to think about pain - this is a transitory phenomenon; it is better to remember those who worry about their mother and are looking forward to her return from the maternity hospital.

You should know how to behave during childbirth and contractions, and then, thanks to the presence of spirit, childbirth will be easier and faster. Typically, labor is divided into three main stages:

1. Preparing the uterus and baby for birth during labor;
2. The birth of a child, through pushing;
3. The final phase with the expulsion of the placenta.

In this regard, when preparing for childbirth, a woman should:

• Master proper breathing techniques;
• Find the most good pose, helping to give birth, and, at the same time, safe for the condition of the fetus;
• Learn to push correctly so as not to injure the child and avoid ruptures.

First-time mothers may not know, but it is not advisable to scream during childbirth, as this may cause the baby to experience oxygen starvation, but it’s also difficult for him to move along the birth canal. Moreover, fear, although it is psychological condition, can intensify real pain.

Correct breathing, pushing and posture

It is better for a woman to learn in advance how to breathe; moreover, she needs to learn how to do this, so she will have to practice during pregnancy.

This can be done by enrolling in special courses that she can attend together with her husband. It is important that certain breathing must correspond to each stage of labor.

Of course, the doctor will tell her how to behave, but the woman must master three basic techniques in advance:

• During the initial contractions, counting breathing should be used - inhale during the spasm, and exhale very slowly literally after a few seconds. Usually, when you inhale, count to four, and when you exhale, count to six.
• When strong and painful contractions are present, you should breathe like a dog - inhalation and exhalation should be fast and rhythmic.
• Breathing is different during birth take a deep breath and exhale forcefully with pressure directed towards bottom part abdomen - uterus and vagina.

Proper breathing provides the fetus with normal access to oxygen, reduces pain, and promotes the rapid completion of the birth process.

When discussing how to behave during labor and labor, this concerns not only breathing, but also the optimal posture of the woman in labor. There is no one-size-fits-all ideal position for the most comfortable expulsion of the fetus, since each woman’s body has its own characteristics, both physiological and anatomical.

But it has been noticed that some women find it more convenient to give birth in a position on all fours, although everything is the same horizontal position– for this, the woman in labor should try to take this position on her back, pulling her knees as much as possible and tilting her face forward to her chest. Sometimes a woman can intuitively feel how she should turn or lie down. If this does not threaten the baby, the doctor will tell you how best to do this during labor.

It is very important to push correctly. The intensity of the pain and the appearance or absence of ruptures depend on this. In addition, if you push incorrectly, it can result in injury to the baby.

What not to do when pushing:

• When pushing, you should not strain your muscles, as this will slow down the passage of the baby through the birth canal - if muscle relaxed, the uterus opens much faster, and the pain is not so strong.
• Do not apply pressure to the head or rectum - only to the lower abdomen.
• It is forbidden to push with full force until the uterus opens, as this leads to ruptures of the perineum and damage to the baby.

On average, there should be two or three attempts per contraction. A woman in labor should not rush things - in any case, the baby will be born at the right time, but the mother must unquestioningly listen to the doctor’s instructions.

How to behave during childbirth and contractions in order to give birth easily and without ruptures

So, the very first stage is the actual contractions, the purpose of which is to open the cervix to allow the baby to pass through.

How to behave during contractions

This period can take from 3-4 to 12 or more hours. For women giving birth for the first time, the process can drag on for 24 hours. Typically, at first contractions occur every 15-20 minutes, gradually increasing in time. At the same time, the intervals between them are becoming shorter. A woman needs to monitor their onset, since the doctor can derive a certain birth algorithm from these calculations and help the woman in labor in a timely manner. If contractions occur every 15 minutes, it’s time to go to the hospital.

When uterine contractions are repeated every 5 minutes, this may mean the imminent expulsion of the fetus, that is, the birth of a baby. Usually severe cramps occur in the lower abdomen, as well as in the area lumbar region spine. Expectant mothers should not eat at this moment - they can only drink water.

The third phase of contractions can last up to four hours or more. A woman should definitely rest in short periods between them. When the pain is especially severe, you can drown it out with frequent breathing.

How to push properly during childbirth to avoid tearing

Pushing is the most important and crucial moment when the baby is born. The contractions accelerate, repeating every minute, and the woman in labor begins to feel powerful pressure on her anus. At this time, a woman needs to get together and make every effort to help her child. To hold on, a woman in labor can grasp the special handrails of the table. Next, she will need to take a deep breath, hold her breath, and press her head to her chest in an elevated state.

It happens that the attempts are weak, in which case the doctor usually allows one or two contractions to be missed. At the same time, the woman should relax as much as possible and breathe frequently. Later she will be able to perform the most fruitful expulsion of the fetus.

Doctors note that during childbirth expectant mother should not be taken into account voluntary urination or even bowel movements, since holding back and tension can harm both the baby and herself. We must not forget that childbirth is difficult. natural process and a huge burden on internal organs, including on bladder and intestines. Moreover, during labor, a woman has more important work than wasting extra energy on unnecessary thoughts and embarrassment.

After the birth of a child, it is still too early for a mother to relax, although, of course, the removal of the baby’s place is the most painless stage during childbirth. After some time, contractions begin again, but they are very weak. During the next attempt, ideally the membranes and placenta should separate. This may take different time– from several to 30-40 minutes. It happens that the afterbirth does not come out completely, and then the doctor will have to remove its remains. If children's place has completely receded, will be examined by a gynecologist birth canal. As a rule, this process takes place without complications.

A woman not only needs to know how to behave during childbirth and contractions - in addition, she should follow all the recommendations of the obstetrician, undergo vaginal examinations if they are necessary to determine important points birth process. Often, women in labor refuse to stimulate weak labor with the help of drug therapy, but sometimes such a doctor’s decision is made not without reason. There are cases where appropriate medications helped a child avoid injuries and health complications in the future.

For women who just can't get rid of negative thoughts about upcoming trials, pain and ruptures, it can be recommended to undergo training using special gymnastics, massage and breathing exercises to make her feel more confident. It will also help good psychologist, which can set the expectant mother in a positive mood. In the end, the pain will pass, but the most precious thing in a mother’s life will remain - her beloved child.

How to breathe correctly during childbirth and labor: video

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This period in her life will be special and unforgettable. However, when childbirth seems to be just around the corner, many pregnant women lose their nerves, and they increasingly begin to think about how to give birth faster and not harm either themselves or the baby.

What is childbirth?

Before asking yourself how to give birth quickly, you first need to know what childbirth is. In simple terms we can say that they represent a natural physiological process, which ends the pregnancy period. As a result, the long-awaited baby is born, and the so-called afterbirth is expelled from the body. But at what stage of pregnancy should you expect this exciting moment and the first long-awaited meeting with your child?

Doctors say that a pregnancy is considered full-term at exactly 37 weeks, that is, 259 days, which begin to count from the first day last menstrual period. From this moment until the 42nd week (293 days), birth can occur at any time. If they occur before the 37th week, they are considered premature, and the baby is considered premature. If the baby is in the womb for more than 42 weeks, it is called post-term, and the birth is called late.

Signs indicating that labor is around the corner

Naturally, every pregnant woman is concerned about how to give birth quickly and painlessly. However, this is far from the only thing to worry about. expectant mother. Just before childbirth, there comes a period when the woman’s body prepares for this important moment and foretells that the baby will soon be born. If you are extremely attentive and listen to your feelings, it is impossible not to notice these signs. So, among the signs of impending childbirth, the following should be noted:

- the stomach “sinks”;

Breathing becomes much easier;

There is frequent urination and defecation;

Back pain is felt more often and becomes more intense;

Appetite changes;

Body weight decreases slightly (within 1-2 kg);

There are frequent mood swings;

False contractions appear from time to time.

In primigravidas, as a rule, these signs appear 2-4 weeks before birth. Right now they are especially starting to worry about the question of how to quickly give birth. Multiparous women experience these changes occurring in their body immediately before childbirth.

What do pregnant women need to know about the stages of labor?

Before asking doctors and friends for advice on how to give birth quickly, you must first collect as much information as possible about how this process actually proceeds. In this sense, it should be noted that it is customary to distinguish 3 main periods:

1. Dilatation of the cervix is ​​the longest period (on average from 4 to 14 hours), starting from the moment contractions begin and until rupture amniotic fluid. Under the pressure of regular contractions, the cervix begins to gradually open. When its opening is about 4 cm, contractions will be painful, and the interval between them will be approximately 5-7 minutes. Then, every hour, the cervix will dilate 1 cm.
2. Expulsion of the fetus. The beginning of the second stage of labor is marked by pushing. Although this is not the longest part of labor, it is still the most painful. It is during this period of time that women have only one thought spinning in their heads: “How can I quickly give birth to a child and quickly press this long-awaited miracle to my chest?” However, to avoid various injuries, doctors recommend that women in labor lie on their backs and breathe properly. Chills and spasms may occur respiratory tract, as well as severe trembling in the limbs. From the beginning of the second stage of labor until the birth of the child, it takes from 20 minutes to 2 hours.
3. Expulsion of the placenta is the shortest period of labor, taking on average about half an hour. At this time, the so-called placenta (placenta, umbilical cord and membranes) leaves.

What type of birth can a woman choose?

Until recently, most pregnant women only thought about how to give birth quickly and not feel severe pain. However, today, for many, it is not only the duration of this process that matters, but also maximum comfort. Thus, today expectant mothers have the right to independently choose how and where to give birth. So, currently practiced the following types birth:

I'm tired of pregnancy. How to give birth faster?

It's no secret that pregnancy is a very tiring period for a woman. Plus, it is accompanied frequent changes mood, often poor health, insomnia, increased fatigue and irritability. Often women dream of seeing their baby as soon as possible at 39 weeks. "How to give birth faster?" - this question becomes the main one for every second representative of the fair sex. The fact that labor can be induced at home is not a myth. This is true. However, how to do this?

Firstly, this can be achieved through banal sex. The essence of this method is that at the moment when a woman reaches orgasm, the uterus becomes toned, which can trigger the onset of labor.

Secondly, it is necessary to note such a method as nipple stimulation. How this will happen - with the lips of a partner or with the help of fingers - is essentially not so important. In addition, this method brings double benefits: on the one hand, it can provoke contractions, and on the other, it improves the shape of the nipples, which will come in handy when breastfeeding a baby.

Thirdly, it should be emphasized the effectiveness of such simple ways stimulation of labor, like fast walking, heavy physical exercise, the use of homeopathic and herbal remedies, eating a number of foods, such as pineapples.

How safe are “natural” methods of inducing labor?

When discussing “natural” methods of stimulation, it should be noted that, without first consulting a doctor, experimenting and using them is not only incorrect, but even dangerous. The consequences of such “amateur activity” are sometimes disastrous. Therefore, before trying out various folk methods, you need to ask your doctor for advice. He will conduct an examination and give a final conclusion about whether the body is ready for childbirth or whether you should be patient and wait a little.

At the end of pregnancy, a woman’s desire to give birth as quickly as possible is understandable, because it simply becomes physically difficult for her. However, this in no way indicates that the child is ready to be born. Based on this, it should be taken into account that in order to avoid further complications and the birth of an immature baby, you should not rush, but rather be patient and wait a little longer.

Medicinal methods of inducing labor

39 weeks of pregnancy are over, but still remains topical issue about how to give birth faster. The baby has been living in his mother’s tummy for 40 weeks and seems to be in no hurry to be born. However, sometimes it happens that medical indications The doctors themselves insist on the speedy birth of the child. In this case, they usually use medicinal methods, provoking the onset of labor. These include:

Instead of a conclusion

No matter how strong the desire to give birth quickly, to see and hold your baby to your breast for the first time in your life, you should not artificially bring this exciting, unique moment closer. It is possible that impatience, which was the result of fatigue accumulated over the entire period of pregnancy, can play a role cruel joke and result in the most disastrous consequences not only for the mother, but also for the unborn baby. The risk is too great and unjustified. If you were strong enough to hold out and carry your beloved child under your heart for 38-39 weeks, will another week or two really change the situation? It only takes a little more patience and wait.

In the courses on preparation for childbirth, which I have been teaching for many years, one of the pregnant women always asks the question: “Is it possible to somehow prepare the perineum in a special way in order to completely avoid or at least reduce the degree of tearing during childbirth? How to give birth without tearing? By such preparation, women usually mean perineal massage, the technique of which is found in some books for pregnant women. As a rule, the following question arises: “If you do not massage the perineum, will there necessarily be ruptures during childbirth?”

Tears during childbirth. Risk factors.

First, you need to understand what determines the degree of risk of occurrence ruptures during childbirth. Here important have:

• tissue elasticity pelvic floor;
• baby's head size;
• the speed of exit of the head and shoulders (it is with these parts of the body that the baby is able to tear maternal tissues).

In turn, the elasticity of the perineal tissue depends on genetic factors(dermatologists and cosmetologists know well that some skin is naturally low-stretch, and some is prone to tearing), on the quality of local nutrition and on the date of birth.

It turns out that if a woman gives birth prematurely, her perineum is more susceptible to tearing during childbirth. It would seem that the baby is born prematurely, and therefore with a small head and narrow shoulders, but his mother runs the risk of severely tearing.

This phenomenon is explained very simply: everything in a woman’s body during pregnancy is adjusted to the goal of bearing and safely giving birth to a child.

Therefore, closer to childbirth, that is, by 37–38 weeks, the elasticity of the perineal tissue increases sharply, and many mothers, giving birth to very large babies, not only do not receive any tears during childbirth, but even manage without cracks.

The second factor: the size of the baby's head. As noted above, even a very small head can tear the perineum if a woman gives birth ahead of schedule. However, if the birth occurs at term, and the baby is large, the risk of rupture during childbirth is still higher than with the birth of an average-sized child. It is very difficult to influence the size of a baby; it depends, first of all, on genes and, to a lesser extent, on the diet and lifestyle of the pregnant woman.

The third factor: the speed of passage of the head and shoulders through the female perineum. When rapid labor this speed can be quite high. In addition, even if labor proceeds slowly, the last two or three attempts (as a result of which the head, shoulders and the entire body come out) are usually very powerful. At this moment, the actions of the midwife are extremely important. It is she who guides the woman and can influence the speed at which the child emerges.

How to give birth without tearing.

Here, in fact, we come to practical conclusions. So, in order not to tear during childbirth, you need to:

1. Do everything in your power to give birth to the baby on time.
2. Take care of local nutrition of the perineum.
3. Learn to be aware of and, if possible, control the muscles of the vagina and pelvic floor in order to be an active participant in your own childbirth.

Let's discuss each point in more detail.

Premature birth

Premature birth except physiological reasons have, of course, psychological basis, but this is a topic for a separate article. I tried to describe how you can avoid post-term pregnancy (hence, enlargement of the head, and, no less important, hardening of the skull bones) in my article.

Preparing the perineum for childbirth. Oiling.

In the literature for pregnant women, there are recommendations for the prevention of ruptures during childbirth and for preparing the female perineum for childbirth. There is even a specially created oil for perineal massage (I know this from Weleda). I usually recommend oiling not only the perineum, but also the body, since during pregnancy, as a rule, the skin of the entire body dries out and its elasticity decreases. And although nature intended it so that, thanks to hormonal changes, the elasticity of the perineum clearly increases before childbirth, but it wouldn’t hurt to improve it.

To oil the body, you can take any vegetable oil. Almond is considered the most valuable, but olive, sesame, and sunflower are also suitable. Any choice can be flavored with a few drops aromatic oil. In my experience, most pregnant women choose orange, lemon, cedar or eucalyptus. In this matter, you should listen to your own preferences.

The oiling procedure itself is most conveniently done in a sauna or bathhouse, but if you don’t go there, use the bathroom. Having prepared the oil, you should undress and generously lubricate the entire body with oil, grabbing intimate area. After this, you need to sit for at least 10 - 15 minutes, then add oil to those areas of the body that absorbed the previous portion (very often the feet, legs, forearms and elbows are especially dry).

After another 5 – 10 minutes you can start washing. In order to wash off the oil, you need to first smear the body with “porridge” made from oatmeal, corn or pea flour (simply add warm water to the consistency of liquid sour cream). The skin receives additional nutrition from such porridge, and excess oil is easily removed. There is no need to use any gels or scrubs.

I would like to note that in India, pregnant women oil themselves in this way every day, but even if you carry out this procedure once a week, you will get a good result.

In addition, to prevent ruptures during childbirth, you can begin to oil the vagina directly just before the birth (about a month in advance). For such oiling, ghee is used butter. I advise you to prepare it yourself, since it is ready melted butter not always of high quality.

In the evening, before going to bed, you need to separate a piece of ghee the size of Walnut and insert it as deep as possible into the vagina; overnight the oil will thoroughly saturate its walls. Contraindications for such oiling are severe inflammatory processes accompanied by itching and heavy discharge. In these cases, it is necessary to first carry out sanitation, and only then proceed with oiling.

Preparing the perineum for childbirth. Intimate gymnastics.

In order to increase blood flow, and thereby improve the nutrition of any muscle in our body, it is necessary to regularly tense and relax this muscle. Therefore, in order to influence the elasticity of the pelvic floor tissues, it is necessary to do intimate gymnastics daily.

I offer three options for exercises from such gymnastics. You can perform them in any body position: lying down, sitting, standing in the “cat pose”. They do not take much time and, if performed regularly, bring good results. Thanks to these exercises, blood supply to the pelvic floor tissues improves and elasticity increases. In addition, you are training in the ability to control the muscles of your vagina and perineum.

Exercise 1. Kegel exercise

Alternately tense and relax the muscles of the perineum. At the moment of tension, squeeze the muscles of the anus and the entrance to the vagina as much as possible.

Exercise 2. “Bag”

Imagine that there is a bag underneath you. Grab imaginary handles with your vagina and try to lift the bag off the floor. Hold it in this position for several seconds. Now place the bag on the floor.

Grab the handles again and lift the bag off the floor, and now lift the bag even higher and hold it in this position for a few seconds.

Repeat this exercise several times, trying to raise the bag higher and higher above the floor.

Exercise 3. “Elevator”

To do this exercise, imagine your vagina is an elevator shaft. Begin to rise from the entrance of the vagina deep into the cervix, one by one, as if by floors, pinching different departments vagina. Feeling your vagina compressed throughout, begin to slowly, floor by floor, relax it from the cervix to the exit. At the end of the exercise, “go down to the ground floor,” while slightly sticking your vagina outward.

In conclusion, I want to say that there is no need to be so afraid of perineal ruptures during childbirth. Firstly, all obstetrician-gynecologists know how to apply sutures well, which, in most cases, heal quickly. Secondly, midwives carefully monitor the emerging danger of rupture during childbirth (this is determined by the color of the perineal tissue), and then the doctor performs an episiotomy. It is much easier to sew up a straight edge of a cut than a tear.

Do everything that depends on you, and entrust the rest to the people who will deliver the birth. However, when meeting a doctor or midwife, it would not hurt to say that you have seriously prepared and really do not want to have stitches in such an intimate part of the body. It is clear that not every doctor is ready to take this adequately. However, let us remember how quite recently it was difficult to discuss the issue of placing the baby on the mother’s stomach. Now this is being done everywhere, and largely thanks to the numerous persistent requests of women in labor.