Stages of Labor The Beginning of Labor - PowerPoint Presentation

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Stages of Labor

The Beginning of Labor

Lightening occurs

pressure on upper abdomen is now reduced

Early Signs

“bloody show”: losing your mucus plug

Plug of mucus seals the cervix

Before birth mucus begins to liquefy

Woman may notice few drops of blood or pinkish staining

Early Sign

“Her water broke”

Trickle or sometimes a gush of warm fluid from vagina

Membrane holding amniotic fluid has broken

When it breaks woman should note the time, amount of fluid and color/odor.

Once broken, baby normally delivered within 24-48 hours

Early Sign

Contractions: tightening and releasing of the muscle of the uterus

Uterus gets shorter and harder like any other muscle

Painful but bearable because of resting time

False Labor

If contractions are:

Not regular or rhythmic

Become increasingly stronger

Ending when woman walks

Contractions should be timed, how frequently they are occurring,

Stages of Labor

First Stage: contractions open cervix

Second Stage: baby is born

Third Stage: placenta is expelled

First Stage

Contractions prepare body for birth

Each time uterus contracts, muscles pull up on cervix thinning and opening it

Contractions get stronger and longer (60 seconds 5-6minutes apart)

As cervix opens, baby moves down into lower pelvis

“breech presentation”: feet or buttocks enter into pelvis first

First Stage

Transition=ending of first stage

Cervix is now fully dilated

Contractions even stronger, longer and more frequently

Most difficult part of labor

Second Stage

Crowning: top of head appears at the opening of birth canal

Head emerges: head has changed shape to fit through passage of birth canal, shoulders follow, then rest of baby

Equipment Used

Forceps: special surgical steel tongs that guides movement

Vacuum extraction: suction applied to babies head during contractions

Baby’s Body

Skull is soft and flexible

Consists of five separate bones that overlap to allow head to fit through pelvis and vagina

Mother’s Body

Pelvis

Bones are joined by ligaments that are very stretchy at the time of delivery

Helps pelvis stretch open

Vagina

stretchy

Relaxin

: hormone that makes this happy

Episiotomy: widen the vaginal opening with a surgical cut

Third Stage

After baby is born mother gets a short period of rest

Urge to push because of contractions

Very little discomfort

Placenta detaches from wall

Placenta is delivered

If placenta remains, bleeding or infection can occur

Cesarean Birth

Delivery of baby by making a surgical incision in the mother’s abdomen.

Mother and baby remain in hospital for 3 days

Some medications allow mother to remain awake during surgery

C-Section Incisions

Placenta Previa

Placenta grows in lowest part of uterus covering the cervix

The placenta can move as the uterus grows and stretches

Almost all women require a C-section to avoid severe bleeding

Can be fatal for mom and baby

Epidural

Most popular method of pain relief in labor

Epidurals block the nerve impulses from the lower spinal segments.

D

ecreased sensation in the lower half of the body.

Arch back, a needle then inserted into back, a small tube (catheter) is threaded through needle into back, needle removed, medicine injected.

Natural vs. Drugs

Natural:

unmedicated

approach to labor

Drugs: using medication as a pain reliever

Advantages and Disadvantages to both…?

Epidural

Natural

vs

drugs