How to determine the first contractions. How to recognize contractions and choose the right psychological attitude? “Big candle” technique

Throughout the third trimester of pregnancy, a first-time mother is concerned with one important question: “How to recognize contractions?” It seems that such a moment is difficult to confuse with anything, but it is not so.

Starting from the second half of pregnancy, a woman may experience some discomfort associated with so-called “false contractions.” They are not, but only in a unique way train the body of a pregnant woman before real labor pains or warn the expectant mother about her incorrect behavior. are irregular, and in most cases do not cause the woman much pain.

How do you know when contractions have started?

Most often, training contractions begin at 30 weeks of pregnancy. This is where the question arises, how to recognize labor contractions, distinguishing them from false or training ones. Labor pains have their own regular cycle. The uterus becomes toned for up to 15 seconds, after which it relaxes for 15 minutes. In this case, the woman in labor, as a rule, feels a nagging pain, which goes away along with the tone. Except for the uterus, and in the lumbar region. The pain can be either “aching” or like a sharp flash. Further, the duration of the contraction increases, and the interval between them decreases.

It is worth noting that the transition from a short-term contraction to a full-fledged labor can take about 16 hours for a primigravida woman. Therefore, if a pregnant woman feels a nagging and regularly recurring pain, then she should not neglect to visit an obstetrician-gynecologist, who will accurately determine the nature of the contraction.

Signs of the onset of true labor pains.

The process described above is not the only sign of the beginning of the first stage of labor. There are two more signs of how to recognize contractions.

The first of these is the release of a plug - a mucous transparent clot with possible blood inclusions. However, the plug may come off a week before the start of contractions. Therefore, if this happens and contractions do not begin, you need to consult a doctor.

The second sign may be an outpouring amniotic fluid. During the period from 37 to 42 weeks of pregnancy, this process is physiological. As a rule, in this case, the period of contractions described above begins. When the labor begins before contractions begin, the woman in labor feels them more strongly afterwards. In this case, the duration of the contraction can immediately begin from 30 seconds, and the interval between them can be reduced to 5 minutes.

Some caveats

Many fear that they will not be able to answer the question in time: “How to recognize contractions?” However, the fears are to some extent justified. Those who allow you to feel contractions painful sensations that they bring. But for some women in labor it is quite high, and they understand that contractions began when it is from 5 to 8 cm.

In addition, the passage of the plug, as well as the rupture of amniotic fluid, can occur when the woman in labor is in the shower. In this case, how to recognize contractions? Everything is quite simple. Being in the last trimester of pregnancy, the expectant mother should clearly listen to her body, noting the slightest changes. Labor contractions are inevitably accompanied by a gradual increase in pain at its peak, and the uterus contracts more strongly. This means that recognizing contractions will not be difficult for both a first-time mother and a woman giving birth again.

As a rule, the question of how to find out that contractions have begun arises only during the first pregnancy. The female body will remember all the sensations that it experienced during the first birth, and subsequently it will be easy to distinguish labor pains from false ones. Therefore, during the first two trimesters of pregnancy, it is advisable to familiarize yourself or refresh your memory with information on how to recognize contractions. Only in this case will the first stage of labor be perfect.

The closer the day of birth gets, the more excited the expectant mother is in her soul and the more scared she is from the thought that contractions will soon begin. There are a lot of questions in my head and complete uncertainty: what, when and how?

Don't panic; contractions in anticipation of labor
Expectant mother Detention
Symptoms of false contractions Support

When contractions begin, there is no need to panic. First of all, you need to calm down, take a deep breath and figure out whether these are contractions before childbirth or whether they are false. In order to understand exactly what is happening to you, you should remember the signs of contractions before childbirth, and then calculate the interval between them, since “false pains” differ from pain before childbirth.

Signs of this feature

First, let's get acquainted with the symptoms of contractions before childbirth.

1. A week or two before giving birth, most women experience what is called “abdominal prolapse.” At the same time, it becomes easier for the expectant mother to breathe, her gait changes, and sitting becomes uncomfortable.
2. One of the main signs of contractions before childbirth is the release of the mucus plug - this is a discharge that can be copious or not very abundant, leave at once or over a period of time. They resemble mucus in consistency, as the name implies.
3. The sensations during labor contractions are different from “false” sensations. In the first case, the pain will only intensify over time, and in the second, it may remain the same and then disappear altogether.
4. The frequency of contractions should be measured, that is, the frequency with which they recur. Only during labor contractions will the frequency be strictly reduced over time. With a false variant, the time between abdominal contractions may either increase or decrease.
5. You should calculate the interval, that is, the period of time that the contraction itself, the spasm itself, lasts. At the very beginning, contractions before childbirth last a few seconds, eventually reaching 1-2 minutes, while false ones usually do not increase over time.

Don't panic during contractions

Below is a small sign that will help distinguish false contractions from labor ones.

How to relieve pain?

Below are simple but effective ways to help you ease your contractions in the run-up to labor.

1. You shouldn't be left alone in terms of moral support. If your husband is not at home and cannot come home soon, call your mother. If mom can’t either, then don’t be shy, call friends, other relatives, even neighbors, if you’re with them a good relationship. The main thing is that you feel comfortable with this person.
2. You shouldn't be alone in terms of help. When you determine that contractions have begun before childbirth, you should immediately go to the maternity hospital. Here you will need help carrying the package to the car or even just getting your jacket and boots on.
3. Need to move more. You shouldn’t lie down, much less sit on the sofa and endure, you won’t be able to sleep anyway. You will have to endure it for a long time, so it is better to mind your own business in between seizures. While grasping, you should try to find a comfortable body position, and wait out the subsequent pain in this position.
4. Ask someone nearby to massage your back—lower back massage helps many people.
5. Breathing is a very long topic to think about. You can attend courses, watch videos of what contractions look like before labor begins, listen to stories from friends. Most likely, before giving birth you will only remember how to recognize contractions, and forget everything else. So just breathe, don’t hold your breath and try not to focus on it.
6. A warm shower or bath will help you relax and get some rest. The main thing is not to miss when your water breaks.
7. Some women find that swinging on a fitball helps.
8. During grasping, there is no need to restrain your emotions or be ashamed of anything. This is your day: if you want to cry - cry, scream - scream, take a shower 5 times - go.

As a rule, doctors advise coming to the maternity hospital when the interval between contractions is 10 minutes, and the duration of the seizure is about 1 minute. This applies to first-time mothers. If you are worried or afraid, then it is better to go right away, since it is strictly forbidden for the expectant mother to be nervous.

It's time to give birth

It is better for multiparous women to go earlier, since all processes proceed faster for them. If you have the strength, then it is better to carry out some hygiene procedures at home yourself. As soon as your water breaks, you need to immediately go to the maternity hospital.

Things for the maternity hospital should be collected in advance. It is better to prepare 3 packages: you will take one with you to the maternity hospital immediately, the second one will be brought to you by relatives or friends after the baby is born, and the third one you will need only before discharge.

What is grasping?

Probably all expectant mothers are interested in how contractions occur, what sensations does a woman experience before giving birth? We can safely say that absolutely all births and contractions are different. Even for one woman, the first and second pregnancies will be different, as will the birth.

Let's try to describe what a woman experiences during contractions before childbirth.

1. Nagging pain in the lower abdomen.
2. Nagging pain in the lumbar region, sometimes spreading throughout the entire back.
3. Pain in the coccyx area.
4. During the break between seizures, pain may be absent altogether, or may be insignificant.
5. At first, when the interval between contractions reaches 20-30 minutes, the woman can go about her business, pausing for contractions, but the pain is very slight. At this stage you will not need any special posture or breathing.
6. Each contraction becomes a little more painful. After 2-3 hours the pain is already significant and you won’t be able to just wait it out. You can breathe, sit down or bend over, depending on what position you choose.
7. At some point, the clutching will develop into pushing. During this period, the woman really wants to push, but this cannot be done without the doctor’s permission. It’s really difficult to restrain yourself, but you have to try really hard.
8. The attempts don't last long. On the one hand, you experience relief after contractions, since the sensations are less painful and completely different, on the other hand, it is really very difficult to restrain the desire to push.
9. When the doctor allows you to push, know that if everything goes well, it will soon be over and your baby will be next to you.
10. The process of giving birth to a baby is the shortest in labor, often taking 10-30 minutes, while the period of contractions can last up to 20 hours.

On the eve of childbirth

Methods of inducing grasps

Sometimes doctors have to specifically induce contractions. Here are some ways they can use.

1. Give an injection medicinal product, relaxing muscles.
2. Offer a no-shpa tablet, which also relaxes the muscles.
3. Offer you physical activity, if time allows: walking up the stairs, stretching up with your arms raised to the sky, or driving a car along a bumpy road.

Almost every woman goes through this entire journey at least once in her life. There is no need to be afraid of childbirth and labor; it is better to prepare for them, both mentally and physically. Over time, they are remembered as something good and bright, which was only the threshold of the birth of your baby.

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What most often frightens a young woman preparing to become a mother for the first time (or what is most often frightened of her)? The answer suggests itself - contractions. The anticipation of pain can cause more panic than the pain itself. And the closer the cherished deadline, the more obsessively this fear haunts you. The surest way to get rid of fear is to stop hiding from it and hiding it from yourself, to meet it face to face, to “talk” to it. Are you afraid of contractions? So let's figure out what it is.

WHAT ARE CONTRACTIONS?

In medical terms, labor pains are involuntary regular cuts the uterus, along with attempts related to the birth forces expelling the fetus.

Contractions indicate that labor has begun. (In addition to contractions, the onset of labor may be indicated by symptoms such as the rupture of amniotic fluid and the release of the mucous plug that covers the lumen of the cervix; the mucous plug may come off 2-3 days before birth, so its release does not always mean that it’s time to go to the maternity hospital). Many works have been written about what actually triggers the onset of labor. While differing in particulars, all researchers agree on the main thing: the organisms of mother and child, being in close interaction, seem to “agree” and transmit the necessary impulses to each other.

Shortly before labor begins, the woman's placenta and the baby's pituitary gland begin to produce specific substances (in particular prostaglandins and the hormone oxytocin) that cause contractions of the uterine muscles, called contractions. During pregnancy, the cervix is ​​tightly closed. With the onset of labor pains, its opening begins: the cervix of the uterus gradually expands to 10-12 cm in diameter (full opening). The birth canal is preparing to “release” the baby from the mother’s womb.

Intrauterine pressure increases during contractions as the uterus itself contracts in volume. Ultimately, this leads to rupture of the membranes and the release of part of the amniotic fluid. If this coincides in time with the complete opening of the uterine pharynx, they speak of timely rupture of water, but if the uterine pharynx at the time of rupture of the membranes did not open enough, such rupture is called early.

The first, preparatory, period of labor takes on average 12 hours if a woman is giving birth for the first time, and 2-4 hours less for those who are not having their first birth. At the beginning of the second stage of labor (the period of expulsion of the fetus), the contractions are joined by pushing - contractions of the muscles of the abdominal wall and diaphragm. In addition to the fact that they participate in contractions and attempts different groups muscles, they have one more important difference: contractions are an involuntary and uncontrollable phenomenon, neither their strength nor frequency depend on the woman in labor, while attempts are to a certain extent subordinate to her will, she can delay or intensify them.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM CONTRACTS?

Feelings during contractions vary from person to person. Sometimes the first tremors are felt in the lumbar region, then spread to the abdomen and become encircling. Pulling sensations may also occur in the uterus itself, and not in the lumbar region. The pain during contractions (if you cannot relax or find a comfortable position) resembles the pain that often accompanies menstrual bleeding.

However, you should not be afraid of contractions. You can often hear from women who have given birth that their contractions were either completely painless, or the pain was quite tolerable. First, during contractions the body releases its own painkillers. In addition, relaxation and proper breathing techniques learned during pregnancy can help relieve pain. And finally, there are medicinal methods of pain relief, but they are recommended to be used only in extreme cases, since they all affect the baby to one degree or another.

Real (and not false - see below) “expelling forces” approach with regular intervals. At first, the intervals between contractions are about half an hour, and sometimes more; the contraction of the uterus itself lasts 5-10 seconds. Gradually, the frequency, intensity and duration of contractions increase. The most intense and lasting (and sometimes - although not always - painful) are the last contractions that precede pushing. When to go to the maternity hospital? In the case of the first birth (and if the maternity hospital is not far away), you can wait until the interval between contractions is reduced to 5-7 minutes. If a clear interval between contractions has not yet been established, but the pain intensifies and becomes longer and longer, then it’s still time to go to the maternity hospital. If the birth is repeated, then with the onset of regular contractions it is better to immediately go to the maternity hospital (often repeated births They are characterized by swiftness, so it is better not to hesitate).

With the onset of contractions, mucous discharge with a slight admixture of blood may appear - this is the same mucus plug that “clogs” the entrance to the uterus. Blood (in small quantities) enters the mucus due to smoothing and dilation of the cervix. This is a natural process that should not be alarmed, but if there is heavy bleeding, immediate examination is necessary.

TRUE OR FALSE?

It is worth keeping in mind that after the 20th week of pregnancy, some (not all) women experience so-called false contractions, or Braxton Hicks contractions, and 2-3 weeks before giving birth, women begin to feel precursor contractions. Neither one nor the other, unlike true contractions, lead to dilatation of the cervix. A pulling sensation occurs in the lower abdomen or lower back, the uterus seems to turn to stone - if you put your hand on your stomach, you can clearly feel it. The same thing, in fact, happens during labor pains, which is why Braxton Hicks and harbingers often confuse women giving birth for the first time. How can you tell if labor is really starting and it’s time to go to the hospital, or if these are just false contractions?

• Braxton Hicks contractions, unlike true labor contractions, rare And irregular . Contractions last up to a minute and can be repeated after 4-5 hours.
• False contractions painless . Walking or a warm bath most often helps to completely relieve the discomfort.

The role of false contractions has not yet been fully clarified. Their appearance is associated with increased excitability of the uterus; it is believed that shortly before childbirth, precursor contractions contribute to the softening and shortening of the cervix.

WHAT TO DO DURING CONTRACTS?

It has been noticed that the more scared a pregnant woman is, the less she knows about what is happening to her and what is ahead of her, the more difficult, longer and more painful her birth is. Even in the very recent past, the phrase “preparing for childbirth” seemed complete nonsense in Russia. Fortunately, over the last decade there have been qualitative changes in this area - many courses and schools have been opened to prepare for childbirth, where not only expectant mothers, but also expectant fathers are preparing for this important event. Enough books have been published. And most importantly, the psychology has changed. Now, if not all, then most women understand that they need to prepare for childbirth, like for any difficult and important work. And the main goal of such preparation is to get rid of fear and pain.

What do experts usually recommend to make contractions as easy and painless as possible? As already mentioned, you will not be able to control the frequency and strength of contractions; this does not depend on you. But you can completely help yourself and your child survive these contractions.

• At first, when contractions have just begun, it is better not to lie down, but to move: this will speed up the process of opening of the uterine pharynx, and therefore shorten the time of labor.
• Concentrate calmly and try to find the body position in which you are most comfortable. Feel free to get down on all fours, lie on a big beach ball, or even... dance. Believe me, no one would even think of judging you for extravagance. Circular and rocking movements of the pelvis help relieve tension and reduce pain.
• If possible, try to sleep between contractions, or at least “pretend to be asleep” (this will help your body relax).
• You can lie down for about ten minutes in a bath with warm water - of course, if you are not alone in the apartment and they can help you if necessary.
• Lightly stroking the skin of the lower abdomen with your fingertips eases contractions at the beginning of the journey. As the contraction begins, you need to inhale and direct the movement of your arms from the midline to the sides; as you exhale, your arms move in the opposite direction.
• When contractions intensify, strong and frequent pressure with your thumbs on points in the area of ​​the anterior superior iliac spines (these are the most protruding parts of the pelvis) helps relieve pain. Place your hands comfortably with your palms along your hips.
• Massage of the sacral area of ​​the spine is very useful. It is effective not only at the beginning of contractions, but also throughout the entire time that expelling forces are operating in your body.

As contractions intensify, it becomes increasingly important correct breathing. But the most important thing is to tune in, listen to your own feelings and... remember about the child. You both have difficult work ahead of you, but the result will be a meeting!

Tatiana Kipriyanova

I had difficulty recognizing the first contractions. The fact is that they were very similar to “training” contractions - the so-called “Braxton-Hicks contractions” that haunted me almost every evening since the 7th month. And at first I couldn’t understand whether it was still them or the beginning of labor. It feels like the stomach below is freezing, then “letting go.” The intervals between contractions were uneven: sometimes after 20 minutes, sometimes after 5; but still they walked regularly (longer than two hours) - this influenced the decision to go to the maternity hospital after all.

The first contractions were quite tolerable - just a feeling of slight discomfort. There were significant gaps between them, which made it possible to relax, and I even began to doubt that I was really giving birth. Upon arrival at the maternity hospital, an examination showed that the cervix was 1 cm dilated. When the bladder was punctured (by the way, it didn’t hurt at all), the contractions became more effective, the pain became quite noticeable, the intervals were about 5-10 minutes (dilation was 4 cm). I used to have quite painful periods, and this pain seemed similar to menstrual pain. Over the next hours (the child moved towards the exit) the pain became stronger and stronger. It was hard. I was helped a little by the lower back massage that my husband did, and the breathing that I read about in books (the medical staff also suggested how to breathe better). When the pain became simply unbearable, attempts began (by the way, I have heard more than once from others that when you feel that the limit has come and you can no longer endure the pain, it means that everything will end soon). Attempts are easy to recognize - you involuntarily begin to push (I could compare this process to the urge to go to the toilet). Pushing is also a painful thing, but the cardiographic machine began to listen poorly to the baby’s heart, and I had to give birth as quickly as possible. Therefore, after about the fifth attempt, I already gave birth to my boy (not without an epistomy). The whole process took us 12 hours (this was my first birth).

Anna Goncharova

The contractions were similar to a very strong and painful menstruation. At first they were very weak, and I didn’t even feel any discomfort. It felt like a very mild (not painful) spasm inside my abdomen. The contractions became painful only after four hours. And it reminded me most of all of painful menstruation. But it was very painful only for about an hour. It was possible to endure, but with difficulty. My husband helped a lot. Even at the most intense moment the pain was not constant. Everything happened approximately every 5 minutes. At first the pain grew quickly, reached a maximum and then disappeared just as quickly. Each contraction took about two minutes. For about three minutes there was no pain at all! The worst thing for me was at the moment a new contraction began - when it still doesn’t hurt, but you understand that everything has started all over again. Unpleasant, but tolerable. And only one hour. As soon as I was allowed to push, the pain stopped. I didn’t have any more pain, which is sometimes written about (in the lower back, or somewhere else).

By the time the contractions started, I was already in the maternity hospital, so I immediately went to the doctor, and the doctor confirmed that labor had begun. The doctor and midwife told me when to start pushing. It didn't hurt at all, and giving birth didn't hurt at all. Although they made an incision, I didn’t notice it at all.

In general, I remember childbirth very well, but the pain is forgotten very quickly. I remember rather with pleasure - and first of all all sorts of funny moments. There was no feeling of horror and “never again” at all. Maybe because there was a good maternity hospital and I gave birth with my husband!

Elizaveta Samoletova

Unfortunately, I was psychologically completely unprepared for childbirth. Therefore, already in the delivery room (I was in the maternity hospital for safekeeping), I felt that my stomach hurt very badly, and I was scared. Of course, “theoretically” I knew that contractions were coming, but I had little idea what they were. Of course, there was no question of counting the intervals between contractions (this was suggested by the midwife, who was sitting nearby at the table and writing something). It seemed to me that I was dying, and in a weakening voice I asked for a caesarean section. For some reason the midwife laughed cheerfully. I ask: “Are you laughing?” And she told me: “According to my calculations, every second woman in labor asks for a caesarean section.”

I suffered for about an hour. I was very offended that the people who were around (nurses, midwives, heads of departments and even some trainees, to whom I was shown as an example of “an old primigravida with a somewhat narrowed pelvis”) took my suffering for granted and as if nothing was wrong sometimes they tried to talk to me about some boring everyday topics (they asked where I work, where I got such a strange last name and what I would call my unborn child). And when my stomach started to hurt especially badly, the midwife came up and mockingly (as it seemed to me then) told me how I should breathe.

When the efforts began, it became easier and even, I would say, more interesting, because the “result of labor” was about to appear. He appeared. It contained 3 kg 600 g.

Then I apologized to the doctors, but they laughed again and said that almost everyone behaves like me. And I decided that I would prepare for the next birth long and seriously.

Contractions are involuntary contractions of the smooth muscles of the uterus. They are necessary for the baby to be born. With the onset of regular contractions, the first stage of labor begins. There are also false contractions, which can also be called training contractions. They prepare the woman’s body for the upcoming birth.

information If you imagine that the uterus is an inflated ball with a baby inside, then with the help of contractive contractions, the knotted part of the ball is stretched and the baby is pushed out. In order for a child to be born through the natural birth canal, the cervix must smooth out and its canal expand to 10-12 centimeters. It is contractions that ensure this complex process.

How contractions begin

If a woman is about to give birth for the first time, she will not be familiar with the sensations during contractions, but during subsequent births they will not be confused with anything. How can you understand that contractions have begun before childbirth? Start labor activity can happen in different ways.

• For some women, before giving birth, contractions begin in the form of pain in the lumbar region;
• For others, they resemble menstrual pain;
• For others, it is cramping, weak pain throughout the abdomen.

But what unites all these manifestations of contractions at the beginning of labor is their regularity and inevitable end with the birth of a child.

Feel

At the beginning of contractions, the painful sensations are mild, short-term in nature, come after 15-20 minutes and last about 5-10 seconds. Usually for the first 2-3 hours they do not cause the woman much discomfort. At this time, it is better to rest as much as possible and gain strength. Further, the pain becomes more and more intense, and the contractions themselves become more frequent and longer. At the end of the first period, uterine contractions last about a minute, and the periods between them decrease to 1-2 minutes. What characterizes pain during contractions is their gradual increase, reaching a peak and the same gradual decline. In between contractions, a woman can take a breath and rest, as the pain goes away altogether.

At the end of the period of cervical dilatation, it seems that one contraction is followed by another with an almost imperceptible period of relaxation. Usually at this time, pushing is added (contraction of the muscles of the diaphragm, abdominal wall and perineum, which the woman can slightly control). They manifest themselves as a strong desire to push in response to the pressure of the fetal head in the pelvic area. With the advent of pushing and full dilatation of the cervix, the second stage of labor begins - exile. If before this the maximum pain was felt in the lumbar and abdominal areas, then with the beginning of the second stage of labor its peak occurs in the perineal area.

False contractions

Throughout pregnancy, a woman may experience irregular, mild, cramping abdominal pain. They can occur during physical activity, sudden movements, a full bladder, activity of the baby, or during sexual intercourse. There is no need to worry if these sensations do not last long and go away when the cause that caused them is eliminated.

The closer the date of birth, the frequency of cramping pain usually increases. However, what distinguishes true contractions during pregnancy from contractions is their regularity. If you experience cramping pain, you need to note the time of its onset, observe the interval between them, and their duration.

important A watch with a second hand will help you identify contractions. If these sensations continue for an hour or two, and the interval is at least 15-20 minutes with a duration of about 20 seconds, then you need to get ready maternity hospital.

What to do if contractions start

If you are about to give birth for the first time (and you have determined for yourself that the first signs of true contractions have begun), you have time to calmly get ready for the maternity hospital. It is better, of course, that the bag for the maternity hospital is ready in advance (from 34-35 weeks of pregnancy), since in a hurry you can forget something. What to do at home before giving birth:

• Get in a good mood and have an easy birth. Think about the fact that very soon you will hug and kiss your long-awaited baby and put him to your chest. It is important to understand that it depends on you how the birth will go, and you must do everything to make it easier for the baby during this important period. Of course, pain during labor and childbirth is unpleasant, to put it mildly, but the end justifies the means. Try to do your best, and doctors and midwives will help you with this.
• It would be nice to take a warm, relaxing shower or bath, and shave your genitals.
• If there are no pregnancy complications, and the contractions are not yet too intense (after 15 minutes), then you can stay at home for a while, because a familiar environment will make it easier to cope with the pain. You can turn on pleasant music or a movie. At the beginning of labor, it is recommended to move so that everything goes faster. You can also cook food for your beloved husband. But you should not delay your trip to the maternity hospital if it is far away or you cannot reach it in a short time (half an hour).
• If the doctor did not say that you have indications for surgery caesarean section, you can have a little snack: drink a cup of tea, juice or water, eat something light but rich in complex carbohydrates (durum wheat pasta, banana, vegetables), because you will need a lot of energy.
• While the contractions are not very strong, try to get more rest, especially if they started late in the evening, since you may have to give birth only in the morning.
• Of course, if this is not your first birth, and the previous ones were rapid, then you should not delay your trip to the maternity hospital. It is better to call an ambulance immediately.

Breath

It is very important for both the woman and the child. It helps to cope with pain during contractions and pushing. Sometimes, when you feel severe pain, it seems that it is easier to bear it by holding your breath, but this is only an imaginary relief. If a woman holds her breath at the peak of a contraction, then at this time oxygen does not enter the body, and, as a result, fetal hypoxia develops (oxygen starvation). This is especially dangerous during the period of exile, because the child is already being squeezed by the bones of the mother’s pelvis. It can also lead to the production large quantity lactic acid in the muscles, which will manifest itself as even more soreness and weakness.

Exactly The third trimester is the most exciting. Expectant mother I am worried about many questions related to the birth of a baby. Undoubtedly, the first place in this ranking is occupied by how contractions begin, how to distinguish them from training contractions and what to do.

It is especially difficult for those women who are preparing to become mothers for the first time in their lives. There is no need to be afraid of this natural process, but it’s worth studying the issue; besides, there are special techniques that can alleviate the condition during contractions.

What are contractions and why do they appear before childbirth?

Contractions are involuntary rhythmic uterine contractions, whose task is to expel the fetus. Throughout the entire period of pregnancy, the cervix is ​​tightly closed. Before birth, when the baby is ready to be born, it begins to open. This happens precisely due to contractions.

This process has 3 phases:

• Initial (latent). Lasts up to 8 hours. Contractions last approximately 30-40 seconds, and the interval between them is 4-5 minutes. Cervical dilatation up to 3 cm.
• Active. The duration of the contraction is about 1 minute, and the interval is reduced to 2-3 minutes. The cervix dilates another 3-4 cm.
• Transitional. The interval between contractions is reduced to 1 minute, the period of contractions lasts on average 1.5 minutes, and the dilatation of the cervix is ​​8-10 cm.

If the birth is not the first, then the duration of each phase is significantly reduced.

What does it feel like when contractions start?

According to the first sensations of contraction may resemble menstrual pain. However, the pain here is short-lived and appears again after a few minutes. Over time the pain intensifies. It develops into a sharp sensation, and there is a sensation of grasping that starts from the lower back and moves to the lower abdomen.

How to recognize contractions before childbirth and not confuse them with Braxton Higgs contractions

Already in the second trimester, many women may experience Braxton Higgs contractions. They prepare the body for the upcoming birth. You can feel them after a long walk or physical effort. Here In what ways do they differ:

• false contractions are not regular;
• they cause virtually no discomfort and are painless;

• do not become more intense;
• intervals between them can be up to 30 minutes.

Labor contractions begin with mild pain, accompanied by abdominal tension. Their main feature is their cyclical nature: the pain increases, then weakens and stops altogether, and after a few minutes everything repeats. At the same time, the intervals become shorter each time.

True contractions may be accompanied by mucous discharge mixed with blood: This is how the plug that protected the entrance to the uterus from infections begins to come off. However heavy bleeding is not acceptable, and in this case it is necessary to urgently seek medical help.

In order not to get confused in sensations and to distinguish real contractions from false ones, look out for the following signs:

• increasing pain with each contraction;
• regularity of appearance;
• reducing the time between contractions.

What to do if contractions start

First thing you need to calm down and take a comfortable position. You should also try to discard anxious thoughts, take a pen and piece of paper and record the time intervals between contractions and their duration.

If the interval between contractions is more than 20 minutes, there is still time before the baby is born. You can have time to take a warm shower and pack your bag. At intervals between contractions in less than 5 minutes you need to urgently go to the maternity hospital.

How bad is the pain during contractions?

It is difficult to say how painful it will be for you before giving birth. Every woman has her own pain threshold. The psychological attitude also plays a significant role: if you are positive and think not about the next contraction, but about the imminent meeting with the baby, then the pain will be less acute.

How to ease contractions

Contractions are a natural process and cannot be influenced. However, simple steps will help

reduce pain:

• Relax. When the muscles are tense, it interferes with the natural process, and therefore the pain intensifies. Try to get rid of your anxiety and you will immediately feel a little relief. If you can't, you can try to sleep.
• Correct breathing. Your baby needs oxygen now. In addition, it helps to relax the abdominal muscles.

• Take a comfortable position. Find a position where the pain will be less pronounced. As a rule, this is a pose on all fours or knees. You can also jump on a gymnastic ball.
• Lumbar massage- another way to alleviate the condition.
• Take a warm bath or shower.

• move more and stay upright;
• sex (male sperm helps soften the cervix, and orgasm causes uterine contractions);
• massage of the nipples of the breast (the hormone oxytocin is released, causing uterine contractions);

Video

A short video will help you understand and imagine the process of contractions even better. The specialist will tell you how to recognize and what to do immediately after their appearance.