I don't think there is anything in this world that resembles being a mother and giving birth. A normal pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks counting from the first day of the last menstrual cycle. If the baby is born before 37 weeks it is said to be a premature baby, while if the baby is born after week 42 it is said to be a post-term delivery.
The birth of a baby is long and painful for the mother since the baby must leave the uterus and go through the vagina to reach the outside although there are cases in which the baby is born through the womb by cesarean section.
Signs that the baby is about to be born
There are a number of signs that indicate that the baby is ready to come into this world:
- The rupture of the membrane.
- Mucous plug leakage.
- The arrival of the dreaded contractions.
If, on the other hand, the woman suffers from another series of symptoms such as a severe headache, swelling in the pelvic area or sudden movements of the baby inside the uterus, You must go quickly to the doctor as something is wrong.
Vaginal delivery
In order to speak of vaginal delivery, the following conditions must be met:
- That the baby can get out of head.
- That the baby is not too large in proportion to the size of the pelvis.
- Let there be no fetal distress.
In labor there are usually three well differentiated phases: dilation, expulsion of the baby and birth. In the first phase, the woman undergoes a series of irregular contractions that intensify more and more as the arrival of the child approaches. baby. When the woman reaches four centimeters in dilation, the famous epidural is usually applied to reduce the pain of the pregnant woman when giving birth. In order to hold the baby's head, there must be a dilation of about 10 centimeters.
During the expulsion period, the baby finally manages to go outside. Thanks to the help of the doctor and the push of the mother, the baby takes his whole body out and is born. The normal that the expulsion phase lasts from 20 minutes to an hour. Once it has been fully released, the baby begins to breathe and begins to cry. The umbilical cord must be cut and the placenta completely detached thanks to the contractions themselves. Sometimes the help of the doctor is needed when removing the placenta itself from inside the uterus.
Cesarean section
With a cesarean section, the baby is delivered through a surgical operation through the abdomen and uterus. A cesarean section is usually performed when some of the following occur:
- Multiple pregnancy.
- Bad position of the baby.
- Umbilical cord around the baby's neck.
- Fetal suffering.
- The baby is larger than the pelvic area.
- Placental abruption.
- Infection in the vagina
If the woman needs a caesarean section when bringing her child into this world, she must be admitted to the hospital. General anesthesia is not used and surgery is performed on the abdomen and uterus to deliver the baby safely. The mother stays in the hospital for a few days until her full recovery.
For both vaginal delivery and cesarean delivery, the mother should be followed up in relation to your blood pressure, possible pain, vaginal bleeding, or body temperature.
In conclusion, giving birth and being able to bring a baby into this world is one of the most wonderful things that can happen to a mother. The process is long from fertilization to the desired birth of the baby. However, the wait is worth it and the 40 weeks of gestation suffered by the mother with physical and emotional changes.