They can be differentiated by the way they are perceived and is that a woman who is new to this can be a bit indecisive. Each woman may feel contractions in a different way, with more or less pain and the fact of differentiating when is the moment can create some uncertainty.
A pregnant woman may feel contractions throughout her pregnancy. Learning to distinguish them is as simple as having preparatory contractions or contractions indicating that it is a sign of an indication of labor. Therefore, we can help you distinguish when these muscle movements are necessary and how to differentiate them.
Labor contractions
Contractions can come to manifest itself from the third trimester of pregnancy. You can feel some discomfort at the time they occur, but in general they are not usually painful. The moment they occur, they fulfill the function of modify the cervix to prepare it for future dilation.
Unlike labor contractions, their size and frequency will determine the difference between them. It is easy to differentiate but the moment may be indecisive, since there are gilts who experience contractions even two days before their delivery.
What is the function of contractions?
Its function is to prepare for childbirth. Make the uterus to contract rhythmically and upwards and with great intensity until the expulsion of the baby is formalized.
First will be part of a great dilation. They will cause the cervix to widen and shorten, or to make it better understood, they will shorten the stride and make this canal wider so that the baby is expelled more easily to the outside.
The contractions they will increase in rate and pressure inside the uterus. This will make an attempt to push the fetus into the vagina at every moment that occurs and its expulsion is made.
How do these contractions develop?
There is an active phase before three centimeters of dilation are reached. At this point the contractions they can be irregular and not very intense. It is when we call that the cervix is effaced.
At these three centimeters, the much more intense intervals will begin. As the cervix widens, they will increase in quantity. They will start every 20 minutes, then every 15 minutes and in their final stage they can even appear 5 minutes each. They last up to a minute each and your pain and pressure are noticeable from the lower abdomen to the lumbar region and sacral part. These last contractions are what will help to lower the baby through the birth canal to go outside.
Can the pain they produce be alleviated?
There are always methods that we can practice as a first measure. Breathing can be of great help if we have already practiced it within classes in preparation for childbirth. Walk, move and adopt some postures They may relax us from the pain of even being distracted.
What can definitely ease the pain is the epidural, since once put on it relieves us of the final pain of contractions, their moment of expulsion and even several hours after giving birth.
Are there contractions after delivery?
Yes. We will continue to have them but much weaker and your pain will be the equivalent of having a heavy menstruation. In this case, it will be to cause the placenta to be expelled and usually last ten to fifteen minutes. If it is the case that you can breastfeed the baby this action will become much more bearable, because your own suction will elicit a hormone that will facilitate this process.
Other contractions we may have They are called "wrongdoing" that will be noticed even days after delivery. With this action, the uterus will return to its initial state and all biological remains are removed that have remained inside.