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Carrying a child is a long and emotionally stressful process. Towards the end of the term, a pregnant woman may experience a variety of sensations. The main moment is ahead - the day of birth. It is usually preceded by physiological and psychological changes. The body gains strength before childbirth and itself tells you that everything will happen soon.
Psychological state of a woman
Usually, before giving birth, emotional sensations are inhibited, the woman becomes distracted, drowsy and forgetful. Frequent mood swings: sometimes I want to cry, sometimes I want to laugh with happiness. Accumulated fatigue and long waits lead to a desire to hasten the onset of labor.
Before giving birth, many expectant mothers are overcome by a strong desire to arrange their home, clean everything until it shines and wash it, and rearrange the furniture. This is explained by the subconscious desire to bring a newborn baby into a clean and comfortable home. And also keep yourself busy with some work and drive away fears and bad thoughts. After all, the course of the birth process itself largely depends on the emotional state of a woman. Fear is known to increase muscle spasms and make it harder for the cervix to dilate.
Physiological state
1-2 weeks before birth, the abdomen swells. A woman can see this herself by looking at herself in the mirror. The fetus descends lower to the pubic part, the pressure on the stomach and diaphragm becomes less. It becomes easier to breathe before giving birth. But now there may be discomfort in the pubic area and numbness in the bend of the hip and leg. A woman's gait may change a week before giving birth - it will become more clumsy.
It becomes too cramped for a grown child. His activity decreases. Since his head is close to the cervix, he can only move his arms and legs. Sometimes the day of birth begins immediately after the moment of drooping of the abdomen.
Fetal pressure on the bladder increases before childbirth, and the woman experiences a frequent urge to urinate. Another sign of approaching labor is increased frequency and thinning of stools.
An increased amount of vaginal discharge indicates that the day of birth is approaching soon. The surest sign is the passage of a plug - a colorless lump of dense mucus, sometimes with a small amount of blood. The condition of the cervix changes, it prepares for opening.
Before giving birth, a woman may lose a couple of kilograms in weight. The body gets rid of excess water. There may be no weight loss, but weight gain stops before childbirth.
Painful sensations foreshadowing the day of birth
A few weeks before the day of birth, pulling sensations in the abdomen and lower back, characteristic during menstruation, may appear. This occurs due to sprained ligaments and muscles.
Weak training contractions are also typical before childbirth - but they are usually painless and irregular. The sensations with them are similar to the petrification of the uterus.
How might you feel the day before giving birth?
Most often there is a lull before childbirth. All their harbingers subside. When asked how a woman felt on the day before giving birth, the answer is often: nothing!
On the day of birth, there may be mild pain - this indicates the beginning of contractions. They can be long lasting. If they are of an increasing nature, you cannot hesitate - you must immediately go to the maternity hospital.
No one can know exactly the day of birth. A pregnant woman should listen to her body. His physiological changes and emotional sensations will tell him when the important moment is approaching.
Useful video about the last week before giving birth
In the last days before giving birth, you can be either already in the maternity hospital or at home. This largely depends on how the pregnancy went and on the planned method of delivery.
If you are having a caesarean section, then you are probably now in the maternity hospital, the same is true in the case of post-term pregnancy and planned induction of labor.
The child himself chooses the day to be born, the only exception being cases when it is known for sure that you will undergo surgery.
Psychologically, women perceive these last days before the birth of a child differently, and the same woman may perceive her different births differently. We can only say one thing: with repeated births there is more joy and peace, and with the first there is more anxiety and impatience.
Be that as it may, you are now anxious and waiting because time is running out and your life is about to change completely. Some multiparous mothers devote their last days to communicating with the baby and enjoying peace, because they know that very soon the baby will become the subject of everyone's attention, and his mother will turn into a dairy factory and service staff. You will feel this drastic change in the attitude of others even in the maternity hospital, both from the staff and from your loved ones. Sometimes this is perceived as painful, but just think about it, yes, you will achieve this feat by giving birth to a child. But the baby himself will have to work as hard as you during childbirth. After giving birth, he will definitely need more attention and care than you, an adult and healthy woman (for us, stitches after childbirth are like battle wounds).
In the last days before contractions, many pregnant women suffer from nesting syndrome if they are at home. Rearranging furniture and even repairs, active shopping are not needed, you need to be strong and well rested by the time of childbirth, believe me, this test will require all your strength. This means we try to sleep more and don’t exhaust ourselves physically.
Physiological changes in the body of the expectant mother can significantly change her physical condition. The warning signs may become so strong that they begin to interfere with your ability to rest, sleep, or eat. If contractions are painful during the warning signs, but labor itself does not begin, this is called a pathological preliminary period. Frequent painful contractions not only exhaust you, they can cause fetal hypoxia, which is why in such cases it is often better to induce labor artificially than to wait until it starts on its own. However, this is still decided by the doctor.
If you are still at home, check your bags for the maternity hospital one last time to make sure everything is packed. It is better to divide their contents into 3 parts: what will be needed before birth, what will be needed after birth, and what will be needed for discharge. Then you won’t need to take everything to the maternity hospital at once; as needed, your loved ones will simply bring you what you need now, at a specific period of time.
It is very important to try not to get ARVI during this period. Even if it’s autumn or winter outside, and someone close to you is sick, avoid contact and use literally all means of prevention (even moving the sick person out of the apartment with relatives) to avoid infection. If you get sick, it can cause complications during labor and separation from your baby after birth, which will of course be bad for both of you.
What to do if you understand that labor has begun? Without even thinking, we call 03 or go to the maternity hospital on our own. You cannot wait for something or someone, especially with repeated births. If you are in the maternity hospital, approach the midwife at the post in the department and describe your feelings.
During the gestation period, every woman prepares for an important event in her life - the birth of a baby. Although childbirth is a very long process, it takes a lot of time and effort to prepare for it. This is a difficult and important stage for every woman, after which life changes completely. Childbirth is a complex and natural process, so you definitely need to prepare for it. I refer to the last month of gestation as the prenatal or prenatal period. At this time, the female body is already adjusting to childbirth, and the baby is already fully developed and almost ready to be born. Already 3-4 weeks before giving birth, the woman in labor begins to change in many ways: both psychologically and physically.
Life before childbirth
For excellent physical condition, the expectant mother, so that her muscles are in shape, during pregnancy, does simple exercises that are included in special gymnastics complexes for pregnant women. Exercises in the pool are very useful.
Of course, we hope that if you smoked before conception, then, upon learning about the situation, you immediately quit the bad habit. If not, try to find the strength within yourself to quit smoking. This is necessary for both you and the child. After all, many people know that smoking and alcohol have a bad effect on the baby’s health.
Read good books, do special gymnastics, walk, relax in the fresh air - this will ensure you an ideal pregnancy and an easy birth.
You can see for yourself what happens to some mothers with their tummy before childbirth:
Health before childbirth
Many people know that a woman must carefully monitor her own health during pregnancy. Before labor, check your health again. It is useful to go to a neurologist, ENT specialist, ophthalmologist, or therapist. Also go to the dentist, because teeth can be the first source of infection and cause some complications after childbirth. If you have varicose veins in your legs, go see a surgeon. The specialist will determine whether surgery is required. After 8 months of gestation, experts advise undergoing thorough sanitation of the birth canal. They do this to cleanse them from pathogenic microflora. This is relevant if a woman in labor has diseases that are transmitted through sexual activity (candidiasis, mycoplasmosis, ureaplasmosis, chlamydia, herpes). Such procedures are tedious in order to protect the child during his passage through the birth canal. In addition, sanitation protects a woman from vaginal cracks that can occur due to inflammation.
Regarding the gynecologist, after the 35th week of pregnancy, the woman in labor must visit him once every 7 days. At the appointment, the specialist determines the baby’s position, listens to the heartbeat, and measures the size of the uterus.
Food before childbirth
If a woman monitors the quality and quantity of what she eats during pregnancy, then before giving birth this issue needs to be given even more attention.
After the 8th month of pregnancy, food changes not in favor of meat: it needs to be reduced, and not consumed at all for half a month. You also need to exclude foods containing protein (milk, butter, eggs, fish). At the same time, you need to drink herbal teas, mineral water, fresh juices, baked vegetables, water porridge, and fermented milk products.
Seven days before the expected birth, you need to exclude salt, fermented milk products, bread, and cereals. Food should be only plant-based. It is important that during this period a lot of vegetable oil enters the female body. , which is present in it, helps make the birth canal and blood vessels elastic. Also, this is an ideal prevention of hemorrhoids.
The ideal weight gain during pregnancy is a minimum of 9 and a maximum of 13 kg. These kilograms include the weight of the uterus, baby, breasts, placenta, and amniotic fluid. Of course, everything is individual, and an increase of 13 kg is not a significant problem. However, you should be wary if your weight increases by 20 kilograms or more. Then, the specialist prescribes a special diet for the woman in labor. After all, an increase can complicate childbirth.
An interesting point: before giving birth, in the last 14 days, the woman in labor experiences weight loss. Doctors explain this phenomenon by the loss of a large amount of fluid.
Sleep before labor
The closer to childbirth, the more a woman tends to sleep. After all, the female body tries to sleep off and gain the necessary strength before physical work. For the same reasons, sleep during preparation for childbirth is of great importance. You need to sleep at least 9 hours in a well-ventilated area. You can even sleep with the window open. It is important that the woman in labor feels that she has had enough sleep and rest.
Fear of childbirth
A pregnant woman has rhinestones for all nine months. However, the longer they are, the stronger the fear. A woman in labor, especially a first-time mother, asks many questions: how to avoid complications? Will the baby get hurt? Will it hurt? These and many others do not allow a woman to rest or sleep peacefully. The situation is greatly complicated by the stories of “well-wishers” about problems, labor pains, fatal births, and difficult experiences. Believe me, such information should not interest you at the moment. If you have not attended special courses for pregnant women, then do it right now. Some schools provide crash courses before childbirth. At such courses, a lot is explained to the mother in labor: ways to relieve pain, the mechanism of childbirth, and they teach techniques. All this information is very helpful during childbirth. If it is not possible to attend courses, there is special literature or the Internet.
You need to understand: that fear has a bad effect on the course of childbirth itself. Therefore, severe pain, ruptures, and cracks may occur. It turns out that the more the woman in labor is afraid, the stronger the pain will be. Many people know that pain creates fear. To prevent this from happening, a woman needs to learn to relax even before giving birth, and when the time comes, calmly apply her knowledge.
Harbingers of childbirth
Before childbirth, some signs appear that indicate that labor is approaching (). Such as: it becomes easier for the woman in labor to breathe, the fetus drops down in the abdomen, and it is difficult to walk or sit. Before childbirth, defecation and urination become more frequent. There is pain in the lower abdomen. The woman in labor experiences a sharp change in state and mood: She is either passive and tired, or “subversive” and energetic. Some people can't wait for this moment. Half a month before giving birth, women exhibit the maternal instinct of “nesting.” She is ready to tinker, clean, wash, clean for a long time. All this, of course, is good. However, everything should be in moderation. Do not forget that in this position you are contraindicated from overexerting yourself.
The most obvious sign of labor is irregular uterine contractions. 14 days before giving birth, a special mucous plug comes off from the woman in labor, which covers the cervix during pregnancy. The mucus may be pink or yellow. At times, the woman in labor clearly sees that the plug has come off. But this may go unnoticed. A woman in labor needs to understand that her water may break at any moment. This is the main sign that the birth process has begun. In such a situation, you cannot waste even a second. Go to the hospital or call an ambulance immediately.
Hooray! Due to popular demand, we are starting a series of publications about preparing for childbirth. Share your experience, ask your questions.
Today we will talk about the harbingers and timely births that occur during pregnancy 38 - 41 weeks, the reasons for their occurrence and signs of impending birth. What happens before childbirth? How does the onset of labor differ between primiparas and multiparas?
Most pregnant women know that they will have three stages of labor. The period before them is particularly highlighted harbingers of labor.
At approximately 37 weeks of pregnancy, the concentration of the pregnancy hormone - progesterone - decreases, and the synthesis of estrogens increases, mainly their most active fraction - estradiol. Under their influence, a number of processes occur in the uterus, as a result of which the excitability and contractile activity of the myometrium (muscle fibers of the uterus) increases. Prostaglandins also play an important role in the development of labor.
These are biologically active substances that are produced by the membranes of the fetus (amnion and chorion) - prostaglandin E (PGE) and the decidua and muscle cells of the uterus - PGF2a. They increase the sensitivity of the myometrium to the action of other uterotonic compounds, that is, those substances that cause the development of contractions (these are acetylcholine, oxytocin, serotonin).
A few hours before labor begins, harbingers- irregular contractions. Usually they take no more than 8 hours for primiparous women, and about 5 hours for multiparous women.
It happens that such precursor contractions can decrease for several hours or even days without turning into labor, but then they appear again.
Changes before childbirth
- Prolapse of the pregnant woman's abdomen occurs due to the insertion of the fetal head into the entrance to the pelvic cavity and stretching of the lower segment of the uterus. Women experience easier breathing and a decrease or complete absence of shortness of breath.
- The center of gravity of the body shifts forward, and the head and shoulders are pulled back (the so-called “proud gait” appears).
- A decrease in body weight by 1 - 2 kg a few days before birth occurs due to the removal of excess fluid from the body due to a decrease in the concentration of progesterone.
- Fetal movements become less active.
- Changes in the psychological state of a woman are possible - increased excitability or, conversely, apathy. This is due to changes in the central and autonomic nervous system and the formation of a generic dominant.
- Nagging, mild pain in the lower abdomen and in the sacral area, which gradually turns into preparatory and then true contractions.
- Discharge of a mucus plug from the genital tract - thick, viscous mucus, which throughout pregnancy protected the fetus from possible infection. There may be streaks of blood in the mucus due to shallow tears in the cervix during the process of “ripening”.
I would like to note that the precursors of labor in primiparas may differ from those in multiparas.
In first-time mothers, they are usually smoother. They can begin two weeks or a week before birth and therefore serve as a very conditional time guide. It is worth noting that the precursors of labor in first-time mothers often go unnoticed at all or include 2-3 of the listed signs.
In multiparous women, the warning signs may be more intense, but this is mostly due to the fact that they already know how it can be and listen to their feelings.
Childbirth?
The most important sign of readiness for childbirth is a “mature” cervix, which cannot be determined independently; it is examined by a doctor during a vaginal examination. The imminent onset of labor is indicated by a soft cervix located in the middle, the cervical canal is open, allowing two fingers through.
As the birth approaches, it is necessary to check documents and collect things that are needed in the maternity hospital.
In the next topic we will discuss the periods of childbirth, what these periods are and what to prepare for during each of them.
Childbirth and maternity hospitals
If a pregnant woman is attentive to the signals of her body, she will never miss the harbingers of labor, as a sign of an imminent meeting with her beloved baby.
In the last weeks of pregnancy, a woman's hormonal profile gradually changes. As the placenta naturally ages, the amount of progesterone it produces decreases, and the relative amount of another female hormone, estrogen, on the contrary, increases. Progesterone “reigned” in the body throughout the entire period of gestation, ensuring the preservation of pregnancy, while the effects of estrogen are directed in the opposite direction, in preparation for childbirth. When the concentration of estrogen in the blood reaches its maximum, the brain receptors perceive this as a signal for labor and labor begins. Those changes that occur in the body of a pregnant woman under the influence of changing hormones and prepare the birth canal for the birth of the baby are called the harbingers of childbirth. This is the logical final stage of pregnancy, which in obstetrics is often called the preparatory period of childbirth, the purpose of which is to ensure the gentle, least traumatic movement of the fetus along the birth canal. According to medical literature, this process occurs at 38-39 weeks of pregnancy, but for many women, some of the warning signs may appear a day or two before giving birth. If this is your second birth, the warning signs will probably begin a little later, closer to the time your baby is born.
9 harbingers of childbirth:
1. The popularly known sign of an early birth - “prolapse of the abdomen” - is absolutely correct and is based on anatomical changes at the end of pregnancy. If the baby is positioned upside down, then during this period his head drops even lower and is now a little more fixed. In medical terms, it is inserted into the small pelvis. The upper part of the uterus also descends and no longer puts pressure on the lungs and stomach so much, so women rarely ignore this harbinger of childbirth, because it becomes a little easier for them to breathe. Sometimes a protrusion of the navel appears, and the skin of the abdomen stretches even more.
2. A slight increase in the amount of discharge from the genital tract as a result of the fact that the lower part of the amniotic sac has detached from the walls of the uterus. This sign of an imminent meeting with the baby sometimes suggests a possible leakage of amniotic fluid and is very worrying for expectant mothers. To clarify the situation, you can use a special test for express diagnostics, which will reliably show whether the discharge contains amniotic fluid.
3. Changes in the cervix. This does not affect the condition of women in any way; such anatomical harbingers of an imminent birth are noticeable only to the doctor during a vaginal examination, but, perhaps, pregnant women will be interested in learning about this process. If previously the cervix, along which the baby will move during childbirth, was, figuratively speaking, a tube, about 4 cm long, with a narrow pinhole on both sides, now it looks different. On the inside, where the baby’s head rests, it opens quite strongly, and the rest, its narrow part is now only 1-2 cm and still resembles a pipe, but with an expanded hole that is passable for one finger. The membranes are now very close and easily accessible to infections, which is why a woman, towards the end of pregnancy, is not recommended to take baths, limiting herself to a shower with the obligatory daily toilet of the genitals.
4. If you weigh yourself often, you will probably notice that in the last weeks of pregnancy your weight has dropped sharply by 1-1.5 kg. This occurs as a result of a decrease in tissue swelling. Pay attention to your feet - if previously the elastic band from your socks left a pronounced mark on them, but now it is not so noticeable - childbirth is just around the corner and it’s time to start mentally preparing for the meeting with the baby.
5. Isolation of mucus plug. This harbinger of childbirth is probably the most famous and shrouded in myths. It is very important to understand what a mucus plug is. This is a collection of mucus, usually slightly denser than daily vaginal discharge, colorless or with slight streaks of blood, about 2-3 ml in volume. If you notice bloody or heavy watery discharge, consult your doctor; this may be a dangerous symptom.
6. Change in posture. As a result of uterine prolapse, the center of gravity shifts. The woman takes on a characteristic proud look, and her head is usually thrown back somewhat, and her gait becomes “duck-like.”
7. Increased frequency of urination and loose stools, which occur due to compression of the pelvic organs by the amniotic sac. It should be noted that, according to some experts, stool liquefaction occurs under the influence of fairly high, close to peak concentrations of estrogen, so this sign can be considered a harbinger of early labor, unlike the previous ones, which can last for weeks.
8. The appearance or intensification of “training” contractions. Unlike true ones, these contractions are irregular, painless and of varying duration. Thus, the muscles of the uterus, which will soon have a huge job to do, are preparing, so to speak, warming up, training.
9. Discomfort in the lower abdomen and back. This does not mean acute pain, but a pulling and aching sensation, as a result of a natural sprain of the ligaments. In that case. If this is not the first, but the second birth, harbingers of this nature may not bother you.
Precursors of labor in first-time mothers
Since the described symptoms are mostly subjective in nature, that is, they are felt by the woman, pregnant women without childbirth experience more often interpret the precursors as a malaise. A special role is also played by the fact that the precursors of labor in first-time mothers are usually smoother. They can begin two weeks or a week before birth and therefore serve as a very relative time guide. It is important to know the fundamental differences between false and real contractions, since to a woman unfamiliar with the sensations of childbirth, a training contraction may seem quite strong and cause anxiety. It is worth noting that the precursors of labor in first-time mothers often go unnoticed at all or include 2-3 of the listed signs.
Precursors of labor in multiparous women
The anatomical difference between women who have already given birth is that their cervix has a wider lumen and responds more quickly to hormonal stimuli. Therefore, some precursors of labor in multiparous women are more pronounced and begin at an earlier date. Thus, there are observations that the mucous plug in women who give birth repeatedly is larger, as well as liquid discharge, which increases towards the end of the gestation period. Training contractions during the second pregnancy begin to bother you earlier, however, most likely, this is due to the fact that the woman clearly differentiates them. It should be noted that in the second and subsequent times, not only the birth process itself occurs more rapidly, but also the time between the precursors and childbirth is often reduced. Sometimes the precursors of labor in multiparous women appear a day or two before birth. It is characteristic that usually abdominal prolapse in these women does not occur 1-2 weeks before childbirth, but almost immediately before it. Carefully listen to your well-being during pregnancy; if you are about to give birth for the second time, the warning signs can be interpreted as a signal to pack your bags for the hospital and prepare for contractions.
