talking point BY TINA OTTE
WHAT IS LABOUR REALLY LIKE?
Know what to expect from labour and be a confident mom-to-be abour
you consider what is going on inside your body, labour is truly a miracle. Your body is constantly and getting
L prepping you
ready for the thralls of labour. The difficulties and discomforts you endure in the last weeks of pregnancy prepare you for the challenges of labour. It puts you in a frame of mind where you actually want labour to start. Then, the hormones that
are secreted during labour provide a mother with powerful natural painkillers. The love hormone oxytocin is also released. This is a feel good hormone and is the same hormone that causes orgasms. On top of all that, adrenaline is released to get you through the last tough part of labour. These hormones help you and your baby tolerate labour, as well as set the stage for quick attachment once baby is born. They also assist with the start of breastfeeding.
But even if your body is
prepared for labour; is your mind? Here are the answers to the most common concerns and questions pregnant moms have about labour, so you can be educated and confident.
40 YOUR PREGNANCY is nothing. not
called labour for
It
involves a lot of work – but when
hardest questions to answer is to describe the sensations that labour brings, because it is such a subjective experience. There are elements of agony and ecstasy involved. So many things will influence what happens on the day. Things like – when did you last eat? Perhaps you started labour after a long day and you are already tired. How active have you been during your labour?
Q Q Your baby
also has a part to play. What position is he lying in? Is his head engaged or not? All of these things will influence how you experience labour.
HOW WILL I KNOW I AM IN LABOUR?
When a three kilogram baby (or more) starts to make its way into the world – you’re going to know. However, one of the first signs that a woman may be in labour is the fact that she denies it. As the cocktail of the hormones described earlier starts to seep into your body, they will cause a mother to enter a trance like state known as the “birth zone”. She will tune out of the world and into her body. Time
WHAT WILL LABOUR FEEL LIKE? One of the
and details mean nothing to her. Even answering simple questions is an effort. This is a delicate state and easily disturbed. Every effort should be made to protect this time with minimal interference. Partners need to understand and recognise this phase and not panic when she starts to act “weird”. The loss of a blood stained discharge from your vagina may be another sign. This is called a show and consists of the mucus plug, which has been sealing off the cervix, becoming dislodged as the cervix starts to widen. Contractions that become
longer, stronger and closer together and that do not disappear when a mother lies down or takes a bath are a sign that labour is well on its way. When the amniotic bag opens (waters break) most caregivers will advise a mother to get to the hospital as soon as they can. Labour can progress quickly in some cases once membranes release, while other women have no sign of labour starting at all.
Q
WHEN SHOULD I GO TO HOSPITAL?
When your contractions become regular and much closer together or the pain begins in the small of your
back to
the
and radiates around front
of your belly
above your pubic bone, call your caregiver. Once you are experiencing two to three contractions in 10 minutes, it’s probably a good time to think about leaving for the hospital. If you are unsure, call the labour ward for advice.
WATERS BREAK? This
Q happens
WHAT WILL IT FEEL LIKE WHEN MY
when the
membranes surrounding your baby and containing the warm amniotic fluid rupture, allowing the fluid to leak or seep out. It doesn’t hurt, but some women feel a distinct popping sensation. It may feel like a great gush, but it is much less than you think. About a cupful is released. As mentioned you may not necessarily be in labour if you have a trickle of fluid; some women have a small tear weeks before labour starts and an early leak often repairs itself. Always check with your caregiver if you are anxious. When the sac breaks open, it may occur with a large tear or perhaps with just a small split. This will determine whether you have a quick gush of fluid, or a confusing
intermittent trickle. A purposeful rupture Image: Jupiter Images
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