What are contractions and how to understand that they have begun

Causes of pain

By the end of pregnancy, the uterus becomes the largest internal organ in the body. Moreover, it does not grow, but stretches. It is much more difficult to endure pain during contractions during a period when the volume of the uterus is increased 500 times, due to the area of the irritated segment.

What can you compare the pain of labor contractions to? 70% of mothers say with sensations during a tissue cut. Many compare the pain to a burn to the genitals. It has been scientifically proven that only amputation and rupture of nerve fibers are more painful. Stimulates the intensity of the mother's fear and panic reaction.

Influencing factors:

cervical dilatation;
Christmastide tension;
pelvic muscle resistance;
temporary tissue ischemia;
deformation of the uterine vessels, which have highly sensitive receptors;
lack of control, the psyche is not ready for reduction.

Medications such as local, epidural and general anesthesia help you survive labor and childbirth. If a woman in labor concentrates only on pain, metabolic processes in the plasma are disrupted, and there is a risk of complications during childbirth. Correct behavior, readiness for the start of contractions, control of the uniformity and intervals of contractions helps to increase the pain threshold.

Is it possible to have contractions without pain? Not if the true labor process has begun. Stone in the abdomen, without signs of pain, means training contractions.

There is a relationship between physiological factors, periods of flow and the degree of sensitivity. Women with painful menstruation and associated pathologies have a hard time enduring labor pains.

At-risk groups:

large fruit;
first pregnancy;
prolonged labor;
early discharge of amniotic fluid;
use of oxytocin;
chronic diseases of the genitourinary system.

What hurts more: contractions or childbirth? Moms say they are having contractions. Muscular contractions of the uterus reach their peak before the start of pushing, the pain becomes sharp, and the pressure of the fetus on the cervix increases.

The most important thing in fights

Pain during childbirth is a signal that helps the mother in labor choose the most comfortable position for the birth of the baby. Severe pain indicates a lack of oxygen, so the woman in labor needs to relax and take a different position.

During contractions, a woman needs to be in motion: physical activity reduces pain and accelerates the dilation of the cervix.

A woman should feel her body, take a comfortable position in which the pain is less noticeable.

It is important in the exercises to give maximum relaxation to the pelvis.

Due to the widespread belief that contractions are painful as hell, women prepare themselves for the worst in advance and become tense.

But in order for contractions to be less painful, complete relaxation is necessary.

Relaxation is facilitated by proper breathing during childbirth and a comfortable position.

Remember the mechanism of pain: each contraction helps smooth the walls of the cervix, shorten it, and also open it. Contractions of the cervix gradually move to the walls of the uterus.

The contraction does not last long: the muscles contract, are tense for several seconds, then relax. The duration of the contraction increases towards the end of the first period.

The woman cannot influence the fight in any way. Therefore, you should not be tight, you need to relax and work with your body together.

If a woman has no contraindications, she can:

walk;
bend forward and to the sides;
hang on any supports;
squat down and spread your knees to the sides;
lie on your side, raise your legs;
perform simple exercises on a fitball;
rise from toes to heels and back;
perform circular movements with the pelvis;
to wobble from side to side;
leaning on any support, relax your back and pelvis, perform circular movements;
be in cat pose.

Women are in a horizontal position during contractions in cases of premature pregnancy, premature birth, breech presentation, or signs of intrauterine retention.

Pain relief methods

If at the beginning of labor a woman is at home, contractions are not yet counted at systematic intervals, and you don’t have to stop everyday activities. It is recommended to move, clean up, put things in maternity hospital bags and documents. When increasing frequency, monitoring the regularity of contractions of the uterine muscles, special techniques are used to alleviate the pain syndrome.

How to better cope with labor pains during childbirth:

applying heat;
warm bath;
correct breathing;
massage;
anesthesia.

Applying heat. For pain relief at home, heated containers are used - an enema with water, a thick bag with flax or barley grains. You can take a piece of thick fabric, pour oats and wheat into it, and tie the ends together. The bag is heated in the microwave until warm and applied to the sacral lumbar region for 15-20 minutes. The technique relaxes muscles, relieves spasms, relieves pain, and helps to properly survive contractions during childbirth.

Bath. It is recommended to be in warm water when the pain is still tolerable; the bath should have a temperature of up to 37.5 C. You cannot lie on your back; lying on your side will stimulate blood circulation and supply oxygen. You need to relax, count to 100, roll over. Place a soft rubber mat on the bottom of the bath and a pillow under your head.

Breath. Techniques change as the fight progresses. At the initial stage, when the intervals between contractions are 5-7 minutes, you need to breathe deeply, with your stomach. Inhale for 3-4 seconds, exhale for 6 seconds.

When the frequency decreases to 3 minutes, the duration of the contraction increases to 2-2.5 minutes, you need to inhale for 4 counts, exhale for 5. At the peak of the contraction, breathe often, not deeply. Before pushing, try to choose a measured rhythm, inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth. As air leaves the lungs, push the fetus out.

Massage helps you endure labor pains. The procedure must be carried out from the beginning of the first contractions, until the moment of pushing. You can use pain-relieving gels, creams, Vaseline ointments, oil, if the risk of an allergic reaction is excluded.

Spot. Simultaneously press on the indentation between the thumb and index finger, on the outside of the hand, and on the ankle bone, on the inside. The movements are short, intense, duration 40 seconds, the impact hand is located parallel to the floor.

Stroking. Palms fold left over right in the lower abdomen, moving from the center to the sides. The pads gently massage the skin; at the peak of contraction, the pressure increases.

Sacral. Using finger bones and a vibrating massager, the peri-sacral area is massaged with intense circular movements for 30-40 seconds. During the break, use the pads of your fingers to apply light pressure on the sacrum and the hollows above the buttocks.

Thigh rubbing. You need to lie on your side, bend your knees and put them together. Place your palm on the inner thigh, rub the surface from the knee to the groin, 30 times on each side, with a comfortable hand.

Anesthesia. The local or regional method is more often used. General anesthesia is used in 2% of cases, in complex cases, or previous spinal injuries:

Types of anesthesia:

local - for pain relief in specific areas, if there are ruptures, the need for sutures;
epidural, spinal - the drug is injected into the back, blocking the sensitivity of the lower half of the body without stopping contractions;
general – complete loss of consciousness, labor without pain.

Anesthesia, despite the wishes of women in labor, is not recommended by doctors without appropriate indications. Often the decision is made urgently, at the second stage of delivery, if the pain threshold is exceeded, there is loss of consciousness, or surgical intervention is necessary.

How to relieve pain during labor and childbirth

How to relieve pain during contractions? For this, there are several recommendations from doctors who help different women to varying degrees during labor.

Poses to relieve pain during contractions

During contractions, it is very important to choose the optimal position, which will reduce sensitivity to pain. There are about 10 such poses; depending on the condition of the woman in labor and the fetus, the pose is selected individually.

Poses to relieve pain during contractions while standing:

rest your hands on the headboard or any other surface of suitable height. With your legs slightly apart, relax your stomach and back so that the weight of your body is redistributed to your limbs. In this pose, make swaying movements left and right, back and forth;
squat down. With your legs as wide apart as possible, rest on your full foot. In this case, the back should rest against a fixed support;
spread your feet shoulder-width apart, clasp your hips with your hands. In this pose, make swaying movements.

Poses to relieve pain during contractions in a kneeling position:

get down on your knees, place your hands and head on a stationary support so that the body sag and the weight is redistributed to the limbs;
in a kneeling position, lean your chest and arms on the fitball, make swaying movements.

Poses to relieve pain during contractions on the bed:

get on all fours on the bed, leaning on your elbows and knees. In this case, the legs should be slightly apart, and the woman should arch her back upward as far as possible;
Get on all fours on the bed, leaning on your knees and elbows. With your legs slightly apart, sway left and right;
Get on all fours on the bed and shift from one knee to the other. In this case, you need to stand on your knees and rest your hands on the headboard of the bed.

Poses that relieve pain during contractions while lying on your side:

Lie on the bed on your left side, bend your legs at the knees and hip joints. Place a pillow between your legs if desired.

It is worth noting that if you had painful periods before pregnancy and the pain was localized specifically in the lumbar region, then it is not recommended to lie down during contractions - this will only make the painful sensations stronger. It is best to spend the entire period before pushing on your feet, walking or taking the poses described above.

It will also not be a bad idea to squat. This position will speed up the dilation of the cervix.

Massage during contractions? to ease the pain

According to reviews from many mothers about how to relieve pain during contractions, massage has become a salvation from debilitating pain during contractions. This method of pain relief works especially well if the pain is localized in the lumbar region. However, to perform a massage during labor, you must have a partner with you. Ask him to massage your lower back, shoulders, head, neck, and the area near the protruding pelvic bones.

If you are not having a partner birth, you can try self-massage. For this:

clench your hand into a fist;
during contractions, rub the lumbar area with it;
During the break between contractions, knead the protruding pelvic bones on the abdominal side with your fingers.

Such manipulations will allow the muscles to relax after a sharp tone.

Water treatments to ease contractions

Many modern maternity hospitals practice a new method of easing pain during contractions - a warm shower. The bottom line is that a woman from time to time, of her own free will, stands under flowing warm water during contractions. As I note for women in labor, this manipulation is very relaxing and allows you to rest a little.

Music and relaxation to ease contractions

It’s not for nothing that modern maternity hospitals offer expectant mothers to take a player with recordings of soothing music or the sounds of nature and the sound of water during childbirth. Something as simple as music can significantly calm a woman in labor and help her relax between contractions.

It is also worth noting that during labor you need to relax as much as possible in between contractions. In addition, the psychological attitude is very important. Take childbirth itself not as a test, but as a necessary step towards meeting your baby. Remember that it is even harder for the child at this moment, because the little bundle goes through a difficult path to meet its mother.

How to Breathe During Contractions to Relieve Pain

The ability to breathe correctly during contractions and pushing can greatly simplify the birth process and relieve pain.

At the beginning of the effort, we breathe like this:

Inhale through the nose for four counts.
Exhale in six counts through your mouth, pursing your lips into a tube.

The inhalation should be much shorter than the exhalation.

During intense contractions, we breathe like a dog:

Open your mouth.
Take shallow breaths and breaths.

Accelerating breathing during intense contractions significantly reduces pain and helps you endure it without compromising your emotional state.

During dilatation of the cervix we breathe like this:

Take a quick, shallow breath through your nose.
Pursing your lips like a tube, exhale through your mouth just as quickly.

Inhalations should be very fast and not deep, then the pain will subside a little.

Phases of contractions

Uterine contractions, stimulating cervical dilatation, and the release of the fetus occupy 70% of labor. For some women, this stage ends within 1 hour, while for others it lasts more than a day.

How many hours does a woman give birth? The first birth lasts 8-15 hours, the second 3-4 hours less. Features of the course and duration are individual; there are cases of painless labor in 1.5-2 hours in the first pregnancy, and up to 15 hours in the second.

The preparation of the uterus takes place in 3 stages. The hardest time to endure labor pains is in the period before pushing.

Phases:

latent;
active;
early;
pushing.

Latent. It lasts 4-8 hours, during this period a woman can calmly get ready at home, do household chores, and wait for the car to the maternity hospital. The cervix begins to dilate, the pain is weak. You need to move more, take a bath, drink tea with mint and thyme. Breathe calmly, deeply.

Active. The cervix dilates to 8 cm, the amniotic sac bursts with the release of amniotic fluid. During this phase, you need to be in the maternity hospital; massage will help you endure the pain during contractions: acupressure, sacral, stroking. If there is no indication, do not lie down, it is better to walk along the corridor.

Early. The cervix opens completely, at this stage the pain is comparable to a cut in living tissue. You need to switch your breathing to diaphragmatic breathing. Be sure to move; a position on all fours or squats will ease the pain of contractions. You cannot push during this phase.

Pushing. In this state, the fetus begins to move outward. You need to listen to the midwife. While pushing, you can’t scream or put your legs together.

There are cases in history when a baby was born in 2 minutes. This happened in the UK, the mother was a woman for whom this rapid birth was not the first. She was already raising a son born in an hour.

How long was the longest labor? It took 10 weeks and 5 days for triplets to be born to a resident of Poland, D. Krzysztonek. The children were born healthy and strong, and the mother in labor was discharged from the hospital as usual.

What causes pain during childbirth?

During childbirth, contractions appear (the uterus contracts), the cervix opens and the baby moves along the birth canal. And pain occurs due to:

Ligament and muscle strains
Cervical dilatation
Pressure on the cervix and vagina

In order for the baby to progress easily, the mother needs to learn to relax and behave calmly. If the mother is calm, her body produces a sufficient amount of oxytocin (a hormone that stimulates labor). If the mother panics and is afraid, her body produces adrenaline (a hormone due to which the muscles tense and the cervix stops contracting, thereby slowing down labor, provoking the production of an even larger portion of adrenaline).

Read what does childbirth consist of? Stages and total time of labor.

And a vicious circle appears:

fear - muscle tension - pain - fear

You cannot control the contractions of the uterus, but you can consciously relax the muscles surrounding the uterus, thereby reducing pain.

You need to learn to overcome your fears, anxieties and worries and help your baby be born as calmly as possible.

Drug pain relief for childbirth

Often, medications are used to relieve pain during childbirth. In particular, we are talking about drugs from group A, which includes analgesics. True, they are used in cases of extreme necessity: only when the expectant mother cannot do without their use. In general, pain relief with drugs is used if a woman experiences nausea, vomiting, or if she is too focused on pain and cannot concentrate on the birth process. Analgesics are administered intravenously, intramuscularly, using compresses (applied to certain places), as inhalers.

Sometimes the doctor decides to use Promedol. This is a narcotic substance that is administered intravenously or intramuscularly. Of course, it does not completely relieve pain, but it significantly reduces it. It has already been proven that a single dose of Promedol does not negatively affect the child’s health. However, its use a second time is unacceptable.

In addition to medications included in the group of antispasmodics and narcotics, others are used, for example, anesthetics, antipsychotics, and tranquilizers.

Postures during childbirth

During the preparatory stage of childbirth, a pregnant woman can move and choose a comfortable position and body position. When the cervix is fully dilated, obstetricians conduct continuous monitoring of the fetus and the woman in labor and, upon arrival, forcefully place her on the birthing bed.

There is an effective pattern of movements for a woman in labor in exactly this position, which promotes productive pushing. A woman, lying on her back, bends her head and presses her chin to her chest, holding on to special handrails and raising her upper body almost to a sitting position. When the woman in labor lies on her back, it is more convenient for the obstetrician to monitor how the fetal head is shown, prevent perineal ruptures and deliver the baby.

But progressive doctors say that giving birth lying on your back is unnatural for a woman, and that this position makes it difficult for the fetus to pass through the birth canal. It’s probably strange for older generations of women to hear this: “How could it be otherwise? This is how we gave birth, both our mothers and their mothers!” In fact, there is no such position in the childbearing traditions of different nations. Women have given birth lying on their backs since births began to be attended not by midwives, but by obstetricians. It is for doctors who control the process of the birth of the child that this position of the woman in labor is convenient.

Many clinics already practice vertical childbirth, for which special chairs have been installed. A woman can push while kneeling or squatting.