Most expectant mothers in late pregnancy and before childbirth are worried about how to recognize contractions. Anxiety is not in vain, since real fights can be confused with harbingers.
Especially if a woman does not know the symptoms of the first stage of childbirth, then there is a chance that she will not be able to understand the time of his onset.
Contraction is the contraction of uterine muscle fibers in different directions due to the action of the hormone oxytocin and biologically active substances – prostaglandins. This physiological phenomenon contributes to the gradual opening of the cervix.
Normally, contractions begin after a signal about the ripening of the fetus enters the brain. Strong pain in the lower abdomen, sometimes in the lower back, begins to appear.
Symptoms of real contractions.
If the gestational age is 37–40 weeks, then real contractions can begin at any time. As a rule, pain similar to menstruation appears. However, it is much more intense and characterized by a certain periodicity. At the initial stage, the pain lasts for 15-30 seconds, with breaks of 20-30 minutes.
Further, the duration of contractions increases, and the time interval between them is reduced. If a woman is at home, then from the moment the first pains begin, it is necessary to detect the time after which the following appear. It is recommended to go to the hospital when the time interval between contractions is 5-7 minutes.
What to do with real fights?
When true labor begins before childbirth, a woman should calm down. Worry and fuss in such a matter are not the best helpers. Things in the hospital must be collected in advance. If the expectant mother is at home, it is necessary to take a comfortable position in an armchair or on a bed. From the moment of the first fight, you need to determine the time interval until the next intense pain.
Data is desirable to record. During the first pregnancy, a woman needs to be serious about the first stage of labor. The psychological mood of the expectant mother, and compliance with the recommendations of the doctor will help the normal course of childbirth. It is important for close ones to understand and support a woman in this crucial period of her life.
Take a shower and shave better at home in advance. You need to go to the maternity hospital when the interval between pain symptoms is 5-7 minutes, as well as subject to the normal course of contractions and the integrity of amniotic fluid. This period can last several hours, but you should not stay at home. If the amniotic fluid leaves earlier, then you must immediately go to the hospital and be supervised by a specialist.
How to alleviate the condition during contractions?
Contractions are a painful process. For many women, it causes fear and anxiety.
If a woman is registered for pregnancy, then she should know methods of pain relief during contractions:
- lumbar massage. During contractions, perform rubbing, tapping movements on the lower back and sacrum. Thus, pain can be alleviated.
- proper breathing. In case of intense contractions, inhale deeply through the nose and exhale through the mouth.
- to rest and relax between contractions. During this period, you need to gain strength in order to expel the fetus at the right time.
- psychological attitude. During fights, think not about pain, but about the future baby, try to tune in to positive.
Every woman during pregnancy should know how to recognize contractions. It is necessary to follow the doctor’s recommendations and behave correctly during real fights. Since this is a normal physiological process that all women experience before birth.
