Happens to the baby during childbirth. Childbirth through the eyes of a child. Possible complications and surgery

Stages of childbirth or how they go natural childbirth in time

In order for a woman to more easily endure the process of giving birth to a child, not to interfere with her actions, but to help the medical staff, she must clearly know what stages of childbirth she will have to go through. Having an idea about physiological changes, occurring in the body, the woman reacts less emotionally to what is happening, is less afraid, and experiences moderate pain. When the first stage of labor has already begun, it is too late to provide training. Difficulty focusing on new information. We suggest that you familiarize yourself in advance with the three stages of childbirth in order to prepare as fully as possible for the upcoming complex and responsible work.

1. First stage: preparatory
2. Birth of placenta
3. Duration of labor

The first stage is preparatory

At the end of pregnancy, a woman may experience discomfort in the abdomen and lower back. Can they be confused with the beginning of real contractions? Women who already have children claim that this is almost impossible. Painful sensations Training contractions can be weakened and stopped completely if, at the moments of their occurrence, you distract yourself with something interesting:

• watching a movie;
• taking a warm shower;
• a cup of aromatic tea.

If this is not “training”, but the first stage of childbirth, then the body cannot be deceived by any means. The pain slowly and gradually increases, the intervals between contractions are even periods of time, which become increasingly shorter. Stage 1, in turn, is divided into 3 time periods, during which sequential preparation for the expulsion of the fetus occurs. Of all the stages of childbirth, this is the most painful and longest period. Attempts to speed it up can cause injury to mother and baby. The cervix will not have time to open properly.

Three phases of the first stage:

• latent (cervical dilatation up to 3–4 cm);
• active (opening up to 8 cm);
• transient (full dilatation up to 10 cm).

By the second phase, the waters usually recede. If this does not happen, the doctor who controls the stages of labor performs a puncture of the amniotic sac, due to which the cervix opens faster.

By the end of the second phase, the woman enters the maternity hospital. She is already having fairly intense contractions, occurring less than 5 minutes apart. The third phase takes place under the supervision of doctors. Every 3 minutes there are wave-like contractions lasting up to 60 seconds. Sometimes a woman does not have time to rest between them, because they come one after another. At this stage of labor, the fetal head descends into the pelvic cavity (to the pelvic floor). A woman may experience fear, even panic. She needs specialist support. Sometimes there is a desire to push, and this is where the help of obstetricians is indispensable. They will tell you when it is time or if you should wait until the cervix opens to the desired size.

In the first stages of labor, close relatives of women in labor can play a huge role. It is important to talk to her, reassure her, give her a light massage of the lower back, hold her hands, help her take those positions in which a woman can most easily endure pain:

• be on all fours;
• while moving vertically;
• stand with support on your hands.

The first of the three stages of labor is the period when the fetal head moves downward under pressure from the muscles of the uterus. Head – oval shape, the birth canal is round. There are places on the head where there is no bone tissue - fontanelles. Due to this, the fetus has the opportunity to adapt and pass through the narrow birth canal. - this is the slow opening of the cervix, smoothing of the birth canal and the formation of a kind of “corridor” wide enough to let the baby through. When everything is prepared, the second stage of labor begins - pushing.

The second stage: the period of pushing and the birth of the child

If we consider everything 3 stages of labor, then pushing is the happiest for the new mother, who can finally forget about the suffering she endured and press her little blood to her chest for the first time.

At the beginning of this stage, if a natural birth (without a caesarean section) is planned, the woman is asked to sit on the birthing chair. The most important and responsible work begins. By this point, the woman in labor is already severely exhausted by prolonged pain, her main task is to concentrate on the commands of the medical staff and follow them exactly. The baby turns several times while passing through the birth canal and finally approaches the exit. First, the head is shown (it can be hidden back several times). In order not to harm the child, it is necessary to push strictly according to the doctors’ command. The baby’s head presses forcefully on the rectum - and along with the next contraction, the desire to push appears.

After the head is born, the doctor helps it release from the perineum. The shoulders are born, and then (very quickly) the whole body. The newborn is placed on the chest. At this moment, the woman experiences a powerful release of the hormone oxytocin, and she experiences a state of euphoria. There is some time to rest. The work is not finished yet - we need to wait for the birth of the placenta.

Birth of placenta

When the 3 stages of labor are described, minimal attention is paid to this last stage. But it is extremely important for a woman’s health. It is necessary that the “children's place” is separated on time and completely. The third stage begins with rather weak (compared to everything that the woman in labor has already experienced) contractions. Normally there will be very few of them, you need to push further and help the uterus expel the placenta. If the placenta does not separate on its own, doctors resort to surgery. The uterus must be cleansed. Otherwise, an inflammatory process and prolonged bleeding occurs. The last stage is completed, the young mother and child are left under observation for a while. Then they are sent to the ward.

Duration of labor

Stages of labor different in time. The duration of each of them is different for those giving birth for the first time and for repeat births. Let's see how childbirth goes for first-time mothers and for those who have already gone down this path (more than once).

Table 1. Duration of the 3 stages of labor

Those who give birth to their second and subsequent children, the first two periods pass much faster. Therefore, it is very important for multiparous women to call an ambulance in time so that the birth does not occur at home or on the way to the hospital.

What to do if a woman in labor feels that the baby’s head is about to appear and she can’t get to the maternity hospital on time? In this case, those around you will have to deliver the baby at the pre-hospital stage.

Such situations are possible during premature pregnancy, in multiparous women, during nursing, and during rapid labor. It is necessary to prepare warm water, sterile gloves, napkins, and changing supplies. The person assisting the woman in labor must carefully support the perineum as the fetal head moves forward to prevent rupture. Only when the child’s suboccipital fossa is under the mother’s symphysis pubis can one carefully help the child get out into the light. After birth, mother and newborn should be taken to the hospital for examination as soon as possible.

Childbirth is a process that women have always approached with understandable fear. But if you are prepared for each stage, you will be able to manage childbirth, that is, turn from a passively suffering patient into an active participant in difficult but joyful work. All fears will be immediately forgotten as soon as your little copy appears on your chest. The birth of the most beloved creature in the world is worth patience!

Absolutely any woman who has given birth will confirm that childbirth is a special task, that it is quite difficult to go through it, that it lasts a long time and that sometimes during the birth process it seems that there is no more strength, but for the sake of your own child you need to make every effort. But is this work only women's work? Of course not, the child also has a very difficult time during childbirth. Moreover, for a child, being born is not only a serious test, but also the first in his life, so, perhaps, it is much more difficult for him than for his mother.

In the mother’s belly, the child is as comfortable as possible, in principle, everything suits him there, he is warm, he receives nutrients, he feels safe, the mother’s heart beats nearby. As you know, when labor begins, the walls of the uterus begin to actively contract, as if pushing the child out of its secluded place. It is not difficult to understand that at this very moment the child is experiencing incredibly strong fear, since he, unlike his mother, does not understand at all what awaits him. To calm your child, you need to switch to him, and not think only about yourself and how difficult it is for yourself. You can talk to the baby, stroke the belly, this will really help.

How does a baby feel during childbirth?

The very first stage of childbirth is contractions, in fact it is the longest and quite difficult, especially at the moment when contractions begin to increase and the woman experiences increasingly severe pain, the child also feels an increase in contractions, as he begins to be pushed out of the womb more and more, from the place where he felt so good. The baby's head bears the most difficult test - it takes the main blow, especially since the baby moves head first along the birth canal. He is being squeezed from all sides, but he has no choice but to move further and further, despite the fact that he would probably like to stay in his cozy house.

Here again, the mother must do everything to help her child, what needs to be done? First of all, relax. The point is that what stronger woman will be tense, the more the child will be squeezed by the walls of his body, accordingly, he will not be able to move quickly enough through the birth canal. There are a lot breathing exercises, which are aimed directly at relaxing muscles, they are worth using during childbirth.

The baby's journey during childbirth

During the woman’s attempts, the child also experiences far from the most pleasant sensations, he passes through a very narrow hole, everything puts pressure on him, he gets stuck, he has little oxygen, so the task of any mother is to do everything possible so that the child is born as quickly as possible, that is, he needs help. In order for this to happen, it is very important to listen carefully to the doctor and fulfill all his requirements, only the doctor sees exactly where the child is, only he knows when the woman in labor needs to push and she must push with all her might at these moments in order to bring the baby closer. to the light.

When a child is born, he does not feel relief at all, because a bright light shines in his eyes, it becomes cold, there are a lot of people around, of course, he is scared, so the only thing that can calm him down is his mother’s breast, to which he needs to attach the child as quickly as possible, give to make him feel that he is not alone in this world, that he will be protected and taken care of.

Date added: 12/18/2014, 00:00:00

Probably every mother, being pregnant, has at least once asked herself the question: how will the baby feel during childbirth? Does it hurt him or not? And if it hurts, then maybe a caesarean section is preferable to relieve the baby from pain? Do painkillers work on the baby? What happens to the baby during childbirth?

Does the baby feel pain during childbirth or not? - this is one of the most frequently asked questions mom. There is an answer: it feels!

From the moment of conception, mother and child are in constant interaction. Therefore, if you want to help your baby, give him additional protection from pain during childbirth, be sure to prepare for childbirth: learn correct behavior, breathing, relaxation, interaction with your own labor pain.
What does a child experience during labor? Feeling of suffocation. At the beginning of labor it is short-lived, but as it approaches the stage of expulsion of the fetus it becomes increasingly longer.

Nevertheless, natural childbirth for a child better than caesarean section. It is worth accepting as an axiom: coming into the world is not a trauma for a child, and childbirth is a natural process. This means that protective mechanisms are provided for the baby. Yes, we still know little about these mechanisms. But if they did not exist, then a person’s entire future life would be rehabilitation after the trauma of coming into this world. Agree: our life is something else.
Besides the negative aspects of pain, natural birth provides a baby with the fundamental coping experience that every person needs in life to move forward. Passing through the birth canal, the child acquires the qualities of a “hero”, which adult life will allow you not to “break” in difficult situations, do not fall into depression, endure adversity steadfastly, overcoming thorns. Anyone who was born himself has comprehended an important truth: harmony comes through conflict, “light at the end of the tunnel” will definitely appear and there will be joy as a reward for work and suffering. For a newborn, such a reward is a reunion with his mother.
Now let's go through this entire difficult path of birth with the baby.

First stage of labor

The first period begins with the appearance of regular contractions and ends with complete dilatation of the cervix and effusion amniotic fluid.
The initial stage of the period is the longest. During the first birth, it takes on average 8-14 hours, with repeated births - 4-8 hours. At this time, contractions are not yet so painful, they are quite tolerable, so most women remain calm and in control of the situation. Meanwhile, the child is already experiencing very serious stress. With each contraction of the uterus during contractions, the baby's pulse instantly jumps from 140 to 180. At the peak of each contraction, the placenta contracts, as a result of which the blood flow to the baby's brain is reduced for a short time, and the baby does not feel anything at all for several seconds. This is the mechanism of natural pain relief for a child! As soon as the pressure caused by the contraction subsides, the blood supply returns to normal.
The active stage (usually lasts 3-5 hours during the first birth and about 2 hours during repeated births) is a time of strong and prolonged contractions. For a baby, this is perhaps the most difficult period on the path to a new life. The pressure and feeling of suffocation increase. During the active stage, doctors carefully monitor the baby’s condition - this is necessary for timely diagnosis. intrauterine hypoxia and the risk of fetal death.
The first stage of labor ends when the cervix reaches the same diameter as the baby's head.

Second stage of labor

With the beginning of the first attempts (super strong nagging pain lower abdomen) the second stage of labor begins. It ends with the birth of a child.
During pushing, the mother often feels the baby moving inside her. Between attempts, the woman relaxes - at these moments the baby also rests. Having gained strength for the next “jerk”, the child begins to move and provokes the next push. A reflex called the “stepping” reflex helps it push off the fundus of the uterus, moving outward. The more actively the baby takes part in its birth, the faster the birth proceeds (which is why “switching off” the baby with the help of narcotics and other painkillers is undesirable). Now the baby not only has to work hard - he must manage to make such movements that will allow him to correctly fit into the mother’s birth canal and her pelvic ring - this is almost a jewelry process! At the same time, in the birth canal the child encounters biological products (mucus, etc.), which increases discomfort.
During the second stage of labor, the baby experiences extreme excitement and aggression - he desperately fights for freedom. The child’s state at these moments can be described using the common metaphor “light at the end of the tunnel.” If in the first period each contraction of the uterus interfered with the supply of oxygen, the umbilical cord could be suffocated, twisted around the neck or squeezed between the baby’s head and the pelvic wall, and there was no visible way out of the situation, now an open cervix is ​​hope and goal. Here it is, the exit! We need to go where there is freedom and comfort! And although the struggle is not over yet and moving forward is not easy, the baby begins to believe that this struggle will come to an end! The baby's head is squeezed into the opening of the pelvis, which is so narrow that even with the best progress of labor, progress is slow and difficult. The baby is suffocating, experiencing fear - becoming helpless, then fierce and excited. Now birth and death are united. And life wins!
After everything the child has experienced, an innate sense of confidence appears: I can do it, I can handle it, nothing is insurmountable. Moreover, there is always someone nearby who will help. During childbirth, the mother is perceived by the baby as an assistant: they breathe together, tense and relax together, move towards the goal together, encouraging and pushing each other. That is why it is very important for a woman to be determined to work, be patient, have a positive outcome of childbirth and mentally support the baby: “My little one, we can handle it! Everything will be fine with you! We will see each other very soon! Now let’s work a little more.”

Third stage of labor

In the postpartum period, a woman's pain is replaced by relief and bliss. The uterus continues to contract, rejecting the placenta (usually within 30 minutes). Then the placenta comes out, which consists of the placenta, the skin of the amniotic sac and the umbilical cord. This completes the third stage of labor.
What happens to the baby at this time? Immediately after birth, the newborn is exposed to gravity. Before that, he had been floating almost weightlessly in the amniotic fluid for nine whole months, and then, as if from outer space, he abruptly returned to Earth. The astronauts are given time to adapt, and the children boldly “jump into new world" In addition, in the delivery room, as a rule, it is also 10-15 degrees colder than in the mother’s stomach.
For the first time, air enters the baby's lungs, inflating them almost instantly. Alien noises and bright lights “pressure” the ears and eyes. It is difficult to imagine how much stress a baby experiences in the first minutes of life. But it is impossible to protect against this postpartum stress - nature provided it for the most correct and rapid launch of all the physiological systems of the child, without which it is impossible to adapt to life in the atmospheric space of our planet.

Immediately after birth, in a strictly defined period, called “critical”, something must happen between the child and the mother. imprinting(also called “imprinting”) is the key to a strong long-term connection.
The signal for the transition to the next stage is the color of the umbilical cord: as soon as it turns white, this means that the flow of blood from the placenta to the baby has ended, and the placenta has begun to exfoliate. At this moment, the woman may experience a dull pain. She again becomes indifferent, plunges into herself, her interest in the child gradually weakens - the mother intuitively strives to push him away from her. Now is the right time to cut the umbilical cord and introduce the baby to dad (if he is, of course, present at the birth). Meanwhile, the woman gives birth to an afterbirth.
This is where the birth itself ends, but the imprinting process continues. The mother takes the baby in her arms, followed by eye contact, tactile touch, and attachment to the breast.
Alas, not all births follow such an ideal pattern. Firstly, each maternity hospital has its own rules (by the way, try to talk about this in advance with the doctor who will deliver the child). Secondly, the physical condition of the mother or baby may require medical intervention, and the mother will not be able to have full contact with the child. In these cases, you need to try to make the most of the time allotted by nature for secondary imprinting - to be as close to the baby as possible during the first 24 hours: hold him in your arms, stroke him, look into his eyes. And as early as possible, properly attach the baby to the breast.

How does a baby feel during childbirth? Does it hurt him or not? And if it hurts, then maybe a caesarean section is preferable to relieve the baby from pain? Do painkillers work on the baby? What happens to the baby during childbirth?

At first glance, we cannot know what the baby experiences when he is born. A newborn is not able to talk about this. And when he grows up and learns to speak, of course, he doesn’t remember anything about his birth. But this is true only at first glance.

The paradox is that each of us remembers our birth. Moreover, these memories can haunt us all our lives...

You are walking. A man is walking towards you. Smiles at you, perhaps says hello. And you understand that you’ve already seen him somewhere, but you can’t remember the time, place, and even less his name. You are interested, and you begin to delve deep into your memory. Then there are two options: or necessary information emerges from your memory, or you get tired of “fighting” with your own brain and give it the command to “hang up.” Although there is a third option: you seem to forget about the “familiar stranger”, return to everyday activities, but after a few days, suddenly, completely unexpectedly for yourself (for example, while brushing your teeth), you remember not only the name of this person, but also the name of his dog - after all turns out it was your childhood friend!

The situation is similar with memories of birth. They cannot be reproduced through willpower. But by chance, suddenly, they can burst into our lives. And what? younger man, the more likely it is. Child psychotherapists often encounter children under 5 years of age describing details of their birth. For example, the feeling of suffocation from the umbilical cord or the fear of dying from being stuck in the birth canal. At the end of the 20th century, American psychiatrist Helen Vossel conducted a study - she tested ten mothers with children, independently of each other. She asked women to describe the birth in detail, and the babies simply to remember how they were born. The survey revealed a striking coincidence of memories. Moreover, the most surprisingly “accurate” information was obtained from children aged 1 to 3.5 years.

“Adult” psychiatrists also use memories of their patients’ births. True, most often they have to “get” them from the depths of memory with the help of hypnosis. The fact is that some psychological problems in people are directly related to what they had to endure during childbirth. We are talking, for example, about inexplicable fears of closed or, conversely, open space, a categorical rejection of any things on the neck - from a scarf to a chain (this may be an “echo” of entanglement with the umbilical cord during childbirth) - and even intolerance to certain sounds, voice timbres (so said the “evil” midwife). In short, modern science knows that unexpected flashes of memories of one’s own birth occur in people much more often than previously thought, they are simply not always recognized. Moreover, it is easier to remember a normal birth, without trauma - according to the laws of the human psyche, difficult and painful memories are suppressed, so it is much more difficult to evoke them.

However, alas, despite all the research, we still cannot accurately answer the question of what exactly a child feels during childbirth. There are only a few facts that have been confirmed through these studies.

The first thing to remember is that labor begins when the baby is ready for it (of course, if we are not talking about stimulation and especially a planned caesarean section). At the same time, each child’s readiness to be born is individual. Full term and perfect healthy child may be born between 253 and 281 days of pregnancy. So you should not think that a child born ten days earlier than the expected date is premature, and one born ten days later is post-term. It’s just that one “ripened” a little earlier, the other a little later. At the moment when the baby is ready for birth, it gives the mother’s body the “go-ahead” - and she begins to produce hormones that trigger the birth process.

Whether a child feels pain during childbirth or not is one of the most frequently asked questions by mothers. There is an answer - it feels. From the moment of conception, mother and child are in constant interaction. The baby is not a passive consumer of nutrients - during gestation, he actively reacts to what is happening inside and around his mother. The baby begins to worry and push if the mother is upset or alarmed about something. Any stress in a woman (and positive stress too) triggers the sympathetic nervous system and releases certain hormones into the blood. These hormones cross the placental barrier, and the baby responds to the stress that the mother experiences. Including the stress of childbirth! Therefore, if you want to help your baby - give him additional protection from pain during childbirth, be sure to prepare for childbirth (learn proper behavior, breathing, relaxation, interaction with your own labor pain).

So, what does a child experience when, during contractions, the world that cared for him wraps him in a deadly embrace (this is how most Ayurvedic practitioners describe the sensations of children)? Feeling of suffocation. At the beginning of labor it is short-lived, but as it approaches the stage of expulsion of the fetus it becomes increasingly longer. The tight confined space shrinks around the baby and puts pressure on him.

In the 1960s, many doctors suggested caesarean section as a way to protect babies from such experiences. However, studies of the lives of growing Caesar children have shown that they are not able to withstand any difficulties in life.

Children born by cesarean section were more likely to exhibit antisocial behavior and a tendency toward various addictions and suicide. In 2011, the US Senate banned the use of this operation, as well as the use of narcotic drugs during childbirth (they affect the social behavior of children in the same way caesarean section), without medical indications. In Russia, for now this choice remains on the conscience of the doctor and the woman herself. When making a decision, it is worth remembering that childbirth under anesthesia or caesarean section for no reason significantly increases the likelihood of a difficult future for the child. Yes, natural birth is a difficult test for a baby. But beyond the negative aspects of pain, natural birth provides a baby with the fundamental coping experience that every person needs to move forward. Passing through the birth canal, the child acquires the qualities of a “hero”, which in adult life will allow him not to “break down” in difficult situations, not to fall into depression, but to endure hardships and fight. Anyone who was born himself has comprehended an important truth - he knows that harmony comes through conflict, “the light at the end of the tunnel” will definitely appear and there will be joy! For a newborn, reunification with his mother is a reward for his labors and suffering during childbirth.

So, it is worth taking as an axiom: coming into the world for a child is not a trauma. After all, childbirth is a natural process, which means that nature has provided protective mechanisms for the baby. Yes, we still know little about these mechanisms. But if they did not exist, then a person’s whole life would be rehabilitation after the trauma of coming into this world. Agree: our life is something else.

Now let's go with the baby along this entire difficult path from the beginning of contractions to meeting the mother.

First stage of labor

The first period begins with the appearance of regular contractions and ends with complete dilation of the cervix and the release of amniotic fluid. This period is divided into the initial and active stages.

The initial one is the longest. During the first birth, it takes on average 8-14 hours, with repeated births - 4-8 hours. At this time, contractions are not yet so painful (at least many call them tolerable), so most women remain calm and in control of the situation. Meanwhile, the child is already experiencing very serious stress. With each contraction of the uterus during contractions, the baby's pulse instantly jumps from 140 to 180. At the peak of each contraction, the placenta contracts, due to which the blood flow to the baby's brain is reduced for a short period of time, and the baby does not feel anything at all for several seconds. This is the mechanism of natural pain relief for a child! As soon as the pressure caused by the contraction subsides, the blood supply returns to normal.

The active stage (usually lasts 3-5 hours during the first birth and about 2 hours during repeated births) is a time of strong and prolonged contractions. For a baby, this is perhaps the most difficult period on the path to a new life. The pressure and feeling of suffocation increase. During the active stage, doctors carefully monitor the condition of the baby - this is necessary for timely diagnosis of intrauterine hypoxia and the risk of fetal death. Every 15 minutes, the doctor listens to the child’s heart (direct or indirect cardiotocography is now also used in maternity hospitals).

The first stage of labor ends when the cervix reaches the same diameter as the baby's head. The pressure of the head on the amniotic sac leads to its rupture and the release of amniotic fluid. From this moment the second stage of labor begins.

Second stage of labor

With the beginning of the first attempts (extreme pulling pain in the lower abdomen), the second stage of labor begins. It ends with the birth of a child.

During pushing, the mother often feels the baby moving inside her. Between attempts, the woman relaxes - at these moments the baby also rests. Having gained strength for the next “jerk”, the child begins to move and provokes the next push. A reflex called the “stepping” reflex helps it push off the fundus of the uterus, moving outward. The more actively the baby takes part in its birth, the faster the birth proceeds (which is why “switching off” the baby with the help of narcotics and other painkillers is undesirable). Now the baby not only has to work hard - he must manage to make such movements that will allow him to correctly fit into the mother’s birth canal and her pelvic ring - this is almost a jewelry process! At the same time, in the birth canal the child encounters biological products (mucus, etc.), which increases discomfort.

During the second stage of labor, the baby experiences extreme excitement and aggression - he desperately fights for freedom. The child’s state at these moments can be described using the common metaphor “light at the end of the tunnel.” If in the first period each contraction of the uterus interfered with the supply of oxygen, the umbilical cord could be strangled, twisted around the neck or squeezed between the baby’s head and the pelvic wall, and there was no visible way out of the situation, now an open cervix is ​​hope and goal. Here it is, the exit! We need to go where there is freedom and comfort! And although the struggle is not over yet and moving forward is not easy, the baby begins to believe that this struggle will come to an end! The baby's head is squeezed into the opening of the pelvis, which is so narrow that even with the best progress of labor, progress is slow and difficult. The baby is suffocating, experiencing fear - becoming either helpless, or ferocious and excited. Now birth and death are united. And life wins!

After everything that a child has had to go through, he has an innate sense of confidence: I can do it, I can handle it, nothing is insurmountable. Moreover, there is always someone nearby who will help: the mother during childbirth is perceived by the baby as an assistant - they breathe together, tense and relax together, move towards the goal together, encouraging and pushing each other. That is why it is very important for a woman to be determined to work, be patient, have a positive outcome of childbirth and mentally support the baby (“My little one, we can handle it! Everything will be fine with you! Very soon we will see each other! Now let’s work a little more ").

Third stage of labor

In the postpartum period, a woman's pain is replaced by relief and bliss. The uterus continues to contract, rejecting the placenta (usually within 30 minutes). Then the placenta comes out, which consists of the placenta, the skin of the amniotic sac and the umbilical cord. This completes the third stage of labor.

What happens to the baby at this time? Immediately after birth, the newborn is exposed to gravity. Before that, he had been floating almost weightlessly in the amniotic fluid for nine whole months, but now, as if from outer space, he abruptly returned to Earth (cosmonauts are given time to adapt, and children boldly “jump into a new world”). In addition, in the delivery room, as a rule, it is also 10-15 degrees colder than in the mother’s stomach.

For the first time, air enters the baby's lungs, inflating them almost instantly. Alien noises and bright lights “pressure” the ears and eyes. It is difficult to imagine how much stress a baby experiences in the first minutes of life. But it is impossible to protect against this postpartum stress - nature provided it for the most correct and rapid launch of all the physiological systems of the child, without which it is impossible to adapt to life in the atmospheric space of our planet.

Immediately after birth, imprinting (also called “imprinting”) must occur between the child and mother. Imprinting is the key to a strong long-term connection with the mother, but only if it took place during a strictly defined period, called “critical”.

For a newborn, such a critical period is the first hour of life. It is at this time, as well as during the first day of life, that he imprints on the mother, which subsequently serves as the basis for the formation of a stable attachment to her, and for the woman becomes the impetus for awakening the maternal instinct and love for the baby. That is why a newborn’s vision is adjusted in such a way that he clearly sees objects at a distance of 20-25 cm and identifies faces (in the first day - only faces: nature came up with such a mechanism for searching for an object of affection). By the way, during breastfeeding, the mother’s face is precisely at a distance of 20-25 cm from the baby’s eyes.

Primary imprinting occurs within the first hour or two after birth. Secondary - on the first day, but only if the primary has taken place.

For full imprinting, the baby should be placed on the mother’s legs or between her legs immediately after birth, without cutting the umbilical cord. In this case, the woman takes a semi-sitting position, and the child lies on his tummy with his head turned to one side. “Why not put the baby on the mother’s stomach?” - you ask. Yes, in most of our maternity hospitals the baby is placed on the stomach, but the paradox is that in this case the flow of blood from the umbilical cord to the baby is hampered (after all, the baby is above the level of the placenta, and blood, as we know, flows upward worse). If the little one lies at the mother’s feet, the umbilical cord hangs down and blood flows from it more easily.

At this time, the mother, being in a semi-sitting position (which, by the way, is also convenient for preparing the waste of the placenta), begins to feel and stroke the baby. Important: stroking should last at least 15 minutes! This time is necessary for the woman to have time to increase the level of hormones responsible for triggering the maternal instinct, and for the baby to adapt to a new type of breathing (mother’s stroking stimulates his breathing movements and also helps restore blood flow in the body).

The signal for the transition to the next stage is the color of the umbilical cord: as soon as it turns white, this means that the flow of blood from the placenta to the baby has stopped and the placenta has begun to separate. At this moment, the woman may experience a dull pain. She again becomes indifferent, plunges into herself, her interest in the child gradually weakens - the mother intuitively strives to push him away from her. Now is the right time to cut the umbilical cord and introduce the baby to dad (if he is, of course, present at the birth). Meanwhile, the woman gives birth to an afterbirth.

This is where the birth itself ends, but the imprinting process continues. The mother takes the baby in her arms, and this is followed by eye contact, tactile touch, and attachment to the breast.

The first breastfeeding is a very important stage of imprinting. The baby opens his mouth wide, licks the nipple, sucks his hands, fingers and “pegs” his head. Almost none of the children manage to latch on to the breast right away. Nature did not provide for instinct correct grip breasts Therefore, the mother should help the baby - squeeze out a drop of colostrum and tickle the baby’s lower lip with the nipple - then the newborn will open his mouth wide and stick out his tongue, and the mother will be able to correctly place the nipple in his mouth. And the baby remembers how to hold the breast correctly! This one is the first good experience chest grab is one of key factors successful breastfeeding.

Alas, not all births follow such an ideal pattern. Firstly, each maternity hospital has its own rules (by the way, try to talk about this in advance with the doctor who will deliver the child). Secondly, the physical condition of the mother or baby may require medical intervention, and the mother will not be able to have full contact with the child. In these cases, you need to try to make the most of the time allotted by nature for secondary imprinting - to be as close to the baby as possible during the first 24 hours: hold him in your arms, stroke him, look into his eyes. And as early as possible, properly attach the baby to the breast.

Based on materials from “Psychological workshop for expectant mothers” 2015

The birth of a baby is a happy event for every family. However, many women have to recover for quite a long time due to the healing of stitches, and the joy is overshadowed by poor health, discomfort and pain. Those who have already given birth to one or more children have an idea about labor, but first-time mothers are especially interested in how to behave during labor and labor in order to give birth easily and without disruption.

A woman’s fear of the upcoming birth is quite understandable, but we should never forget that this is, first of all, the joy of the birth of a long-awaited child. Therefore, first of all, a woman in labor should push aside negative thoughts and try to think positively. Of course, there is hard work ahead, but the reward will be meeting your baby.

In fact, the mother’s mood is transmitted to the baby in her womb, and when fear goes off scale, the child also begins to get nervous. There is no need to think about pain - this is a transitory phenomenon; it is better to remember those who worry about their mother and are looking forward to her return from the maternity hospital.

You should know how to behave during childbirth and labor, and then, thanks to the presence of spirit, childbirth will be easier and faster. Typically, labor is divided into three main stages:

1. Preparing the uterus and baby for birth during labor;
2. The birth of a child, through pushing;
3. The final phase with the expulsion of the placenta.

In this regard, when preparing for childbirth, a woman should:

• Master proper breathing techniques;
• Find the most successful position to help give birth and, at the same time, safe for the condition of the fetus;
• Learn to push correctly so as not to injure the child and avoid ruptures.

First-time mothers may not know, but it is not advisable to scream during childbirth, since this may cause the baby to experience oxygen starvation, and it is also difficult for him to move through the birth canal. In addition, fear, although it is a psychological condition, can intensify real pain.

Correct breathing, pushing and posture

It is better for a woman to learn in advance how to breathe; moreover, she needs to learn how to do this, so she will have to practice during pregnancy.

This can be done by enrolling in special courses that she can attend together with her husband. It is important that certain breathing must correspond to each stage of labor.

Of course, the doctor will tell her how to behave, but the woman must master three basic techniques in advance:

• During the initial contractions, counting breathing should be used - inhale during the spasm, and exhale very slowly literally after a few seconds. Usually, when you inhale, count to four, and when you exhale, count to six.
• When strong and painful contractions are present, you should breathe like a dog - inhalation and exhalation should be fast and rhythmic.
• During the birth of a child, breathing is characterized by deep inhalation and strong exhalation with the direction of pressure on the lower abdomen - the uterus and vagina.

Proper breathing provides the fetus with normal access to oxygen, reduces pain, and promotes the rapid completion of the birth process.

When discussing how to behave during labor and labor, this concerns not only breathing, but also the optimal posture of the woman in labor. There is no one-size-fits-all ideal position for the most comfortable expulsion of the fetus, since each woman’s body has its own characteristics, both physiological and anatomical.

But it has been noticed that some women find it more convenient to give birth in a position on all fours, albeit in the same horizontal position - for this, the woman in labor should try to take this position on her back, pulling her knees up as much as possible and tilting her face forward to her chest. Sometimes a woman can intuitively feel how she should turn or lie down. If this does not threaten the baby, the doctor will tell you how best to do this during labor.

It is very important to push correctly. The intensity of the pain and the appearance or absence of ruptures depend on this. In addition, if you push incorrectly, it can result in injury to the baby.

What not to do when pushing:

• When pushing, you should not strain your muscles, as this slows down the passage of the baby through the birth canal - if the muscle tissue is relaxed, the uterus opens much faster, and the pain is not so severe.
• Do not apply pressure to the head or rectum - only to the lower abdomen.
• It is forbidden to push with full force until the uterus opens, as this leads to ruptures of the perineum and damage to the baby.

On average, there should be two or three attempts per contraction. A woman in labor should not rush things - in any case, the baby will be born at the right time, but the mother must unquestioningly listen to the doctor’s instructions.

How to behave during childbirth and contractions in order to give birth easily and without ruptures

So, the very first stage is the actual contractions, the purpose of which is to open the cervix to allow the baby to pass through.

How to behave during contractions

This period can take from 3-4 to 12 or more hours. For women giving birth for the first time, the process can drag on for 24 hours. Typically, at first contractions occur every 15-20 minutes, gradually increasing in time. At the same time, the intervals between them are becoming shorter. A woman needs to monitor their onset, since the doctor can derive a certain birth algorithm from these calculations and help the woman in labor in a timely manner. If contractions occur every 15 minutes, it’s time to go to the hospital.

When uterine contractions are repeated every 5 minutes, this may mean the imminent expulsion of the fetus, that is, the birth of a baby. Typically, severe spasms occur in the lower abdomen, as well as in the lumbar spine. Expectant mothers should not eat at this moment - they can only drink water.

The third phase of contractions can last up to four hours or more. A woman must rest in short intervals between them. When the pain is especially severe, you can drown it out with frequent breathing.

How to push properly during childbirth to avoid tearing

Pushing is the most important and crucial moment when the baby is born. The contractions accelerate, repeating every minute, and the woman in labor begins to feel powerful pressure on the anus. At this time, a woman needs to get together and make every effort to help her child. To hold on, a woman in labor can grasp the special handrails of the table. Next, she will need to take a deep breath, hold her breath, and press her head to her chest in an elevated state.

It happens that the attempts are weak, in which case the doctor usually allows one or two contractions to be missed. At the same time, the woman should relax as much as possible and breathe frequently. Later she will be able to perform the most fruitful expulsion of the fetus.

Doctors note that during childbirth expectant mother should not worry about voluntary urination or even bowel movements, since holding back and straining can harm both the baby and herself. We must not forget that childbirth is a difficult natural process and a huge burden on internal organs, including on bladder and intestines. Moreover, during labor, a woman has more important work to do than wasting extra energy on unnecessary thoughts and embarrassment.

After the birth of a child, it is still too early for a mother to relax, although, of course, the removal of the baby’s place is the most painless stage during childbirth. After some time, contractions begin again, but they are very weak. During the next attempt, ideally the membranes and placenta should separate. It may take different times– from several to 30-40 minutes. It happens that the afterbirth does not come out completely, and then the doctor will have to remove its remains. If the baby's place has completely receded, a gynecologist will examine the birth canal. As a rule, this process takes place without complications.

A woman not only needs to know how to behave during childbirth and labor - in addition, she should follow all the recommendations of the obstetrician and undergo vaginal examinations, if they are necessary to determine important aspects of the birth process. Often, women in labor refuse to stimulate weak labor with the help of drug therapy, but sometimes such a doctor’s decision is made not without reason. There are cases where appropriate medications helped a child avoid injuries and health complications in the future.

For women who just can't get rid of negative thoughts about upcoming trials, pain and ruptures, it can be advised to undergo training using special gymnastics, massage and breathing exercises so that she feels more confident. It will also help good psychologist, who can configure expectant mother in a positive way. In the end, the pain will pass, but the most precious thing in a mother’s life will remain - her beloved child.

How to breathe correctly during childbirth and labor: video

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