HOW YOUR BABY IS BORN - UNDERSTANDING LABOUR

Childbirth is divided into several stages and each one has a specific role to play in the birth process. Understanding what is happening to your body will help to Prepare you for the birth so you know what to expect.

The first stage of labour

The first stage finishes when your cervix is fully dilated, at 10cm. Once your contractions are coming about every 5 minutes and lasting for 45–60 seconds, it’s time to head to the maternity unit or call the midwife if you are having a home birth.

In the first stage of labour contractions become more frequent, stronger and longer. These contractions are to encourage the cervix to soften, shorten and dilate.

Once You go into the maternity unit or the midwife comes to you at home, you will be assessed to confirm you’re in active labour. The midwife will monitor the frequency of contractions and will palpate the uterus to assess their strength.

The midwife may also do an internal examination to check how far your cervix is dilated. If she confirms you are in established labour, both you and your baby will be monitored regularly throughout the labour.  

You may be happy to continue with natural pain relief techniques, such as breathing techniques, or you may want to supplement these with stronger pain relief. It’s a good idea to move around and stay active during this stage as many women feel this helps them manage their pain.

Your birth partner can be a great source of support now, supporting and encouraging you, as labour can sometimes feel very long. They can provide physical support, such as giving you a soothing back and shoulder massage, getting you drinks and cooling you down with a cold cloth.

How the cervix dilates

During pregnancy, the cervix forms a long, thick muscular base at the bottom of the uterus, and is sealed with a mucus plug that protects your baby from infections.

Once in labour, the plug is dislodged (a show) and the cervix needs to dilate, so that your baby can pass into the vagina to be born.

The cervix starts to soften towards the end of pregnancy in response to hormones called prostaglandins, and often in early labour Braxton Hicks’ or 'practice' contractions shorten and thin the cervix (called effacement).

Gradually, as contractions become stronger and more regular, the cervix starts to dilate. In a first labour, the cervix dilates slowly until it reaches 3–4cm dilation, this is when you are said to be in established labour, at which point dilation may speed up.  By the end of the first stage, the cervix is fully dilated at 10cm, and you can push your baby out.

The second stage of labour

The second ‘pushing’ stage starts once your cervix is fully dilated, at 10cm, and ends with the birth of your baby.

In a first labour, this stage lasts around 45 minutes to two hours, but may be considerably quicker in subsequent labours. You may feel more in control of labour now as you actively start to push your baby out. On the other hand you may feel tired after a long first stage and need encouragement to push.

Contractions are usually very strong now, although they may be slightly less frequent, coming around every 2 to five minutes. As your baby moves further down in the pelvis you will feel a sense of fullness in your vaginal and bowel, and a strong urge to bear down, as though you need to do a bowel movement. It’s normal to pass a stool now, and your midwife will discreetly clear this away.

You may push instinctively, but if you’re not sure your midwife will guide you. With each contraction, you should focus on bearing down deep into your pelvis and bottom, perhaps taking several steady breaths (it’s important not to hold your breath at this point), or grunting or making a noise if that feels most natural.

Each time you bear down your baby will move a bit further down into the pelvis then may slip back up slightly at the end of a contraction. In this manner she will gradually make her way down the birth canal until eventually her head ‘crowns’, becoming visible at the opening of the vagina.

At first, the head may slip back out of sight after a contraction, but eventually it remains visible. At this point, you may feel a stinging sensation in your vagina as the head stretches the vaginal opening.

Your midwife will tell you to take short breaths to stop you bearing down so that the perineum has time to stretch and the baby’s head can be born slowly and gently to try to avoid a tear.

One the head has been born your baby will turn so that first one shoulder can be born, and then the next. When both shoulders have emerged the rest of the body is born swiftly, often just slipping out, together with the remaining amniotic fluid.

As soon as your baby is born and before the cord is cut, You will be asked if you would like your baby placed straight onto you so you can do skin to skin. Skin-to-skin contact for at least an hour soon after the birth (although it can be for as long as you want), is known to have health benefits for both you and your baby.

Being held close, skin-to-skin, helps to regulate your baby’s temperature, promotes breastfeeding and bonding as your baby instinctively turns his head to ‘root’ for your nipple, stabilises your baby’s blood sugar levels and reduces crying.

Your physical and mental wellbeing also benefits from holding your baby skin-to-skin, as it gives you a chance to welcome your baby and gaze at his features – often the start of bonding. 

During this time your midwife will be assessing your baby’s breathing, responses, movement, pulse and appearance.

Cutting the cord

After the birth the umbilical cord will be left to pulsate for a few minutes before it’s cut. Studies show that allowing the blood to pulsate from the placenta to the baby for a little longer, increases the baby’s blood volume at birth, ensuring a higher concentration of haemoglobin and increased iron reserves for the first six months.

Before cutting the cord, the midwife or doctor will clamp it in two places, and then the cord will be cut with scissors between the clamps. Your partner may be asked if they wish to cut the cord.

The third stage of labour

The final stage of labour starts after the birth and ends with the delivery of the placenta and the membranes. The placenta can be delivered naturally, or the third stage can be actively managed.

You may routinely be offered an injection of the drug oxytocin after delivery. This stimulates contractions after the birth so that the placenta comes away from the wall of the uterus without you having to push. This takes from five to 30 minutes, and reduces the risk of excessive bleeding and anaemia.

If your labour was straightforward you may prefer to deliver the placenta naturally, known as a physiological third stage, which can take 20 minutes to an hour.

A few minutes after the birth, mild contractions will start up again as the placenta peels away from the wall of the uterus, and the uterus contracts down.

Breastfeeding your baby now can help as the sucking triggers the release of your body’s natural oxytocin, which in turn encourages contractions.

Your midwife may also suggest that you adopt an upright position, such as squatting, to help the placenta move down. If this takes longer than an hour, your midwife may recommend an injection to speed things up.

She will examine the placenta thoroughly to ensure it is complete and that none is left in the uterus, which carries a risk of heavy bleeding (postpartum haemorrhage).

If you had any tearing or an episiotomy (a cut to the vaginal opening) during the birth, you will have some stitches now under a local anaesthetic. You will also be asked if you give consent for your baby to be given vitamin K soon after the birth.

Some women have a physical reaction after birth, feel shaky, or feeling nauseous and sick. Whatever you’re feeling, you are likely to go through a whole range of emotions as you gaze at your amazing new baby, euphoric one moment, then perhaps tearful and overcome with exhaustion.

Once the staff are happy that all is well with you and your baby you will be left alone to recover and enjoy some precious time alone to get acquainted with each other and absorb the incredible newness of it all.