Labor pain may radiate around the abdomen, back, and thighs. Your cervix will also dilate from around four to seven centimeters. First-time moms experience active labor for around three to six hours; it generally lasts one to three hours for subsequent pregnancies. Moms-to-be can expect intense contractions during the transition phase—and possibly nausea, pelvic pressure, shakiness, and fatigue as well.
Your cervix will finish effacing and dilating to the full 10 centimeters. This phase lasts anywhere from 10 minutes to two hours. Your doctor will update you on cervical dilation progress throughout labor, but it can be hard to imagine your lady parts opening, say, 4 cm or 8 cm.
By Nicole Harris August 03, Save Pin FB More. Pregnant woman holding apple in one hand and touching belly with other hand. The good news here is that you may get some relief from the shortness of breath you've been experiencing, since this shift takes pressure off your diaphragm.
The bad news is that it puts more pressure on your bladder, so you may be visiting the bathroom more than you ever thought possible. Some mothers feel more pressure on their pubic bones or can even see in the mirror that their belly has lowered after lightening; others may be unaware of any difference.
Your cervix -- the lower, narrow end of the uterus that protrudes into the vagina -- softens as it's preparing for labor. This process, known as "ripening" or effacement, usually begins during the last month of your pregnancy. By the time the big day rolls around, your cervix will have stretched from around 1 inch in width to paper thinness.
Your doctor or midwife may start checking for gradual effacement during your last two months of pregnancy with internal exams during your prenatal visits. Effacement is measured in percentages: Zero percent means no effacement; percent means you're fully effaced. As your baby's birthday approaches, your cervix begins to dilate, or open up. Dilation is checked during a pelvic exam and measured in centimeters cm , from 0 cm no dilation to 10 cm fully dilated.
Typically, if you're 4 cm dilated, you're in the active stage of labor; if you're fully dilated, you're ready to start pushing.
Your health practitioner will probably check for dilation and fill you in on your progress during your prenatal visits in the later stages of your pregnancy. It's not as gross as it sounds, nor as bloody. Although it's termed the "bloody show," this telltale sign of impending labor occurs when the thick plug of mucus that seals off your cervix and prevents bacteria from entering the uterus during pregnancy gives way.
Despite its name, the "mucus plug" doesn't resemble a cork there will be no popping sound! It's more like thick or stringy discharge that you may pass in a clump into the toilet or your underwear. The discharge can appear as pink, brownish, or slightly bloody in color. The bloody show usually debuts either a few days before your labor starts or at the very beginning of labor, although many women go into labor before it appears.
Not everyone will have the dramatic "Oh my God, my water just broke! The fact is, when the sac of amniotic fluid that surrounds and protects your baby during pregnancy breaks, it's more likely to leak from your vagina in a gentle trickle than it is to break the floodgates.
Women who have induction at 39 weeks should be allowed up to 24 hours or longer for the early phase of labor. They also should be given oxytocin at least 12—18 hours after stripping of the membranes. If your labor does not progress, and if you and your fetus are doing well after attempting induction, you may be sent home. You can schedule another appointment to try induction again. If your labor starts, you should go back to the hospital. If you or your fetus are not doing well after attempting induction, a cesarean delivery may be needed.
The fetus develops in this sac. Fetus : The stage of human development beyond 8 completed weeks after fertilization. Gestational Hypertension : High blood pressure that is diagnosed after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Oxytocin : A hormone made in the body that can cause contractions of the uterus and release of milk from the breast. Placenta : An organ that provides nutrients to and takes waste away from the fetus. Preeclampsia : A disorder that can occur during pregnancy or after childbirth in which there is high blood pressure and other signs of organ injury.
These signs include an abnormal amount of protein in the urine, a low number of platelets, abnormal kidney or liver function, pain over the upper abdomen, fluid in the lungs, or a severe headache or changes in vision. Prostaglandins : Chemicals that are made by the body that have many effects, including causing the muscles of the uterus to contract, usually causing cramps.
Uterus : A muscular organ in the female pelvis. During pregnancy, this organ holds and nourishes the fetus. Copyright by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. All rights reserved. Others will dilate much faster, in just a few hours, and transition quickly between the stages of labor. During early labor, the cervix dilates to 3 cm. Active labor occurs between 3 and 7 cm dilated. The transition phase is between 7 cm and full dilation at 10 cm.
During your month 9 of pregnancy, your doctor will begin looking for signs that your body is preparing for labor. These prenatal visits may include internal exams to check your cervix. Your doctor will confirm whether your cervix has dilated and effaced.
Other things happen during the dilation and effacement process. You may notice this in your underpants or the toilet. You could lose the mucus plug anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks before labor begins. You may also notice bloody show, a term that refers to rupturing capillaries in your cervix. This can streak vaginal mucus pink or red. If your due date is still a couple of weeks away, the best thing you can do is wait for nature to take its course: Let your cervix prepare in the most efficient and comfortable way possible for you and your baby.
But there may be medical reasons to speed up the process of dilation and kick-start labor.
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