Contractions - a periodic tension and relaxation of the uterine muscle, which is the largest muscle in the body of a woman. The pituitary gland produces the hormone oxytocin, which stimulates contractions of the uterus. Predict the beginning of birth pangs of this is very difficult.

Women often describe the struggle as a feeling of tension or cramps, which appears in the back and moves in the stomach undulations. During labor the stomach becomes hard to the touch. Deliveries are carried out through a series of battles. During labor the upper part of the uterus tightens and thickens and the lower part of the uterus and cervix are stretched and relaxed, helping thus to move the child to the birth canal.

Contractions are at intervals of several minutes, during which you and your child can relax. First delivery continues average 8-14 hours (although sometimes they lasts longer than 24-30 hours), second, and subsequent, usually 5-8 hours. To predict the duration of labor is impossible. Often exceptions: for example, the first birth can be very short and easy, and the second - a long and difficult.

How do you know that you really labor pains and not Braxton Hicks contractions?

• The birth pangs of change over time - it is becoming longer, stronger, and the intervals between them - in short.
• Labor pains accompanied by other signs of childbirth - a departure mucus plug, back pain Back pain: Do not start the process And, sometimes, nausea and general malaise Nausea - there may be problems with the nervous system .
• Unlike the false contractions are felt only in the abdomen, labor pains may be given to the hips, legs and other body parts.
• Labor pains change the level of consciousness. In the active headlamp birth they take so much energy that in between a woman can not talk, as usual, and if located elsewhere. This is due to severe pain, and with the activity of hormones that also influence the mind.
• It is recommended to mark the start and end time battles as soon as they appear. When the time intervals between contractions will be reduced to five minutes, you need to go to the hospital. This general rule, however, this can be done before - for example, if the pain became almost unbearable. Often women during childbirth intuitively feel when it is time to seek help.
• If the bout starts at irregular intervals, but it lasts for a few hours, you should call your doctor.

How felt contractions?

Many mothers say they struggle early childbirth are similar to menstrual cramps or pain with flatulence. They can even be mistaken for flu-like symptoms Influenza - expect the unexpected but always   or indigestion. Gradually, however, (in some women - a few hours, some - more than twenty-four hours later) they will become longer and much stronger.

Contractions in the later stages of childbirth, women are often described as the most severe pain, which they have ever felt. Women giving birth is recommended to see the battle as a positive phenomenon, approximating the time of the birth of the baby. In between contractions, you need to relax as much as possible, as it was for this purpose they are intended.

Now there are many ways to reduce pain during childbirth. For example, during labor contractions in water is considerably less painful. Many clinics offer such a service.

• A mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide, which a woman breathes through a mask - a safe method of anesthesia. The gas is inhaled when the fight starts, he starts to act within 15-20 seconds. To terminate it, it is sufficient to remove the mask.
• Injectable anesthetics normally take effect after 20 minutes. In contrast to the previous method of pain relief, they work a few hours, and if leads them at a later stage of labor, the woman will be much worse than it is necessary to feel the passage of the baby through the birth canal. These drugs help to better cope with the pain of contractions, but can cause some difficulties during childbirth.

On the necessity of proper breathing during labor known as far back as the ancient tribes. To this end, the girls before marriage taught singing during childbirth. This song was composed of alternating vowels, which are determined by the rhythm and depth of breathing during labor.

Why do we need proper breathing during labor

When antenatal always have courses that teach proper breathing at a particular stage of labor. And this is not just a formality: during childbirth is properly supplied breathing allows you to remove or significantly reduce the pain and facilitate the birth of a child. The woman it helps that distracts, relaxes and allows you not to resist the natural flow of labor, thus removing some of the pain and allowing the birth canal open as possible.

But most of all on the correct breathing mother "wins" the child: during labor, he suffers from a lack of oxygen (fetal hypoxia) because the muscles of the uterus compress the blood vessels. Hypoxia - a dangerous condition, especially in protracted labor, because the first to suffer brain child and the consequences of such effects may remain for a lifetime. But if the mother is breathing properly during childbirth, according to the stage of delivery, then the blood is better oxygenated and the child suffers less.

Proper breathing - breathing is controlled, when a woman can ask him such a rhythm and depth to help at a given stage of labor. Therefore, at various stages of breathing will vary. The secret lies in the fact that this breathing is impossible to learn in theory: even a very well researched principles of breathing during labor, you will forget all this and not be able to take advantage of. Therefore, you need to learn proper breathing gradually throughout pregnancy, at first theoretically, then at rest, and finally practicing in any position and during movement. And after a while (for each individual woman this time) there will come a time when you can easily and freely be able to go to one or another type of breathing, just thinking of it - it means that you are ready to leave.

Controlled breathing during labor can be of three types: a slow, superficial and variable. Combining these types of breathing help at all stages of labor.

Types of correct breathing

• Slow breathing. It is carried out with a frequency of no more than 10 breaths per minute (rate of a healthy person - 16). It is better to use the breathing during labor, that is, in the first stage of labor. Slow breathing phases: a deep breath through your nose and exhale through the mouth (breath must be longer than inhalation, it can be increased gradually), imagined with the breath out of your body takes power; hold your breath for a few seconds (this interval can also increase), then slowly breathe quietly, leaving the entire body relaxed. Remembering ancient techniques during a particularly intense and painful contractions can exhale sung vowels - A, O, U, N. The last sound s particularly intense, as it has a low sound. After another battle is over, the breath goes to a regular rhythm.
• Shallow breathing is easy and rapid, it is also used in the first stage of labor, during labor, in the case when they are very painful and slow breathing helps. The frequency of shallow breathing - 60 breaths per minute, breathing through the mouth is made: a light breath and loud exhale. The exhalation should be sonorous and intense, as it helps to relieve the tension from the muscles of the body. Speed ​​shallow breathing should increase accordingly battle and gradually decrease to its end, then move on to a slow and normal breathing.
• Variable breath can also be used during labor. It is an alternation of shallow breathing with longer breaths and sonorous. Shallow breathing gradually becomes more intense (up to two breaths per second). Long loud exhale done approximately every three cycles. After the end of the bout to do a few deep breaths and go to the normal breathing.

Proper breathing during different periods of birth

The first stage of labor (contractions and disclosure of the birth canal), uncontrollable, a woman can only adapt to the rhythm of contractions, thereby reducing their pain At this time, a woman previously trained different types of breathing, should gradually pick up a suitable respiratory rhythm. Typically, this period is used first, slow breathing, if it does not help - the surface or variable.

The second stage of labor (and attempts of expulsion of the fetus) are more manageable. Here the experience of controlled breathing woman will need more. During attempts by women may require different kinds of breathing: the attempts sometimes begin before birth canal completely open, at which time they must be contained. If the birth canal is completely open, attempts should be strengthened. When you need to do one or the other determines the obstetrician, birth attendant.

Hold attempts in the following ways: at the beginning of attempts to exhale, then a deep breath, and then - the three parts of the surface of inhalation and exhalation; Repeat this rhythm a few times, until after attempts.

Reinforce attempts can tuzhas at the height of inspiration, trying to direct all forces in the pelvic region. To do this, first attempts should be few deep inhale and exhale, then inhale, exhale slightly, hold your breath and push for 5-7 seconds (the longer, the better), and then fully exhale, inhale and repeat the cycle.

The third stage of labor (placenta) requires the same breath as the second, but usually passes quickly and almost painlessly.

Proper breathing during labor - is not a myth and not a formality, it really helps.

Galina Romanenko