All about baby
It seems incredible that you’ve carried this baby inside you for so long, but very soon she'll be joining you in the outside world. The average baby weighs in at about seven-and-a-half pounds at birth, though your baby could be a dainty six pounds or a whopping 10 pounder!
Your baby has developed a thick layer of subcutaneous fat that makes her look plump and gives her reserves to draw on during the first few days after the birth.
By now, all of your baby’s systems are developed and ready to go. Her lungs are still manufacturing large quantities of surfactant to keep the air sacs open. With all the major work done, your baby will simply continue to mature, growing longer hair and nails and putting on 8oz of fat a week.
- Measures about 35cm crown to rump
- Weighs in at around an average of 7lbs 7oz pounds
Over to you
OK, now the going is tough. You may experience lower body pain, especially when you stand up or cough, due to your muscles and ligaments stretching from the weight of the baby and uterus. If so, practice your pelvic floor exercises as often as you can and hold in your pelvic floor muscles tightly when getting up or down.
As your baby’s head engages, you may get pain that appears to come from between your buttocks or sudden, shooting pains down your legs if your baby's body compresses a nerve. Your cervix may have started to thin and dilate, but only your midwife or doctor can confirm this by performing an internal examination.
You might be willing labour on with all your might, while still feeling anxious about what's in store. As difficult as it sounds, try to relax and take your mind off things - watch films, meet up with friends and, dare we say it, rest and sleep as much as possible!
In the know
Labour - what to expect...
All about contractions
You're likely to know when contractions mean business. The real ones are painful, become progressively more intense and happen closer together. There's no need to worry about suddenly feeling a little pressure and then giving birth in the loo or the back seat of a car. You should have plenty of notice before it's time to go to the hospital.
Even if you're sure it's labour, there's no need to race off to the hospital immediately. Recent research appears to show that women who check into the hospital before labour is well established are more likely to have interventions and are also potentially more at risk of having caesarean sections, so you may want to consider staying at home for a while.
Nor is there any need to start trying out all the breathing and moving strategies you learned in your antenatal classes. Not just yet. You'll wear yourself out, and you probably have another 10-12 hours still to go. Just try to get as much sleep as you can, taking soothing baths, keep hydrated and, if you're not feeling nauseous, eat protein (think eggs, meat, fish, or tofu), and good carbs (veggies, wholegrain bread).
As labour progresses, your contractions will continue to get stronger and more intense with shorter breaks in between each one, until they last for 1-1.5 minutes with breaks of 15-30 seconds between each. Each contraction will start gradually and build to a peak, when it is most painful, before slowing down and giving you a brief period of rest. When regular contractions are established, you're in the first stage of labour.
The general rule is to wait until your contractions last about a minute each and are approximately five minutes apart before calling your midwife or maternity hospital. But most contractions don't fall into that exact pattern - so you may have to take averages instead.
Your cervix dilates
During labour, the muscle fibres of your uterus will draw upward using waves of contractions, as many as 300 for first-time mothers, and 200 for mothers with experienced wombs. The contractions get increasingly more co-ordinated and stronger as labour progresses. Your cervix will gradually open over this period until you become "fully dilated," meaning your cervix is about 10cm in diameter. This usually takes about 10-12 hours for first time mothers and 4-5 hours for subsequent births.
Transition
This is the shortest but most intense phase of labour; but thankfully it doesn’t last for long. Your contractions will be coming thick and fast now. At this stage you may be trembling and feel sick and out of control - as if you you can't take another contraction. Modesty will be the last thing on your mind. If ever you wanted pain relief, now’s the time when you’re likely to be demanding it - and loudly!
The "pushing" stage
Once the mouth of the cervix is completely open, the second stage of labour begins and you start pushing your baby out. This stage is shorter than the first stage and may last only 20 minutes to an hour. Unless you've had an epidural, you will feel a powerful urge to push – in fact, it may be hard to stop you!
During this stage, you'll feel the pressure of your baby's head between your legs. With each contraction, push for as long as you want to or, if you have had an epidural, listen to your midwife who will tell you when to push. With every push, your baby will move down through your pelvis a little. As your baby's head stretches the opening of the vagina, you'll probably feel a hot, stinging sensation and your midwife will tell you that your baby's head has "crowned". As your baby's head begins to be born, she may ask you to stop pushing and gently pant. This is to help make sure that your baby is born gently and slowly.
Delivering the placenta
Most people think that labour is over after the birth of the baby, but there is actually one last stage - the third stage of labour - yet to go. After your baby comes out, the placenta will peel away from the uterine wall. With some strong squeezes from your uterus, the placenta and membranes will be delivered smoothly and quickly - either naturally or with the help of a dose of Syntometrine, which the midwife will inject into your thigh as the baby is being delivered. You’re midwife will discuss these options with you during your antenatal care so that you can make a decision before you go into labour.
