The Three Stages Of Labor And Delivery

THE THREE STAGES OF LABOR AND DELIVERY

by Sandra Landinguin

Labor progresses through three stages:

1. Dilation “opening”

2. Expulsion

3. Placental

THE FIRST STAGE OF LABOR “DILATION”

Dilation can last anywhere from 2-16 hours or more. At first, each contraction is 30-45 sec. in duration and occurs about every 15-20 min. Their function is to dilate the cervix until it is wide enough to let the baby through – usually about 10 cm (4 in.). In the course of the first stage of labor the contractions increase in frequency until they are only a minute or two apart. Each contraction itself becomes longer and, toward the end of the first stage, may last 90 seconds. There may be a series of very intense contractions; during this time the cervix has been stretched around the baby’s head. The woman may feel ready to give up, but this phase, known as transition, is soon over. It rarely lasts more than 30 min. and is often much shorter.

THE SECOND STAGE OF LABOR “EXPULSION”

In expulsion, the involuntary contractions continue to be long in duration and closely spaced, but now the woman has a strong urge to bear down with her abdominal muscles. At each new contraction she pushes down with all her strength as the baby’s scalp comes into view, only to disappear again when the contraction ends. This is known as crowning. With each contraction more and more of the baby’s head can be seen. When the baby’s head comes out as far as its widest diameter, it stays out, and in short it is free.

THE HAPPIEST MOMENTS !!! Some babies will give

their first cry at this point. With the next contractions the shoulders emerge, and the rest of the body slips out easily. The feelings of both parents at this time are almost impossible to put into words: elation, exhaustion, and great feelings of tenderness and caring.

It was once the practice for the doctor to hold the baby up by the feet immediately following delivery to allow fluid and mucus to escape from the baby’s mouth and nose, so that the infant could start breathing, usually with a gasp and cry. Today it is more usual to aspirate the mucus from the baby’s mouth and nose by suction as soon as the head is delivered. This gives the baby a slight head start on independent breathing.

As soon as delivery is complete, the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. The baby is then wrapped in a blanket, and someone performs a variety of procedures that vary from hospital to hospital. Typically, drops of silver nitrate are placed in the baby’s eyes to prevent infection, both mother and baby are given plastic identification bracelets, and fingerprints of the mother and sometimes footprints of the baby are taken.

THE THIRD STAGE OF LABOR “PLACENTAL”

During the placental stage, the afterbirth (the placenta and cord) is expelled from the uterus. Labor is now completed.

The length of the entire process varies greatly, as does the actual experience of labor. 15 hours is an average figure for the duration of birth from the first contraction to the expulsion of the afterbirth for a first birth. But this average covers a spectrum of labor as long as 24 hours and as short as 3 hours or less. Labor is usually longer for first babies than for later ones, and longer for boys than girls. The reason for a longer first labor might be the easier adaptation of the woman’s body to the process and the reduced amount of anxiety present in subsequent births.

A baby will make love stronger, days shorter,

nights longer, home happier, the past

forgotten, and the future worth living for.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME !!!