Normal Labor – Gynecology & Obstetrics
1. What is Normal Labor, i.e. vaginal birth?
It is the natural form of birth. It turns out that there is no surgical intervention in which the baby is born from the mother’s womb to the outside world. We are born and give birth with a room that exists in all living things.
2. How does it prepare expectant mothers for Normal Labor?
In fact, the female body is already perfectly prepared for childbirth, but in our rules, we have difficulty in normal birth because we sit more, get in the car more and move less. In the mother’s body there will already be some changes due to the hormones of pregnancy and the functionaries of the biological uterus. The daily appendages will loosen and the blood supply to the genitals and uterus will increase. Nevertheless, every mother who desires an easy birth needs to prepare both mentally and physically for the birth. Exercises that loosen the ligaments surrounding the uterus, stretches, yoga exercises that strengthen the muscles create more space for the mother’s face.
It will be useful to learn and practice active birthing positions so that the baby’s veins can enter and move through the pelvis. In order to start with pain during labor, correct breathing techniques are learned during pregnancy and often repeated at home. The births prepared in this way are much more comfortable and enjoyable.
3. How does the expectant mother know that she is actually in labor?
Regular and frequent menstrual contractions, the opening of the water cavity and the presence of a light spot-shaped bone are usually signs of labor. However, bleeding due to the removal of a blockage in the cervix, also known as an anointing bleeding, does not always go away within 24 hours of the birth, but you should also be examined.
4. Do we do the first examinations at the hospital when you are admitted for labor?
First we check the birth heartbeat, then we do a vaginal examination to check which organ of the mother’s body is in labor by looking at the cervix. Then, if necessary, we will also issue an ultrasound scan. What about the phases of labor? There are 4 phases of labor. The 1st phase is the opening. This is the period when the cervix begins to open and shorten in accordance with the contractions of the uterus.
The cervix is fully dilated just before the baby is born. Stage 2 is the stage of labor. That is, from the full opening of the cervix to the birth of the baby. The 3rd stage is the highest threshold for the exit of the placenta and its outflow. The 4th stage is the postpartum period. This is the period of mother-baby bonding and breastfeeding.
Normal Labor Vaginal Birth
5. How long does normal labor take?
What is important here is the birth experience that the mother avoids. Normal labor takes an average of 10-12 hours in first pregnancies and 5-7 hours in second and subsequent pregnancies, sometimes even shorter. Epidural anesthesia can extend this period up to 1-2 hours. However, it is important to remember that every birth is unique. It is nothing but the time that each mother has in labor and birth and this requires patience and respect.
6. What about the procedures that lead to the decision to have a caesarean section after normal labor has started?
The reasons for caesarean section are divided into definite and inconclusive. In the case of definite reasons, there is a life risk for the mother and baby if a cesarean section is not performed, and the maternal or infant loss rate is very high. Cord prolapse, early deviations of the placenta, loss of the baby’s heartbeat, dark meconium at the very beginning of labor (i.e., starting in the womb), pregnancy poisoning with high blood pressure and seizures, or very high birth without seizures, such as very high birth, and situations where the mother and output burst burst burst, even if normal labor has begun, a cesarean section is required.
7. Can epidural anesthesia be used in normal delivery?
The most important cause of pain in labor is fear and panic. A woman who is conscious and aware of what is happening in her body will have less pain in labor. Nevertheless, deep death, breathing exercises, different positions, rhythmic movements, meditation, which you will learn in childbirth preparation trainings, will further reduce the feeling of pain. A ball, shower, birth pool or massage can be used next to the battery where they are located. The most important thing, however, is the emotional support of the partner, the midwife or their body. Epidural analgesia is possible if, despite all this, there is no reduction in pain or the labor is prolonged.
8. Does epidural anesthesia have a negative impact on the course and outcome of labor?
Epidural analgesia in normal labor can completely reduce pain and reduce the likelihood of cesarean section, but this is a medical intervention and like any medical intervention, it has its own risks. It is necessary to achieve the lowest but serious behaviors such as sudden drop in labor, infection, respiratory retraction, drop in early heartbeat. Even if there is no movement, the mother will have a vascular access and this will cause some movement clearance. Labor may be prolonged and there may be a need for suctioning
9. What does the mother experience after a normal birth?
The first moments of the baby’s arrival at the birthplace are actually an underestimated and even somewhat neglected period. For a healthy mother-baby bonding and breastfeeding process, the baby will be placed on the mother’s tummy or chest immediately after birth. This keeps babies warm and calms them down. It adapts more gently to the outside world. It instinctively grasps the mother’s breast and tries to suckle.
Antibodies from the mother pass through the milk to the baby and the outflow flora, which first meets the mother’s microbes, begins to form. The mother’s lacerations, if any, are sutured and then she is taken away with her baby. This is the period when the mother has the most sensory organs, both emotionally and as living beings.
Normal Labor Vaginal Birth Stages
10. Does normal labor cause tearing or prolapse of the vagina?
The cause of tearing during normal labor is excessive and uncontrolled pushing. For hundreds of years, mothers were not taught how to push during labor. The feeling of pushing affects women instinctively and physically over time. The important thing here is to aim to push by breathing in a controlled way instead of the classical pushing technique of resting the chin against the chest and holding the breath, which is only applied at the moment of the exit of the neck head.
In this way, when she pushes by blowing and making sound, the possibility of perineal tear will decrease. Nevertheless, in very fast deliveries or if the baby is large, simple or advanced perineal tears that extend to the anus can occur. Sometimes we apply Episiotomy (Birth Incision), that is, an incision at the entrance to the vagina during the exit of the head.
11. How long does it take for the vagina to recover after normal delivery?
If there is an episiotomy or tear, it takes about 6 weeks to heal. Although the vagina is a very flexible organ, it may loosen a little after birth, but this is usually not a problem. To minimize this work, the vaginal muscles can be strengthened with Kegel exercises. Sagging of the vagina is more common after a large baby or multiple births. If this situation is present, it can be corrected by shaping the vagina to negatively affect the woman’s self-confidence or sexual life.
12. How can expectant mothers overcome the fear of childbirth?
Fear is a nurturing process triggered by the perception of threat in the face of an enemy. The body perceives fear as danger and no mammal gives birth in case of danger. It waits until the danger has passed and gives birth after escaping to a place where it feels safe. This is also the case with confusion. The mother may have fears that are influenced by negative birth stories, subconscious traces of her own birth or the crowded and unprivate birth atmosphere, fears that are influenced by the people who support the birth, and these fears hinder the progress of the birth. But a more important cause of fear is anxiety about how painful the birth will be.
When the mother is given the knowledge and confidence to explore coping with pain, such as deep body weight, breathing exercises, complex positions, rhythmic movements, meditation, etc. during childbirth preparation training, fears about the birth can be greatly reduced. Dr. Grantly Dick Read, a British obstetrician and gynecologist, in his article “Fearless Birth” states: “There is no extra power that makes childbirth comfortable. There’s one thing they don’t have right in the past: Fear of Childbirth.”
13. What is water birth?
In childbirth we make use of the population effect of water in the birthing pool or warm shower. In the birthing room nests, either the mother spends only the expansion phase in the birthing room and comes out of the water at the time of birth, or she remains in the pool at the time of birth and the baby is born in water. It is no more one’s duty than land birth, where both are provided with appropriate conditions. For a water birth, the birth team should be familiar with these issues and make sure that the appropriate conditions are met, such as water temperature and hygiene.
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Normal Labor (Vaginal Birth) – Gynecology Obstetrics
