Search Results for: blog the final stage of labor

Signs and Progress of Labor

If you are going through your first pregnancy, you may wonder from time to time what it will be like when you finally reach your due date. One of the biggest questions women have is how they know when the baby is about to come? How do the doctor’s know? When you take your childbirth class, you will probably spend a lot of time talking about the signs of impending labor, as well as the signs of labor progression so that you will have a good idea of where you are each step of the way. Each stage of labor … Continue reading →

Five Basic Exercises for Successful Labor

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Delivering a baby requires a little flexibility. I’m not talking about compromising your birth plan, either. When you’re trying to squeeze a seven or eight pound baby through a space that is pretty small to begin with, you’re kidding yourself if you think you won’t have to contort into a number of rather awkward positions to make it happen. If you don’t stretch and limber up your muscles beforehand, you can expect quite a bit of extra soreness after you deliver. Who wants extra pain? Getting your body ready for delivery is not difficult, it just takes a little planning … Continue reading →

How to “Act” Like You’re in Labor

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Actress Dianna Agron is doing a little personal research for her upcoming birth scene on the show, “Glee.” She has been getting advice from her mom and friends about what she should do since she has never given birth in real life. What advice would you give Dianna? Obviously she could go with the classic Hollywood birth scene. You probably know it by heart. Woman is doing something ordinary and abruptly either 1) howls in pain over her first contraction or 2) displays a look of horror on her face because her water has broken at a completely inopportune moment. … Continue reading →

The Final Stage of Labor

A few minutes after my baby boy entered the world, I felt another contraction coming on, weaker than the rest. It felt like a dry heave and like it was second nature, I gave a quick push. The placenta came flying out like a vaginal sneeze. I hope you weren’t just eating dinner while you read that last line. Don’t worry, I had the same reaction. The doctor held it up and I exclaimed, “Ugh, that’s attractive!” To this day, I still don’t know why I said that. My husband still makes fun of me for it because he claims … Continue reading →

The Second Stage of Labor

The second stage of labor is the most exciting part of having a baby. That is probably the reason it is the most portrayed stage of labor on TV. We all have the image of the woman in her hospital gown, hunched over in a pool of sweat and screaming at her husband for getting her in this situation. Ironically, the pushing stage brings relief to the woman who just experienced the most intense pain during the final hours of the first stage of labor. Those last few centimeters are the worst! The second stage of labor is less painful, … Continue reading →

The First Stage of Labor

Your doctor or your childbirth instructor may mention the stages of labor. There are three stages of labor. The division between these three stages is clearer cut on paper than it is in real labor; they exist to help describe where a woman is in the labor process and nothing else. They may seem to blend together during the actual experience. The three stages of labor are dilation (and effacement), pushing, and birthing the placenta. The first stage of labor is often the longest, especially for first time mothers. The cervix must completely open and stretch back into the upper … Continue reading →

Epidurals and Interventions in Labor

Many women consider their epidurals the saving grace during labor. Women have varying beliefs; with some believing a natural birth is the safest thing for mom and baby. Others can’t understand why anyone would ever give birth without the benefit of an epidural. As it turns out, there may be a price to pay for the comfort of little pain during labor. Having an epidural increases the likelihood of certain medical interventions in labor. Some studies show it can raise the risk of needing a c section too. Natural child birth advocates point out studies which show epidurals can increase … Continue reading →

Singing Away The (Labor) Pain

When I was in labor with my daughter (18 hours worth) I could barely see straight, never mind trying to belt out a song in front of a panel of judges. But that’s exactly what Antoria Gillon did Monday while auditioning for TV’s “American Idol.” No joke. The Dallas contestant performed her audition while in labor. And not only did she manage to endure contractions while she was on stage, the “Idol” hopeful also spent hours standing in line at Texas Stadium with 13,500 other contestants prior to getting her shot in front of the judges. Gillon told news reporters … Continue reading →

Our Daughter’s Birth

My contractions were coming hard and fast. I had only been in the birthing pool for about ten minutes when I had the incredible urge to push. While maintaining my breathing, I started to push. At first I pushed very cautiously with short gentle pressure, but the urge to push was not subsiding. I moved into a squatting position, my husband, our midwife, and her nurse were around the birthing pool, but I was not really aware of their presence because I was focusing on my contractions, my breath, and pushing. The period of transition was not what I remember … Continue reading →

Exercise in the First Trimester

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Exercise is hard regardless if you are pregnant or not. It just is. It takes commitment, will-power, and education. For pregnant women exercise is absolutely imperative. Exercise along with diet can almost guarantee a pregnancy free of major complications, manageable labor, and natural delivery. Pregnant women are strongly encouraged to engage in some form of exercise daily during pregnancy. As to the intensity and type of exercise: this depends entirely on the individual pregnant woman. If she is active and has been exercising regularly before pregnancy, she can continue her regular exercise routine until it becomes uncomfortable at which point … Continue reading →