With the first baby, labor is usually between 12 and 24 hours. It takes a variable amount of time to progress from 0 to 5 centimeters. After that, your cervix will usually dilate one centimeter per hour. When you get to 10 cm, you begin the second stage, or "pushing. You can expect us to be there by the time you are 5 cm, or earlier if you desire an epidural or have any problems.
If you are not planning to "go natural" and you need something for pain in early labor, we would administer narcotics through an I. Later in labor, we cannot give narcotics because there would not be enough time for the baby to clear the drugs from its circulation before birth.
Later in labor, if you need medication for pain we would recommend an epidural. You will meet with the anesthesia team at the hospital upon your admission to discuss your pain management options, if you so desire. Typically, we try to avoid giving an epidural until labor is well established so we like to wait until you have a strong contraction pattern.
We prefer our patients have an IV in place for any emergency situation that may develop. The IV is indicated for any abnormal fetal heart pattern, maternal dehydration, trial of labor after cesarean sections, epidural and IV pain management.
We prefer continuous electronic fetal monitoring during the active phase of labor. Prior to this point, fetal monitoring for at least twenty minutes every two hours is routine. If all is going well, and you wish to walk around the rest of the time, the on call provider will discuss whether you may remain of the monitor during this time. If you need Pitocin or you have meconium stained amniotic fluid, you must be monitored continuously. It does not usually cause any problems to the woman.
However, it may be a cause of urinary tract infection or cause of vaginitis. If a newborn comes in contact with the GBS bacteria, the baby may develop a severe infection. We screen all our OB patients between weeks for presence of this bacteria. If it is present, we treat with antibiotics in labor to avoid transmission of the bacteria to the baby during delivery. Episiotomy : This is not routine. If indicated your provider will discuss this with you.
Circumcisions are typically done the day after delivery. Circumcisions are not considered medically necessary and as such are considered an elective cosmetic procedure. The risks of the procedure include but are not limited to infection, excessive bleeding, scarring, penile injury, unhappiness with cosmetic result and need for surgical revision.
You will most likely not experience significant weight gain from this point on. Your total weight gain should be around 25 to 35 pounds The amount of amniotic fluid begins to decline around 37 weeks.
Braxton Hicks contractions also increase in frequency. As your body begins to prepare for labor , your cervix will begin to dilate and efface. You will also pass the mucus plug , which blocked the opening of the cervix to prevent bacteria from entering during your pregnancy. Passing a mucus plug is a sign that your cervix is dilating, and your body is starting to prepare for birth.
Labor could be hours, days, or even weeks away as the cervix gradually opens. Your baby is probably about 18 inches Even though your baby is considered full-term after after your 37th week of pregnancy, it is still better in most situations for the baby to remain in the womb until ready. If your baby is not in the head-down position, you should talk with your health care provider and partner regarding the various options that are available.
Your cervix is the passageway from the uterus to the vagina. During pregnancy, hormones in your body cause many changes. One change is that the mucus gets thicker in the opening of the cervix, causing a plug. This prevents bacteria and other pathogens from reaching the developing baby.
Your cervix typically remains long and closed around 3 to 4 centimeters in length until you get closer to delivery day. During the first stage of labor, your cervix will start to open dilate and thin out efface to allow your baby to move through your birth canal. You may have no signs or symptoms that your cervix has started to dilate or efface. The cervix of first-time moms may remain long and closed until delivery day. Contractions help the cervix dilate and efface from the beginning stages to the full 10 centimeters.
Still, you may be dilated slightly without noticeable contractions. Fortunately, there are other signs you can look out for that might indicate your baby is on their way into the world. You may have heard that your baby will drop close to your due date. This process is called lightening. It describes when your baby starts to settle lower in your pelvis to prepare for delivery. Lightening may happen in the weeks, days, or hours before you go into labor.
Your cervix protects your baby during pregnancy, and this includes your mucous plug. This extent of dilation only signals that the cervix is starting to prepare for labor. Most pregnant women spend some time wondering when they will go into labor, especially as the due date draws near.
When the opening of the cervix starts to widen, this is called dilation, and it is one sign that labor is approaching. Dilation is typically measured in centimeters cm. During active labor, the cervix fully dilates to 10 cm. In this article, we look at what dilation is and what dilating to 1 cm signals.
We also describe other signs that labor may start soon. The cervix is a narrow passage that connects the uterus and the vagina.
During active labor, the cervix will dilate until it reaches 10 cm. During menstruation, the cervical opening allows the lining of the uterus to exit. During pregnancy, hormones cause the mucus in the cervix to thicken, fill the opening, and form what the medical community calls a mucus plug to protect the fetus. This plug is in place for most of the pregnancy. However, in the third trimester, the cervix will begin to soften and thin, in a process called effacement.
The cervical opening also begins to widen, or dilate. A healthcare provider usually assesses the extent of dilation and effacement during routine visits. It is not uncommon for a doctor to consider 1 cm of dilation a sign of prelabor.
One woman may go from having a closed cervix to giving birth in a matter of hours, while another is 1—2 cm dilated for days or weeks. Some women do not experience any dilation until they go into active labor. This means that the cervix is completely closed initially, but it widens to 10 cm as labor progresses. It is especially common in first pregnancies. For other women, especially those who have given birth before, dilation may start a few days or weeks before labor begins.
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