Pregnant women preparing themselves to undergo normal delivery are usually well informed about the process. Taking birthing classes also helps to a great extent. Preparations for a normal delivery should begin as early as your initial plans of getting pregnant, so that you can make necessary lifestyle changes. Here are some exercise tips to help with easy labor and delivery. With healthy eating and physical activities, you will likely have a normal delivery and a healthy baby of course!
Vaginal delivery usually consists of going through three stages:
Labor
Start of labor is again classified into two stages; early labor and active labor. Early labor is when you first experience contractions, but it is not yet time to rush to the hospital. This is a slow and lengthy phase requiring you to wait until active labor begins. Your cervix begins to dilate and thin in this phase. When your cervix dilates to at least 4-6 centimetres, you will enter into active stage of labor. This is when frequency of contractions increase and pain intensifies.
Pushing and delivering baby
At this stage, your cervix is dilated to its maximum capacity of 10 centimetres, which is required for the delivery of baby. This is the time you are supposed to start pushing. Most women feel that the last few centimetres of dilation is the hardest phase of labor, lasting from about 15 mins to an hour. Not all women feel the same though. It’s surprisingly easier and short as well for most women. When you are pushing your baby out, you will experience a stinging sensation. Finally the baby is out in the world.
Placenta delivery
In the final stage, your body continues to have mild labor contractions and delivers the placenta. This takes about five minutes to an hour. After the delivery of placenta, your doctor examines the uterus to check if everything is fine. Your cervix may tear during pushing, but this is considered a minor issue and can be resolved by making stitches. It also heals in a few weeks.
Recovery after birth
Recovery is very quick in case of normal delivery as opposed to C- section birth. Most women don’t require any pain medications also. After delivery, women may have bleeding up to six weeks as blood and mucous is discharged from the body. Your doctor monitors your condition by asking you to notify in case of heavy bleeding.
