Download labor

By taking the first
day of the woman’s
last menstrual cycle
and adding 280
days, you can
calculate when baby
is due to be born.
As the mother nears full term, several things happen:
• Baby loses the lanugo covering
• Lightening: Baby drops
(much vernix remains)
down several inches in the
• Average size of 20 inches in
length and 7 pounds.
• Eye color is slate-blue or black,
and will not be fixed until after
exposure to light for some time.
abdomen.
• Engaged Head: Pressed
firmly against the cervix.
The birth is close at hand.
This is the correct term for the process of childbirth…the
emergence of a child from its mother’s uterus. It starts with a
signal from the pituitary gland. The hormone oxytocin is secreted
into the bloodstream of the mother, and the process begins.
(pitocin and syntocinon are common synthetic forms of this
hormone, used to induce labor) There are 3 stages of childbirth:
1.LABOR
2.BIRTH OF THE BABY
3.BIRTH OF THE PLACENTA
Stage ONE is Labor
3 signals indicate that labor has begun…
1. Contractions begin
2. Mucous plug is dispelled
3. Amniotic sac breaks
1. Initial uterine
contractions are
short and mild, but
frequency,
intensity, duration
increase.
During transition
stage, the cervix
completes dilation
and stretches over
baby's head.
The entire process
usually lasts from
4-18 hours
2. The mucous plug
falls out as cervix
dilates; it is
accompanied by a tinge
of blood, and is referred
to as “bloody show”
3. Before labor begins, or in
the early stages, the amniotic
sac ruptures under pressure
and fluid trickles or gushes
out. Sometimes the sac must
be broken manually.
Prior to the beginning of labor, the thick
cartilage walls of the cervix begin to thin out
and lengthen.
This process is called
effacement. The cervix must be completely
effaced in order to fully dilate.
The purpose of “labor” is for the
muscles to contract, pulling open
the cervix. It must open (or dilate)
to 10 cm. (approximately 4 inches)
to allow for the birth of the baby.
There are several methods that can help the
mother manage the pain of labor
Although
medications can
control pain,
there is risk that
the baby will be
affected and
become groggy.
A regional anesthetic can be injected through
the vagina into a nerve to relieve pain, but an
epidural block is now the method of
preference. An injection into the spinal column
blocks pain.
The mother will need to attempt to control this pushing movement. A slow
expulsion of the baby from the vagina causes less damage to sensitive skin.
Stage Two is
Birth of the
Baby
Graphic Pictures are
coming!
In the second stage of labor, the baby is
expelled from the womb through the vagina
by both the uterine contractions and by the
additional maternal efforts of pushing or
"bearing down". When the head is first
visible, it is called “crowning”.
• An episiotomy is an
incision through the
skin and muscles in
the perineum, made
during a vaginal
delivery.
• This procedure is
performed in 2/3 of
US births, and allows
extra room for baby
to pass out of the
birth canal.
• The incision prevents
tearing. It stitches
easier and heals
faster than a tear.
Vaginal delivery accounts for 3
out of every 4 births in the
United States.
Most remaining
vernix caseosa is
rubbed off during
delivery.
A cephalic birth position
is one that is head-first!
The mother may stand with her legs apart,
squat, lean over, recline backward or lie down
with legs supported to facilitate the delivery.
The "sutures" or
anatomical lines
where the bony
plates of the skull
join together can
be easily felt in
the newborn
infant. The
diamond shaped
spaces on the top,
top back, and
sides of the skull
are often referred
to as the "soft
spot" in young
infants…correctly
known as
fontanelles.
The fontanelles actually allow the skull to change to a new shape,
so it can emerge through the small cervical opening. This is called
“molding” of the head. This change in the shape of the skull will go
back to it’s original appearance in a few hours up to a few days.
Immediately following delivery, if not during, a bulb syringe is used to
suction mucous from the throat and nasal passages. It’s important that
those first breaths be deep and clear. Healthy, loud cries assure that!
The umbilical cord is connected at baby’s
navel. The cord must be clamped and cut (or
tied off). A small plastic clamp is used &
placed close to baby’s tummy.
Stage Three is
Birth of the
Placenta
GRAPHIC PICTURES!
Stage 3 of childbirth follows delivery of the
baby…it is the delivery of the afterbirth (placenta).
• After the placenta is delivered, it should be inspected (1 minute exam) for:
– size, shape, consistency, and completeness.
• An abnormal placenta may be one of the first indications that mother or baby
has a problem.
A suctioning method or vacuum is sometimes used
to assist in difficult deliveries. It can turn the baby
to a better position or perhaps just quicken the
descent down the birth canal.
A breech birth position is
sometimes more difficult. It
means that the baby is in the
birth canal feet or buttocks first.
An instrument called a forceps is
sometimes used during delivery also.
The cushioned tongs are used to hold,
guide, or pull baby through the birth
canal to hasten delivery.
CAESARIAN SECTION
birth position
Also known as C-section or spelled cesarean section,
1. fetus is delivered through a horizontal incision in abdominal and uterine walls
2. advisable when: fetus in improperly aligned (such as a sideways position
called transverse position), multiple fetuses, fetal distress, mother is worn out, or
mother has a transferable genital condition or infection
Soon after birth,
information will be
gathered for baby’s
official birth certificate.
This becomes a matter of
permanent public record;
make sure it is correct,
including spellings! It’s
time to name the baby!
Identification wrist or
ankle bands are secured,
as well as foot prints.
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Created by Barbara L. Swarthout, Family & Consumer
Sciences teacher at Elkhorn High School