HealthPartners - Preparing for childbirth

CHAPTER 4 Labor and Birth

Understanding Labor Because every pregnancy is different, there’s no way to know how long you’ll be in labor or what your experience will be like. What we do know is that learning what to expect at each stage of labor is the best way to prepare yourself. For some people, pregnancy and labor are easier than they expected. Others may have more discomfort during pregnancy and a longer, more difficult labor. This section will explain the entire process, including what happens within your body, what changes you can expect, and how to deal with them. ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY Labor starts when contractions in your uterus create changes to your cervix. It’s possible to have many contractions before labor actually begins. On average, labor lasts about 12 to 18 hours for the first baby. But everyone’s experience is different. Your labor could be as short as 4 hours or as long as 24 hours or more. The key is to stay as flexible and relaxed as possible during the whole process. The muscle cells in your uterus work like other muscle cells in your body to tighten or contract the muscle. During labor, your uterine muscles will start to contract from the top, called the fundus . This causes tightening

and pressure in your uterus, moving from top to bottom in a wavelike fashion. These contractions force your baby to move down through your pelvis and out of the cervical opening into the vagina, or birth canal. Your body automatically manages labor through a well-coordinated biochemical and physiological process. This includes shortening the time between contractions and increasing their intensity until your baby is born.

Overview: Labor and Birth • When your body is ready, it makes

chemicals that signal your uterus to start contractions • A contraction happens when uterine muscles squeeze and then release, starting at the top • Tightening creates pressure that moves from the top to the bottom of your uterus, like a wave • Pressure moves the baby down through your pelvis, out the cervix, and into the birth canal

40 Your Guide to Labor and Birth