Harbingers of childbirth.
Time has flown by quickly, and now the pregnancy is nearing its end.
The belly is already large, women often experience discomfort, and besides, they want to meet the baby more and more. This is a period of worry and even some fear. Usually, a woman’s experiences come down to several points, these are the sudden onset of labor and the fear of childbirth itself. Women begin to listen more carefully to their body, sensations, and how the baby behaves. Women have a question: are there any precursors to childbirth, and how does the body prepare for childbirth? Harbingers of childbirth, what are they? Precursors of childbirth are usually called special changes in the body of a pregnant woman that she herself feels or that are noticeable from the outside. Just at this time, the body begins to prepare for childbirth, so that it goes well for the woman and child. Of course, all this preparation took place over the course of 9 months, but the bulk of this preparation took place during this time.
At this time, the body is busy with the key moments of childbirth, namely, so that it is not rapid and not protracted, it allows the birth canal to prepare, and the cervix is preparing to open at this time. Afterwards, it is necessary to ensure the normal progression of the child along the birth canal, so that the child is not injured and is born safely. To do this, the birth canal must be moderately elastic, but at the same time dense, to prevent ruptures. In addition, the woman’s pelvis is being prepared for the baby’s head to pass through it.
At first, the cervix becomes soft and is able to pass 2 fingers of the obstetrician-gynecologist, which corresponds to two centimeters. The tummy lowers as the baby's head descends into the pelvic cavity and fits tightly to the pelvic inlet. It will take more than one day to provide all these activities.
How does it arise? Preparation for childbirth is carried out by sex hormones; before the birth itself, the hormonal levels in the woman’s body change, the production of estrogen increases and the level of progesterone sharply decreases. It is precisely due to the decrease in progesterone that the tone of the uterus increases, it prepares for contractions. A change in mucus occurs in the cervix, this mucus protected the child and amniotic fluid from infection. Progesterone also controlled the growth and development of the child and maintained the optimal amount of nutrients. In addition, it was this hormone that controlled the delivery of oxygen to the baby and “monitored” the work of the placenta.
Before childbirth, the concentration of female sex hormones increases, their main purpose is to prepare the woman and the birth canal for childbirth. Female sex hormones are responsible for the elasticity, pliability and extensibility of the birth canal; it depends on them how effectively and quickly the cervix will open. In the second stage of labor, when the cervix is fully dilated, it is important how distensible the walls of the vagina and vulva are. The duration of pushing directly depends on the degree of vaginal distensibility.
Why does nausea occur before childbirth?
What are the possible causes of nausea before childbirth? Very often, women simply do not know at what stage of pregnancy nausea can occur, at what week of variability nausea can appear and this will be a natural symptom. Before the onset of contractions, a woman may experience nausea and bloating. This condition and lack of appetite can persist immediately until childbirth.
It should be taken into account that the gastrointestinal tract acts on emptying (self-cleaning) as soon as labor begins. Therefore, you should not be surprised that a woman can go to the toilet several times and quite copiously beforehand. If for some reason the body does not complete the cleansing process, a few hours before the birth of the baby, the mother may experience nausea and vomiting. This situation is due to hormonal changes at the end of pregnancy. Pain in the lower abdomen and nausea before childbirth, the mentioned symptoms can appear alone or in various combinations, accompanied by contractions.
Due to discomfort, the mood of both mother and child can change; the baby periodically either calms down or begins to move actively, which is an additional factor that increases the feeling of nausea. Due to unpleasant sensations in the stomach at the end of pregnancy, the manifestation of late toxicosis, which in medicine is also called gestosis, is likely. In addition to nausea, it is accompanied by other symptoms, the most common of which are swelling, headache and high blood pressure.
If nausea and vomiting that began in the third trimester become persistent, you should immediately seek advice from your doctor. This condition of the expectant mother may be associated with abnormal processes in the kidneys or cardiovascular system, which potentially poses a danger to the health of the woman and child. Neglecting the described alarming symptoms can threaten a woman with the loss of her child and harm to her own health. The problem of late toxicosis is more often faced by women who decided to have children after the age of thirty-five, who previously had abortions, and who are prone to diseases of the kidneys, heart and blood vessels. Women with a negative Rh factor are also at risk.
Condition before childbirth
For nine months, a woman prepares for one of the main events of her life - the birth of a child. Although childbirth is a relatively short process, it takes a lot of effort and time to prepare for it. This is a very important and difficult stage for a woman, after which her life changes radically. Despite the fact that childbirth is a natural process, it is necessary to prepare for it. The prenatal or prenatal period is considered to be the last month of pregnancy. At this time, the woman’s body is already adjusting to childbirth, and the fetus is already fully formed and almost ready to leave the “house”. Already a few weeks before giving birth, a woman changes in many ways: both psychologically and physically.
Meals for 2 weeks
During this period, the likelihood of a child being born increases to the maximum, so you need to give the body the opportunity to concentrate all its forces on preparing for the decisive moment. We remove grains, cereals and bread from the diet, and eat only foods of plant origin.
Sample menu:
- For breakfast we prepare apple pancakes with weak tea.
- For lunch we snack on fresh fruit or berries.
- We have lunch with light vegetable soup, zucchini casserole, prepare a fruit salad for dessert, and drink a glass of fresh apple juice.
- For an afternoon snack you can eat a vegetable salad
- We have dinner with steamed vegetables dressed with olive oil, a salad of leafy vegetables and tomatoes with aromatic herbs, for dessert we eat natural fruit jelly, and drink a cup of green tea.
Carefully read the composition of herbal teas if you like to drink them. They may contain plants that stimulate contractions of the uterine muscles, which can cause premature birth.
Before giving birth, women are not recommended to eat at all, as this can worsen their condition. Too much pain during contractions is often accompanied by attacks of nausea, so it is best not to eat at all immediately after you realize that the baby is about to be born.
Reviews and results from young mothers confirm that a prenatal diet helps give birth more easily. In addition, such a diet will be an excellent help for getting your figure in order.
Read with this
- Millet porridge diet
- Diet for gestosis in pregnant women
- Diet for children with allergies
Way of life before childbirth
To ensure a woman’s good physical condition and to keep her muscles toned, throughout pregnancy it is necessary to do special exercises that are included in gymnastic complexes designed for pregnant women. Exercising in the pool has a very beneficial effect on your physical condition.
Of course, we really hope that if you smoked before pregnancy, then, upon learning about the baby, you immediately quit this nasty habit. If (and this happens!) no, then find the strength to quit smoking. Both you and the baby need this. You must understand that smoking, like alcohol, is incompatible with the birth of a healthy child.
Relax, walk in the fresh air, do exercises for pregnant women, read good books - all this will ensure you not only a good pregnancy, but also an easy birth.
Weight loss and bowel cleansing before childbirth
Many pregnant women are surprised to discover that the weight, which is known to grow by leaps and bounds in the last trimester, suddenly decreases by 1-1.5 kg after 37-39 weeks. Weight loss is especially noticeable if severe swelling was observed during pregnancy. Don't be scared - this is an absolutely natural process and another sign that meeting your baby is just around the corner.
Siblings' experience:
Nika
— About 2 days before giving birth, I started feeling nauseous (with Polinka I even vomited, but with Leshka I just felt sick) and (sorry for the details) I had loose stools for 3-4 days before the birth itself. The body was cleansing.
Mama and BABY M.
— I woke up at 4 in the morning and realized that my stomach hurt. Well, this is real indigestion. Sorry, I went to the toilet and pushed... And only when my stomach eased did I realize that something was wrong. I noted the time - contractions go every 7 minutes, like clockwork.
Lucien
- I didn’t feel any drooping in my stomach, but... loose stools for 4-5 days before giving birth! And my tummy was aching, it was somehow tugging. And then the water broke in the morning, and she gave birth in the evening.
Tamiri
— The first sign of impending labor was, sorry, diarrhea: about 4 hours before the birth. Then they lowered my water, and after a couple of hours I gave birth. All!
Weight loss and colon cleansing. Expert commentary
Before childbirth, the body gets rid of excess fluid, which leads to slight weight loss. This occurs in order to thicken the blood and, subsequently, reduce its loss during childbirth. In addition, the additional fluid that was previously used to produce amniotic fluid is no longer needed and the body gets rid of it. Often this process can be accompanied not only by increased frequency of urination at 37 weeks of pregnancy, but also by nausea or diarrhea.”
Health status before childbirth
It's no secret that a pregnant woman should carefully monitor her health. Before giving birth, check your health again. It wouldn’t hurt to visit a therapist, ophthalmologist, ENT doctor, or neurologist. Do not forget to go to the dentist, because diseased teeth can become a source of infection and cause complications in the postpartum period. If you have severe varicose veins of the lower extremities, go to a vascular surgeon. The doctor will determine whether the condition has worsened and whether a caesarean section will be required. A month before giving birth, doctors recommend undergoing a complete sanitation of the birth canal. This is done to clean them from pathogenic microflora. This is especially true if a woman has sexually transmitted diseases (herpes, chlamydia, ureaplasmosis, mycoplasmosis, candidiasis, etc.). Such procedures are necessary in order to protect the baby during its passage through the birth canal. Sanitation will also help protect the woman in labor from cracks in the vaginal mucosa, which may occur due to inflammation.
As for the gynecologist, starting from the 36th week, a woman must visit him once a week. At the appointment, the doctor measures the size of the uterus, listens to the fetal heartbeat, and determines its position.
Nesting instinct on the eve of childbirth
On the eve of childbirth, many women receive another “news” from nature that the baby will be born very soon. An indomitable desire arises to prepare him a cozy “nest” and the expectant mother with great pleasure chooses tiny socks and baby vests for her future son or daughter, embroiders diapers, knits a hat and blanket, buys the softest and most beautiful bed linen for the crib, a comfortable stroller, a warm envelope, a lace blanket, a set of bibs and that nice little rattle! Another obligatory item of “building a nest” is often general cleaning (or even repairs). Having set up a children's corner, bought things and “cleaned” the house, the woman breathes a sigh of relief: she can give birth. And... it is at this moment that contractions often begin. “Nesting” is an incredibly happy time, because it reminds you that your dream of meeting your baby soon is about to become a reality!
Siblings' experience
“Two days before giving birth, she became more active—both times she began large cleanings throughout the entire apartment, which she had no longer had the strength to do for a long time. I paid attention because I read here on the forum that this happens - preparing a nest. And there were no more warning signs.
— At 39 weeks 5 days I woke up with a terrible surge of strength and decided that it was simply vital to rip out all the floors in the house. Then I realized that it would start at night.
Enya
— I didn’t have any special feelings before giving birth, except that I, like a field mouse, had been dragging all the groceries home from the store for the last 10 days. Well, I couldn’t pass by the store. I take a full bag and drag it, then I realize that I can’t carry it, it’s hard, so I catch a taxi. Twice I came home by taxi with string bags...
Nutrition before childbirth
If a pregnant woman needs to monitor the quantity and quality of what she eats throughout the nine months, then on the eve of giving birth, special attention should be paid to this issue.
A month before giving birth, the diet changes not in favor of meat: its amount should be limited, and two to three weeks should be eliminated altogether. It is also recommended to remove from the diet other foods containing animal protein (fish, eggs, butter, milk). At the same time, fermented milk products, plant foods, water porridge, baked vegetables, fresh juices, mineral water, and herbal teas are very useful.
A week before the expected birth, you should exclude cereals, bread, dairy products, and salt. The diet should consist only of plant foods. It is very important that vegetable oil enters the pregnant woman’s body at this time. The vitamin E contained in it helps make both the blood vessels and tissues of the birth canal more elastic. In addition, this is an excellent prevention of hemorrhoids.
On the day of birth, it is better not to eat anything at all, however, if contractions have begun, then it is unlikely that you will have an appetite. Moreover, during contractions, many experience nausea or vomiting, so an empty stomach, in this case, is very good.
Removal of the mucus plug on the eve of childbirth
Another harbinger of an imminent birth may be the release of a mucus plug - a jelly-like mass that is secreted by the membranes of the cervix during pregnancy. This “plug” fills the cervix and protects the birth canal and fetus from ascending infection. On the eve of childbirth, the cervix begins to soften, open slightly, and as a result, the plug (in the form of colorless, yellowish, or slightly pinkish mucus) may come off before labor begins - sometimes this can happen within a week, or even two. An important point: after the plug comes out, you should refrain from visiting the pool, swimming in ponds, and even taking a bath, as this increases the risk of infection. It's better to limit yourself to a shower.
Siblings' experience:
— On the evening of July 10, the plug came off without any preliminary symptoms. At 11 in the morning, water began to leak, by lunchtime small contractions began, I arrived at the maternity hospital at the direction of the midwife at 7 pm, and kept in touch with her by phone all this time. She gave birth on July 12 at 12.20. The PDR was on July 29th.
— The plug came off completely in 1 day (the first half came off in 2 weeks).
Len'ok
— My plug came out gradually, it looked like the result of a prolonged runny nose, with blood streaks.
Removal of the plug. Expert commentary
Mucous discharge may signal the release of a plug that protects the uterus and fetus from external infections. During the period of preparation for childbirth, the plug liquefies and begins to leak. It should be borne in mind that this symptom is individual, for some the plug comes off a week before birth, and for others with the onset of labor. Sometimes this discharge can be confused with amniotic fluid. In this case, it is worth remembering that the latter leak constantly and intensify with a slight cough. If you still have doubts, it is better to immediately consult a doctor for an amnio test.”
Did anyone have a difficult labor start?
— My first birth began in the maternity hospital. A few days before this, the plug came off - but, in my opinion, the doctor just picked it out. And then for several days there was silence, no signs of impending labor - until the first regular, slightly painful stretching in the tummy on the day of birth. It all started very smoothly, I had time to get used to the idea that today I was spending the night with my husband and the doctor in the maternity ward...
“And I had no warning signs or drooping tummy.” Contractions just started at night at 3, and in my sleep I couldn’t understand why my stomach hurt, like during menstruation. At 6 I woke up, realized it, measured it - the interval between contractions was 5-7 minutes.
O_l_g_a
— There were no special sensations. I ran around as usual, ate a good meal of cherries at night... in the morning I woke up from strong contractions.
— We were told during the courses that the first-time mother most often doesn’t really feel anything. The congestion and water are a given, but the onset of contractions and other warning signs in a primigravida are most often weakly expressed. Although I understand that this is individual for everyone.
12/21/2015 Evgeniya Gerasimova Reviews for siblings were collected by Sonetta How did you feel before giving birth? Share the link to our article on social networks!
