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Now that you are in the final stages of your pregnancy, you may be preparing yourself for labour. But apart from the usual signs of labour, there are some other things your body might experience during the time that you should know about, from vaginal tearing to retained placenta. Take a look:
Not just morning sickness, one can also suffer nausea and vomiting during labour, especially while pushing out the baby. When a woman gets an epidural, she could experience a drop in blood pressure, which can cause vomiting, according to obstetrician-gynecologist Dr Sherry Ross, who was quoted as saying in an article.
Stages of labour can be divided into the latent phase, active phase and transition phase. The latent phase can sometimes last for 20 hours for first-time mothers and up to 14 hours for those who have given birth before. “Prolonged latent labour can be exhausting and sometimes frustrating for moms-to-be, but it rarely leads to complications and should not be an indication for cesarean delivery,” on-gyn Dr Nita Landry was quoted as saying.
This is rapid labour where the baby can come out in less than three hours after contractions kick in. While new mothers see it as a good sign, rapid labour also raises concerns about lack of time to make it to the hospital to receive medication and give birth in the presence of doctors. Other potential problems include risk of tearing of the cervix and vagina, hemorrhaging from the uterus or vagina, and risk of infection for the baby from an unsterilised delivery.
If the vaginal opening is not wide enough, there could be changes of the tearing of the perineum, area between vagina and anus, during labour. Stitches repair a torn perineum. According to Dr Landry, most women experience some amount of vaginal tearing during childbirth, leading to discomfort for some weeks.
A fourth-degree tear can also impact the rectum. One of the ways to prevent it is by applying warm compress or massaging the perineum while pushing. This softens the tissue and makes it more flexible, said Dr Ross.
The contractions can continue even after the baby is out as the body tries to expel the placenta from the uterus. The contractions help reduce the amount of postpartum bleeding. The placenta separates from the uterine wall within the first 30 minutes after giving birth and is pushed out with contractions. When this does not happen automatically, it is called retained placenta, explained Dr Landry. This can happen due to weak contractions or closing of the cervix early or if the placenta attaches itself to the muscular walls of the uterus. The symptoms include fever, smelly discharge, heavy bleeding or constant pain. Medication and even breastfeeding can cause the uterus to expel the placenta. Surgery can be used as last resort.
