Contraindications for childbirth. Preparing for natural childbirth: possible complications

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For every woman, childbirth, especially the first, is one of the most important events in life. After just a few hours of hard work, the new mother will have her baby in her arms, who has been kicking from the inside for so long. And it doesn’t matter whether it was a natural birth or a caesarean section, the main thing is that here he is – a small and familiar little lump, loudly screaming to announce that he’s hungry.

If there are no indications for cesarean section, then any pregnant woman is prepared for the birth of her child through natural birth.

The very beginning

Mucus plug

During the normal course of labor, the following happens in a woman’s body. First, the mucus plug that formed in the cervix at the beginning of pregnancy comes out. It looks like a lump of dense mucus, the size of which can vary, yellowish in color, sometimes streaked with blood. You shouldn’t be scared when you see it: this means that the birth process has already begun, although the birth of the child is still far away.

Aching pain in the lower back. Is it worth going to the maternity hospital?

The expectant mother may feel a nagging pain in the lumbar region. This is similar to the sensations before menstruation, but does not go away. If there are any complications, for example, the fetus is in a breech or breech position, then it is better to go to the maternity hospital.

In general, this is not always a contraindication to natural childbirth, but it is better to be safe. The birth of a baby in a breech or breech presentation is a complicated process. It is possible that a caesarean section will be required: it is quite difficult to give birth independently in such a presentation, and in the past many died, unable to give birth to a child walking feet first. Now doctors are successfully helping women whose children are in the breech position to be delivered without consequences for both their own health and the condition of the newborn.

If a mother knows that she is expecting twins, she should also seek medical help as quickly as possible. Two babies in one womb is not a pathology, but also a complicated birth process, and it is necessary to control it immediately. For a woman’s body, the birth of even one child is a lot of stress and work, which requires all the strength, and the birth of twins intensifies it. And although, as a rule, such babies weigh much less and are small in size, the mother still has to work hard to bring them into the world. In addition, a pregnant woman should know the size of her pelvis so that doctors can decide how the expectant mother will deliver her pregnancy.

So, the pain intensifies, encircling the back and stomach, the pelvic area. Sometimes they are permanent, not stopping and gradually becoming more and more noticeable. Sometimes periodic, but not equal in time periods. Also, a woman in labor may experience a fever, which, appearing suddenly, goes away just as suddenly after a few seconds or minutes.

These are not contractions yet, but a state close to them is a harbinger of labor. Every woman should understand that this is only preparation for the main stage. And if during true contractions the cervix opens, then during warning signs it is still just softening and preparing to open.

Contractions. How can you tell what they are?

Often, pregnant women are ready to mistake any tension in the uterus for a contraction, but this is not the case. It doesn’t matter what happens in the end: a natural birth or a caesarean section, it is important to understand what is happening now. Contractions are only those painful contractions of the uterus that are repeated with equal frequency. Everything else is just harbingers. They can begin long before the actual birth.

I would like to add a few words about the outpouring of water. Forget everything that is shown in films: during the normal course of the onset of labor, even if it ends up being a cesarean section, the membranes retain their integrity almost until pushing. If the water has poured out, but there are no contractions as such yet, this is wrong. Urgently to the maternity hospital. Even with an emergency caesarean section, the bladder often remains intact. And it is opened directly during the operation. Neither the size of the pelvis nor the indications for natural childbirth are important, the main thing is that the baby does not suffocate: a long stay of the fetus in an anhydrous space is fraught with infection and suffocation. Quite often, early rupture of water is one of the signs of uncoordinated labor, and often in such cases doctors perform a cesarean section.

If during pregnancy the gynecologist paid attention to the size of the mother’s pelvis, then it is best to go to the maternity hospital at the stage of mild contractions. It is important to understand that the health of both mother and newborn depends on this.

Pain during contractions is periodic, they do not subside, but, on the contrary, intensify and become more frequent. This marks the woman in labor entering the first stage of true labor. And even if in the end she has to have a caesarean section, so far everything is going well, as nature intended. Primiparas enter the second stage of the birth process a long time after the onset of contractions. Therefore, it is advisable to go to the maternity hospital when no more than 10 minutes pass between them. The mother’s psychological mood is very important at this time. There is no need to be afraid, panic, or become hysterical. Natural childbirth is a common process for the female body, in most cases it ends with the happy appearance of a new life. Even if in the end there was a caesarean section, you still shouldn’t worry and reproach yourself. The main thing is a healthy toddler and a calm, confident mother.

Childbirth in progress

Contractions become stronger and more frequent, and the first attempts begin to be added to them. What it is? This feeling is similar to what people experience when they want to go to the toilet “in a big way.” For those women who have decided to have a natural birth after a caesarean section, pushing is unfamiliar. At some point they become uncontrollable, but doctors do not allow you to push right away. Why?

The baby's head is just descending into the birth canal, and it can be harmed. With breech presentation the sensations are the same. In any case, the woman in labor must hear the doctor and follow his instructions.

Many people are interested in the question: is natural childbirth possible after cesarean? Of course they are possible. The first emergency cesarean section is not a mandatory indication for reoperation unless there are additional complications. However, they differ from ordinary ones, firstly, in that doctors do not perform any stimulation.

Secondly, a CTG sensor is constantly connected to the mother’s stomach in order to monitor the baby’s condition throughout the entire period of labor. When giving birth naturally after a cesarean section, a woman must feel everything, so only natural pain relief is used during such births. No epidural anesthesia.

Although, already at the end of the first period, when the pain in contractions becomes very severe, natural childbirth after a cesarean section can still be relieved with the help of an epidural. But by the time we push, the anesthesia wears off. All this can be seen on thematic videos.

Now there are a lot of materials on the Internet that talk about the peculiarities of childbirth after cesarean section, twin births or delivery, in a pelvic (breech, leg) presentation. A pregnant woman has the opportunity to obtain all the information, including how the dimensions of the internal and external pelvis influence the course of the second stage of labor.

The attempts intensify, the baby’s head crashes into the birth canal. Now the task of the expectant mother is to push during contractions, helping the baby come into the world. If the baby is in a breech position, then the legs appear first, and this is the difficulty of such a birth. Even if the size of a woman’s pelvis allows it, often in this case everything can end in surgery. Although many manage to get rid of the burden naturally.

If the baby is not in a breech position, then the back of the head appears first. In order for a small person to successfully enter the birth canal, the size of the internal pelvis is important. They differ from the dimensions of the external pelvis and are determined by measuring the expectant mother’s wrist, which is carried out during examination in the maternity hospital. Often this indicator can be the reason for cesarean section.

The arrival of the baby

While pushing, the baby's head rises into the birth canal. With each contraction, the woman, pushing, helps the uterus push the fetus out. If twins are expected to be born, the same thing happens, only twice.

As a rule, the child goes face down. In case of breech presentation - with legs. When the back of the head comes out first, it is easier to give birth to the rest, and usually a woman copes with this task in two to four attempts.

When a baby is breech, the legs are born first. It turns out that the baby moves through the birth canal in reverse order. Such births are dangerous for both the baby and the mother, and often end in a caesarean section. Unfortunately, even the size of the pelvis does not play a special role here.

The last, third, period of labor, even if it is the birth of twins or a fetus in the breech presentation, is the appearance of the placenta. If the baby was born via cesarean section, the placenta will be removed directly during the operation.

Of course, vaginal birth is the best option for both mother and baby. They allow you to go through the entire process from beginning to end, as nature intended. But even in the case of a caesarean section, you should not be upset in any case. After all, a new person, son or daughter, has been born, what could be more beautiful than this event?

Olga Nechaeva believes that most of the medical problems for which women are advised not to give birth naturally can be avoided. The main thing is to find the necessary information in time. Therefore, the mother of two children in her blog spoke about facts about natural childbirth that will be useful for pregnant women and which will help to avoid many troubles.

1. Childbirth is a natural process that is triggered by a mechanism in a woman’s brain. Doctors still cannot argue what exactly triggers labor, so their attempts to intervene in this process are, to say the least, unprofessional.

2. The earlier your birth is intervened, the greater the chance of a disastrous outcome. It's like a domino effect.

16. A water-free period of 24 hours when the water naturally breaks and the mother does not have a fever is considered risk-free in the West. A water-free period of 24-48 hours requires regular monitoring of maternal temperature and fetal heart rate, but is normal. Labor usually begins naturally during this period. There is no data beyond 72 hours because everyone gives birth by then.

17. The baby does not suffocate during the anhydrous period; the placenta continues to produce amniotic fluid.

18. The only danger of a waterless period is infection, which is monitored by measuring the mother's temperature. Vaginal examinations increase the risk of infection.

19. Chemical intervention during labor (induction) disrupts the natural hormonal chemistry of labor.

20. Oskitocin, produced during childbirth and feeding, starts and promotes labor, and then the separation of milk. It also stimulates the expression of feelings of love and care.

Adrenaline and norepinephrine in the early stages of labor suppress and stop labor. Therefore, examinations, questions, moving, enemas, placement in a ward with other panicking and screaming women in labor, intimidation by doctors can lead to a halt in labor.

21. Artificial oxytocin inhibits the production of natural oxytocin.

22. Beta-endorphins (natural opiates) are produced in the brain during labor and help achieve a state of “altered consciousness” that is necessary for a quick and easy labor. They also act as a natural pain reliever, and some even provide the opportunity to experience sensations comparable to orgasm. Their deficiency, which occurs as a result of stimulation, makes childbirth significantly more painful.

23. Beta-endorphins stimulate the secretion of prolactin, which contributes to the onset. Their absence can negatively affect the ability to feed a child. Their absence, let me remind you, occurs as a result of stimulation of labor.

24. Beta-endorphin promotes the final formation of the baby's lungs during the birth process. Its deficiency entails potential respiratory and related problems in the child.

25. Beta-endorphin is present in breast milk and causes a feeling of satisfaction and calm in the newborn.

26. Adrenaline and norepinephrine in the early stages of labor suppress and stop labor. Therefore, examinations, questions, moving, enemas, placement in a ward with other panicking and screaming women in labor, intimidation by doctors can lead to a halt in labor. If a woman in labor is scared or nervous, adrenaline is released, which suppresses the action of oxytocin, acting as its antagonist. Logical thinking (activation of the neocortex) has the same negative effect on oxytocin production. Calls to think, remember, fill out a map, sign papers, answer questions and any other stimulation of the neocortex slow down labor.

27. In this case, adrenaline and norepinephrine are released at the late stage of labor, triggering the “expulsion of the fetus” reflex, when the baby is born in 2-3 attempts. Artificial stimulation does not allow them to develop naturally. Their deficiency makes the period of pushing long, exhausting and traumatic.

28. Animal studies have shown that a deficiency of noadrenaline in the last stage of labor caused a loss of maternal instinct.

29. The level of adrenaline and norepinephrine in a newborn is also high, it protects the child from hypoxia and prepares for contact with the mother.

30. Contractions caused by artificial oxytocin differ from natural ones, since it is not the woman’s brain that determines the desired volume. They can lead to impaired blood circulation in the walls of the uterus, and as a result, hypoxia.

31. When stimulation is used, labor often proceeds quickly, with forceful passage of the birth canal and an “assault” nature of the child’s movement along the birth canal.

32. Neurosonography on the third day of birth revealed a huge combination of ischemia and cerebral edema around the ventricles of the brain with hemorrhages, cephalohematomas of the parietal region and hydrocephalus of the cistern only in children whose mothers received stimulation (all children were full-term). No such injuries were identified in children born naturally.

36. Medical induction and stimulation of labor are the main cause of diseases of the central nervous system.

37. Artificially administered oxytocin increases the risk of bleeding after childbirth, since the brain, having received a signal about a high level of oxytocin in the blood during childbirth, cuts off the supply of its own.

38. The popularity of medical anesthesia is associated with widespread interference in the birth process and, as a result, more painful childbirth. occurring under the right conditions (calm, darkness, safety, relaxation) do not require anesthesia in most healthy women. Moreover, it is the presence of one or another level of pain that leads to the production of the necessary and timely amount of hormones necessary for childbirth to be natural, soft, and non-traumatic for both the mother and the child.

39. A direct relationship has been identified between the mother's intake of opiates and barbiturates for pain relief during childbirth and the tendency of the born children to become addicted to opiates. The risk of drug addiction is almost 5 times higher in children whose mothers used opiates (pethidine, nitrous oxide).

Clamping the umbilical cord immediately after birth deprives the baby of up to 50% of its blood. Clamping for a minute - up to 30%.

40. The drugs included in epidural anesthesia (cocaine derivatives and sometimes opiates) inhibit the production of beta-endorphins and prevent the transition to an altered state of consciousness necessary for childbirth.

45. An episiotomy takes longer to heal and disrupts tissue worse than a natural tear. During repeated births, sutures from an episitomy are more likely to break than from a previous natural rupture.

The birth of a baby is undoubtedly the most important stage in life for every woman. The body of the expectant mother is preparing everything for this event. Nature has thought of everything itself, including the way a new person will be born. Most women set up on their own from the first days, and do it right. After all, if there are no contraindications, this natural process requires only the help of doctors, but not direct intervention.

Indications

How to give birth is a conscious choice of every woman. Natural childbirth has its own indications:

• these are women and she plans to have more children;

Important!A caesarean section limits the number of births to two or three.

• The woman in labor does not have critical health problems or serious chronic ones;
• have successful experience of natural
• a woman is determined to breastfeed a baby - with independent childbirth it is many times higher.

Contraindications for natural childbirth

Unfortunately, not everything in this world is perfect. In the same way, a woman’s body cannot always fulfill what nature intended. There are a number of contraindications, some of which are known already during childbirth, while others may arise during childbirth.

During pregnancy

If, at the stage of bearing a child, doctors identify contraindications and recommend them, it is better to listen to them. That is why during registration and during the observation process you are asked so many questions regarding your health and diseases. So, contraindications for natural childbirth:

• too large fruit together with another;
• narrow pelvis or bone changes;
• various formations on the uterus or its ovaries - anything that can block the birth canal;
• sophistication that creates the threat of its rupture;
• the baby is turned transversely in the womb;
• the presence of sugar, heart and vascular diseases;
• significant narrowing of the cervix;
• complete or incomplete placenta;
• post-maturity of the fetus;
• genital herpes in the acute stage;
• pronounced veins in the area;
• fused
• long-term
• primigravida over 30 years old in the presence of obstetric pathologies;
• malignant formations in the female organs.

Did you know? The date of actual birth in women only in 5% of cases coincides with the date assumed by doctors. As a rule, the baby appears between 1 week before this date and 2 weeks after. Interestingly, firstborns are often born four days later.

During childbirth

During childbirth, absolute contraindications can arise, when nothing depends on the woman’s wishes, or relative ones, when the expectant mother has the right to choose. The absolute ones include:

• the waters receded ahead of time, while they were absent;
• threat or onset of uterine rupture;
• the fetal head is larger than the mother's pelvis;
• incorrect position of the fetal head;
• acute child;
• prolapse of umbilical cord loops or their presentation.

Relative contraindications:

• the fruit is too big or too small;
• pregnancy with pathologies;

How to prepare

As practice shows, women who led an active lifestyle and exercised before pregnancy tolerate them more easily. Along with physical preparation for natural childbirth, the psychological attitude is very important.

Physically

For those who have led a sedentary life, now is the time to think about your health and start moving more (if there are no contraindications). It is necessary to remember that now you should have enough strength and health for two.

Take a contrast shower in the morning - this helps to harden the body. If this procedure is unusual for you, use slightly cool water instead of cold water - two minutes under warm water, 30 seconds under cool water, and so on three times. Just do it in the morning, as such a shower invigorates.

Important! Walking in the fresh air should become the same habit as brushing your teeth.

Those who exercised before pregnancy can continue to exercise. You just need to talk to your doctor first - the degree of stress will have to be reduced. For those who have not practiced, it is worth starting to do special complexes under the supervision of an instructor. Special gymnastics for expectant mothers perfectly strengthens the immune system, respiratory and cardiac systems, has a beneficial effect on the development of the fetus, and prepares the body for the increased stress of childbirth.

It will bring undeniable benefits - no matter in the pool or in the pond. As you know, when swimming, all muscles work, and water also calms and relieves tension. There is also a special one for pregnant women that helps relax the muscles of the legs and back. This is especially true in the last trimester, when women often complain of back pain and swelling of the legs. In addition to relaxation, massage also helps to activate blood circulation and lift your mood.

Along with physical exercises, as a rule, breathing is also used, which helps reduce stress. All exercises and procedures must be performed regularly, then they will give the expected result and the body will be maximally prepared for the most important event in life.

Psychologically

Most fears and anxieties among expectant mothers before childbirth arise from a lack of knowledge about how childbirth occurs in women or due to incorrect perception of information. To tune in psychologically, you need to learn as much as possible about the birth process. Preparatory courses will bring the most benefit in this regard. These classes are conducted by experienced doctors. Finding out information from them is much better than reading it yourself on the Internet. In groups, you can communicate with similar mothers and share your fears, worries and experiences, which helps to free yourself from unnecessary emotions.

Try to always be positive: listen to music, watch funny movies, admire nature, do what you love. In the last two months before giving birth, when a working woman goes on sick leave, there is a very lack of communication. Call your friends, relatives, go to visit, invite guests to your place - in a word, try to fill this lack.

How does childbirth go?

By the word “childbirth,” young and inexperienced mothers in labor often mean solely the fact of the birth of a baby and do not always imagine exactly how this happens. Doctors mean by this word a process consisting of three stages: contractions, during which the uterus opens, pushing when the fetus moves through the birth canal, and the release of the placenta.

Contractions

This is the longest stage of the birth process. The first ones make themselves felt at irregular intervals and do not cause much discomfort. This is the so-called “quiet” or latent phase. At the beginning, the cervix opens by 2 cm, and by the end by 4. This first phase can last 5-6 hours. Then the contractions intensify and become regular, and this is already a sign that it’s time to go to the maternity hospital. Usually regular ones occur after withdrawal. This is the active phase and it is the most painful - contractions repeat every 10 minutes.

The average duration of this stage is 3-4 hours. At the third stage, the intensity and duration of contractions decreases, and the cervix opens to 10 cm. In the third phase of labor, the fetal head passes through the narrowest part of the pelvis. It may take 45 minutes to 2 hours for the fetus to pass through.

Attempts

After the uterus opens 10 cm, the woman is given the command to push - pushing begins. In medical terms, this is the expulsion of the fetus from the mother's womb. The woman in labor is transferred to the delivery room. The uterus begins to actively contract. A woman should listen to doctors' commands when telling her when to push. By contracting, the abdominal muscles exert abdominal pressure, which, together with the intrauterine pressure, helps the fetus move down. If the birth is not the first, then the period of pushing can pass in 30 minutes. For first-time mothers, this can take up to 2 hours.

Did you know? Newborns do not have tears - their lacrimal glands are narrowed (or clogged). As scientists have proven, when crying, the baby copies the intonation of the mother, which she overheard in the womb.

Expulsion of the placenta

5 minutes after the baby is born, the woman in labor feels subtle contractions. This means that rejection has begun. When it is completely out, the doctor checks for damage to the placenta. It may be necessary to remove its remains from the uterus. After this, the birth canal is checked for ruptures and, if necessary, stitched together.

Natural childbirth: pros and cons

Independent childbirth is a process programmed in the female body. There are many more advantages to such births than disadvantages, but they also exist.

Advantages

• It has been found that women who gave birth naturally have fewer problems with.
• Also, children born naturally adapt more easily to environmental changes and are more resilient in the future.
• The small organism is thus hardened, and the mother’s organism recovers faster.
• The mother will be able to care for the baby herself immediately after discharge.

Flaws

Provided there are no contraindications, the disadvantages of giving birth to a baby naturally are noticeable only to the mother in labor:

• pain and lacerations of the perineum after childbirth;
• headache during contractions and pushing.

Of course, there is still a risk of birth trauma for the baby, but it remains even with

The choice of how and where to give birth to her baby always remains with the woman. However, it is so inherent in nature that the mother intuitively chooses the method that will be best for her child, last of all thinking about her pain and discomfort. They will pass and remain in the past, but the health of the baby is established already at the stage of birth, and this must be remembered.

• pros
• Minuses
• Preparation
• Stages
• Epidural anesthesia
• Home birth
• Consequences
• Unusual natural birth

Is natural childbirth justified and is it not better to agree to a caesarean section at the slightest deviation? Modern women want to get by with “little blood” and not feel anything, but doctors sound the alarm in such situations and, despite fears of pain, strongly recommend giving birth to a child on their own in the absence of indications for surgical intervention. When preparing for such an important event, expectant mothers must weigh the pros and cons, listen to all the doctors’ recommendations and make the right and informed decision.

pros

If you have the opportunity to choose whether to give birth on your own or by caesarean section (read the link to find out which is better), you need a detailed consultation with a doctor. He must highlight to the woman all the advantages and disadvantages of both methods of childbirth in her particular situation. Parents of the future baby must weigh the pros and cons and understand that all responsibility for the decision made will fall on their shoulders. The undoubted advantages of natural childbirth are as follows:

• rapid establishment of lactation;
• the birth of a child is a process programmed by nature itself, any outside interference in which can end detrimentally;
• through natural childbirth, a newborn gains difficult but useful experience in overcoming difficulties and obstacles;
• natural adaptation of the baby to new conditions is guaranteed;
• hardening of the small organism occurs;
• a close, inextricable connection is ensured between the mother and the newly born child;
• rapid postpartum recovery of the female body;
• the mother’s ability to independently care for the newborn immediately after discharge.

Of course, natural childbirth has many advantages. However, the young mother will need to consider all the pros and cons of this process in order to represent the other, not entirely attractive side of the coin. After all, this method of delivery also has disadvantages.

Minuses

Compared to the advantages, the disadvantages of natural childbirth are few and far between. These include:

• severe pain when contractions and pushing occur;
• painful sensations in the perineum after childbirth;
• frequent ruptures of the perineum, which dictates the need for sutures in this place.

Many also consider frequent birth injuries of mother and child to be a disadvantage, but this is a controversial point. According to statistics, with a caesarean section the risk of such consequences is also very high. Surgical intervention in this natural process requires serious medical indications.

Contraindications to natural childbirth

A situation may arise where the birth of a child without surgical intervention may threaten not only the health, but also the life of the woman and the baby. There are certain contraindications to natural childbirth, which at the same time serve as indications for cesarean section.

During pregnancy

1. As a rule, this is a narrow pelvis, when the baby cannot pass the birth canal on his own. Tumors and deformities in this part of the female body.
2. Threat of uterine rupture due to thinning or scar failure.
3. Abnormal, incorrect position of the placenta, when it is fixed above the cervix, thereby blocking the baby's exit.
4. Pathologies (tumors, fibroids) in the development of the uterus or vagina.
5. Symphysitis is a separation of the pubic bones.
6. Severe form of gestosis.
7. Some chronic diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, diabetes, myopia, etc.
8. Plastic surgery on the vagina, cervix, suturing of enterogenital and genitourinary fistulas.
9. Severe perineal rupture in previous births.
10. Dilatation of vaginal veins.
11. Conjoined twins.
12. Transverse position in the baby's womb.
13. Chronic hypoxia of the fetus, its malnutrition.
14. Long-term infertility.
15. Exacerbation of genital herpes.

During childbirth

1. Early discharge of amniotic fluid.
2. Various anomalies of labor.
3. Fetal hypoxia in the acute stage.
4. Placental abruption.
5. Prolapse or presentation of umbilical cord loops.
6. Incorrect position of the fetal head (in an unbent state, high straight standing).

These are absolute contraindications for natural childbirth, when even the desire of the woman herself is not taken into account. In all other cases, alternative options are possible, but in this case the young mother will have to take full responsibility for the outcome of what is happening in writing. This situation may arise in the presence of the following factors, which in gynecology are called relative contraindications for independent childbirth:

• breech presentation (its causes and signs here);
• more than 35 years;
• the fruit is too large or small;
• previous cesarean section;
• pregnancy pathologies.

Contraindications for natural childbirth are identified either during pregnancy, and then a caesarean section is performed as planned, or immediately before the onset of labor, when a decision is made on an urgent, unscheduled operation. If carrying a baby goes without any problems, you need to gradually prepare for independent delivery so that everything goes smoothly with minimal losses and complications.

Preparation

Even at the stage of pregnancy, psychological and physical preparation for natural childbirth is very important, which allows you to avoid complications and unforeseen situations.

What things to prepare

1. A month before giving birth, collect 3 packages: for childbirth, after birth, for discharge.
2. Purchase in advance a crib, bathtub, stroller, diapers, diapers, undershirts, a first aid kit and other items necessary to care for a newborn for the first time.
3. While you are away, prepare food for your husband and children.
4. Prepare all necessary documents.

Psychological preparation

1. Be confident that everything will go well. Do not doubt the successful outcome of the matter.
2. Don't allow bad thoughts.
3. Do only the things you love.
4. You need to get ready for a natural birth as early as possible: calm down, don’t be nervous, don’t get irritated, don’t get upset, don’t cry.
5. Treat contractions as the next step towards meeting your long-awaited baby.

About psychology and childbirth. Until now, scientists have no data on what exactly serves as the trigger for the onset of labor. It is believed that the answer should be sought in the woman’s brain.

Physical training

1. During pregnancy, you need to physically prepare for natural childbirth: regularly perform Kegel exercises, do special gymnastics, lead an active lifestyle, walk more, drink multivitamins and follow exactly all the doctor’s recommendations.
2. During contractions, it is recommended to give yourself a massage of the sacrum and lower back, which relieves pain, and also learn how to breathe correctly during natural childbirth.
3. When pushing, you need to do what doctors and midwives say.

As practice shows, if the preparatory stage was completed competently, without fuss and with confidence of a successful outcome, the birth will take place naturally without complications or difficulties.

Stages

Any woman preparing to become a mother awaits this event with trepidation and wants to be as prepared as possible for this process. Therefore, you need to accurately understand how natural childbirth takes place, what stages it involves.

Stage 1: contractions

1. Rare, painless, almost imperceptible contractions begin (the uterus contracts). A woman can be at home, even doing everyday activities.
2. The contractions intensify, become painful, and occur every 3-5 minutes. The waters are receding. It's time to go to the maternity hospital. Here it is immediately important to establish proper breathing, which will help reduce pain and ensure the supply of oxygen to the baby.

For your information…

Many scientists consider the uterus to be a unique organ. During the 9 months that a woman is carrying a baby, the uterus enlarges 10 times, and after childbirth it safely returns to its previous size.

Stage 2: pushing

1. After the cervix has completely dilated, as a rule, there is a strong desire to push.
2. You need to take a comfortable position.
3. You can do a pain-relieving lower back massage.
4. Establish proper breathing.
5. Listen to the doctor and follow all his instructions exactly.

Stage 3: Delivery of the placenta

1. Within a few minutes the placenta comes out.
2. The woman feels weak contractions.
3. The doctor must make sure that the placenta is delivered entirely.
4. After this, if there are any tears, stitches are applied.
5. The baby is measured, weighed, and placed on the mother's breast.

These stages are typical for normal natural childbirth, but each of them may have its own difficulties and difficulties, which are overcome through the joint efforts of the woman in labor, doctors and the child. In some cases, pain relief may be required.

Epidural anesthesia

Many women in labor are afraid of pain, which can be simply unbearable during labor. Today, epidural anesthesia for natural childbirth is used as one of the methods of pain relief, which is highly effective. It involves injecting the drug with a thin needle directly into the spinal canal, between the spinal discs. Indications for its mandatory implementation are:

• kidney and lung diseases;
• myopia;
• heart pathologies;
• toxicosis in late stages;
• premature birth;
• incorrect placement of the fetus.

Advantages of epidural anesthesia used during natural childbirth:

• it can be prolonged as pain occurs, thanks to the catheter;
• blood pressure does not drop with this method of pain relief (as with spinal anesthesia, for example).

However, doctors still rarely resort to this method and recommend natural childbirth without the use of anesthesia, since it has a number of significant disadvantages:

• such side effects and consequences as hematoma formation, leakage of cerebrospinal fluid, headaches, unconsciousness, spasms, fluid retention in the body and others;
• slow action of the drug, which begins to work only 20 minutes after administration.

If it is possible to give birth to a baby without the use of epidural anesthesia, you need to take advantage of this chance. Some very strong-willed women decide to have a natural home birth, but they must have an idea of ​​what they are getting into.

Home birth

In some cases, natural childbirth is carried out at home, which can be either an emergency, when the ambulance team does not have time to deliver the woman in labor to the hospital, or an independent decision of the parents of the unborn baby. Before making such a choice, you need to weigh the pros and cons.

Benefits of home natural childbirth

• appropriate psychological atmosphere;
• naturalness of the process without outside interference;
• To relieve pain, you can take any position;
• absence of harmful hospital microflora;
• independent control over the entire birth process;
• bringing parents closer together and with the baby.

Disadvantages of natural childbirth at home

• the midwife may not be able to cope with the complications that arise alone;
• under unforeseen circumstances, the woman may not have time to be taken to the maternity hospital;
• lack of medical equipment;
• the inability to legally hold someone responsible if something goes wrong;
• the future dad will find himself in a stressful situation, he may get lost and cannot stand the tension;
• At home, a woman has no time to gain strength after childbirth; she will have to care for the child immediately;
• It is very difficult to organize a comfortable and safe place for childbirth at home: household microorganisms are dangerous for the baby.

If the pregnancy proceeded without complications and an experienced midwife was hired for the birth at home, everything goes without complications or consequences.

Consequences

Negative consequences of natural childbirth can occur if a timely decision to have a cesarean section is not made. In this case, due to unforeseen circumstances or medical error, complications are possible, including a tragic outcome:

• various birth injuries in mother or baby;
• the death of one of them;
• perineal ruptures;
• postpartum depression.

Such complications during natural childbirth are rare. To avoid them, you need to follow all doctor’s instructions during pregnancy and during the birth process.

Unusual natural birth

In some situations, natural childbirth may be complicated by maternal illness or unusual intrauterine development of the fetus. In this case, you need to either perform a caesarean section, or still give birth to the baby yourself, having previously familiarized yourself with all the possible consequences.

Twins

Despite numerous conversations about the need for a cesarean section during multiple pregnancies, it is quite possible to give birth to twins naturally with a successful outcome. You just need to keep in mind all the pitfalls of this process:

• after the birth of her first baby, a woman may experience weakness in the birth process;
• the heavy weight of two bodies can cause premature rupture of the bladder, the water may break too early;
• babies often lie in the womb incorrectly;
• interweaving of umbilical cords.

During a natural birth of twins, doctors must be prepared for all these pitfalls and be able to provide timely assistance to the mother and babies.

Interesting fact. In the 18th century, a Russian peasant woman gave birth to 69 children in 27 times: these were 16 twins, 7 triplets, and 4 times 4 babies were born at once. Given the timing, the woman gave birth on her own.

With breech presentation (breech)

Natural birth with breech presentation may be allowed if:

• the fruit is small;
• the pelvis is normal;
• with breech presentation of the fetus.

With mixed or leg presentation, the medical prognosis can be significantly worse. Natural childbirth in these cases can result in fetal asphyxia, severe injuries, umbilical cord prolapse, premature placental abruption and other complications. To avoid all this, the doctor must make a timely decision about a caesarean section.

After IVF

Today, natural childbirth after IVF (in vitro fertilization) is no longer something out of the ordinary. If quite recently, after this procedure, a woman was offered only one option - a cesarean section, now she is allowed to give birth on her own in the absence of the following factors:

• if a woman insists on a cesarean section;
• age over 35 years;
• multiple pregnancy;
• some chronic diseases;
• fetoplacental insufficiency;
• duration of infertility more than 5 years;
• gestosis;
• risk of miscarriage.

If a woman who has undergone IVF is healthy and young, and the reason for her infertility, according to a medical examination, was the deviations of her partner, she is quite capable of giving birth naturally.

With symphysitis

Symphysitis is inflammation in the pubic symphysis of the pelvis, which can occur during pregnancy or the postpartum period. Natural childbirth with symphysitis is possible in the following cases:

• with a mild clinical picture (no severe pain in the joints);
• if the expansion of the pubic fissure is up to 10 mm;
• with pelvic sizes corresponding to the norm;
• if the fruit is not large.

With a scar on the uterus (after myomectomy and laparotomy)

Doctors today allow natural childbirth even with a scar on the uterus after surgery, myomectomy or a previous cesarean section, subject to certain conditions:

• repeat pregnancy occurred a couple of years after the previous operation;
• Ultrasound showed the consistency of the scar: it is smooth, without tears or overstretching;
• the weight of the fetus does not exceed 3.5 kg;
• cephalic presentation;
• location of the placenta along the posterior uterine wall;
• normal pelvic size;
• the presence of no more than 1 scar on the uterus;
• absence of pathologies in the intrauterine development of the fetus

If these conditions, based on the results of a medical examination, are not met, the woman will be offered a caesarean section. If these conditions are met, independent delivery is allowed even after removal of fibroids by laparotomy, when an incision is made in the abdominal cavity.

For uterine fibroids

Natural childbirth with uterine fibroids (this is a tumor neoplasm) is quite possible, since this disease itself is not an indication for cesarean section. However, the pregnancy should proceed normally, there should be no complications with the health of the mother and child, and the placenta and fetus are located correctly.

For hemorrhoids

Giving birth to a child naturally with hemorrhoids is a complex and quite painful process. As the fetus passes through the birth canal, the pressure in the pelvic cavity and peritoneum increases, the veins are compressed and pinched. As a result, there is an increase in hemorrhoids. However, in the presence of this disease, doctors do not recommend cesarean section. The only way to avoid painful complications is to regularly engage in hemorrhoid prevention throughout pregnancy.

For high myopia

Natural delivery with high myopia is possible with a favorable course of myopia and the following conditions:

• the presence of positive dynamics in terms of vision;
• regular preventive measures (taking special medications, vitamins, calcium);
• normal, without pathologies, pregnancy;
• lack of surgery to correct vision.

So natural childbirth is not recommended after laser vision correction and after retinal coagulation. They can lead to severe hemorrhage in the eye tissue, retinal detachment and even blindness. Is it worth the risk?

After conization of the cervix

Giving birth on your own after cervical conization (an operation in which a cone-shaped part of the uterus is cut out) can usually be very difficult. This is due to the fact that the scar after such a procedure most often prevents the opening of the cervix. In this case, an emergency caesarean section is performed.

With low placentation

Natural childbirth with low placentation (when the edge of the placenta is only 6 cm from the internal os) is very dangerous, since partial placental abruption often occurs when the cervix dilates. This is very dangerous for the life of the fetus. In this case, an emergency caesarean section is performed.

After 40 years

Natural childbirth is quite possible even after 40 years of age in the absence of abnormalities and complications in the condition of the mother and child. Age (all women in labor should know this) is not an indication for a cesarean section.

When entwined with the umbilical cord

When the umbilical cord is entangled, a caesarean section is not always performed. If it is one-time, doctors professionally help the woman give birth on her own without consequences. Surgery is prescribed if the following factors are identified before the onset of labor:

• delayed development of the baby in the womb;
• his heart rate increases;
• double or even triple entanglement with the umbilical cord.

With this complication, everything will depend on how dangerous the umbilical cord is entwined for the life and health of the child.

Herpes and natural childbirth

Now everyone is actively discussing the question of how compatible herpes and natural childbirth are: many women are afraid that in this case there will be a mandatory infection of the baby with this dangerous virus, whose immune system is not yet ready for such an attack. However, according to recent studies, with recurrent herpes, the female body by the time of birth has already produced antibodies that are able to penetrate the placenta. By this time, the child is completely protected, so he is not at risk of infection.

With a narrow pelvis

Giving birth to women with a narrow pelvis is also very difficult. It is such if one of the following indicators is 1.5-2 cm less than the norm. Deviations complicate the process of natural childbirth, presenting insurmountable obstacles and difficulties for them. So, when registering for consultation, as well as when a pregnant woman enters the maternity hospital, a mandatory measurement of this part of the female body is carried out. Doctors call the following normal pelvic sizes for natural childbirth, which will not complicate the child’s passage through the birth canal.

1. Lumbosacral Michaelis rhombus (Figure 1): vertically - 11 cm, horizontally - 10 cm.
2. The distance between the iliac superior anterior spines (number 1 in Figure 2a) should be at least 25-26 cm.
3. The gap between the points of the iliac crests that are most distant from each other (number 2 in Figure 2a) should normally be 28-29 cm.
4. The distance between the greater trochanters (tubercles) of the femurs (number 3 in Figure 2a) is approximately 30-31 cm.
5. The distance between the fossa above the sacrum and the upper edge of the pubis in gynecology is called the external conjugate (Figure 2b) and is normally 20-21 cm.
6. The Solovyov index (circumference length at the wrist joint) should not be more than 14 cm, since in this case the conclusion is drawn about the massiveness of the pelvic bone and its small size.

Even if the norm for all these indicators is met, the doctor must additionally find out whether the size of the pelvis corresponds to the size of the child’s head and check for deformation of the bone joints. For this purpose, an ultrasound (less often x-ray) examination is performed.

With enterococcus fecalis

There is no need to be afraid to give birth naturally and with enterococcus fecalis, which is part of the normal microflora of the human digestive tract. If the tests are in order and doctors do not recommend a cesarean section, there is no threat of infection to the baby.

With inguinal hernia

Pregnant women with an inguinal hernia may be offered to give birth naturally if the following conditions are met:

• small protrusion;
• wearing a bandage during pregnancy;
• During pushing, the obstetrician must support the hernia with his hand to prevent strangulation.

According to statistics, an inguinal hernia after childbirth disappears without a trace for some time.

As practice shows, modern doctors are reconsidering their views on caesarean section and treat it only as a necessity when the life of the mother and child is really in danger. In the absence of medical indications for surgical intervention, preference should be given to natural childbirth.

From the first days a woman finds out that she is pregnant, many questions related to childbirth are spinning in her head. For example, what awaits her - natural childbirth or caesarean section, whether anesthesia is needed and many others.

What does the term “natural childbirth” mean? This is a birth that occurs according to the scenario laid down by nature itself, that is, without outside intervention. In the modern world, this is perhaps only feasible if the woman is left alone with herself without any medical assistance. In other cases, natural childbirth takes place in the maternity hospital, and doctors intervene in labor only if necessary. The duration of such labor without complications is on average 9-11 hours.

Preparing for natural childbirth

If a woman is prepared for childbirth, then there is a high probability that it will take place naturally. Even the pain that accompanies contractions will be perceived correctly by trained women in labor, without unnecessary nervousness.

Preparation for natural childbirth has two directions:

• physical;
• psychological.

Physical training

First of all, a woman must learn to breathe correctly during contractions.

In addition, during pregnancy you need to pay attention to the following types of preparation:

1. Preparation of the cervix. Every woman, especially those giving birth for the first time, should perform exercises that prepare the cervix for the upcoming birth. Weak, inelastic cervical muscles are more likely to rupture and be injured. Kegel exercises and squats with your knees wide apart help prepare the cervix for childbirth. Read more about Kegel exercises during pregnancy→
2. Preparing the perineum. To prevent episiotomy (cutting of the perineum during pushing), it is necessary to perform self-massage of the perineum from the 30th week of pregnancy using any vegetable oil. A gynecologist should tell you how to do a massage.
3. Preparing the mammary glands for lactation. You also need to prepare for breastfeeding in advance. Cracks and sore nipples are the first thing young mothers face after childbirth.

To minimize discomfort in the chest area or avoid it altogether, you should follow these recommendations:

• regularly conduct contrast douches on the chest;
• rub the nipples with a rough terry towel;
• manually pull the nipples forward, as if shaping them;
• arrange air baths for the mammary glands, thereby hardening the breasts.

Physical preparation for childbirth is necessary for all women, regardless of whether they are giving birth for the first time or repeatedly. Women in labor with a weak, unprepared body experience serious problems during the birth process - unbearable pain during contractions, weakness in pushing, etc.

Psychological preparation

Psychological preparation for childbirth includes the obligatory ridding of a woman from fears, which are often false. It is fear that makes childbirth extremely painful, problematic, and sometimes dramatic. If a woman in labor is not afraid and can feel confident, then her birth will proceed according to a more favorable scenario.

Psychological preparation of a woman is also carried out during pregnancy. If the expectant mother refuses to attend childbirth preparation courses and gives preference only to book publications, she will most likely be in the grip of false ideas about childbirth, that is, either overly dramatize its inevitability, or, on the contrary, overly idealize its occurrence. In both cases, her expectations will not coincide with reality; psychologically, such a woman in labor will be unprepared, which cannot be said about women who learned in courses not to lose composure and to properly control their emotions.

Advantages and disadvantages of natural childbirth

The undoubted advantages of natural childbirth are:

• rapid development of lactation;
• natural adaptation of the newborn to the environment;
• passing through the mother’s birth canal, the child gains a difficult but useful experience of overcoming obstacles;
• formation of a close bond between mother and child;
• faster recovery of a woman’s body after childbirth;
• the young mother will be able to care for the baby in the first days after discharge from the hospital.

Disadvantages of natural childbirth include:

• severe pain during contractions and pushing;
• pain syndrome after the birth of a child in the perineal area;
• possible perineal ruptures, stitches.

Many people consider trauma to the mother and baby to be a disadvantage of natural childbirth, however, this is a controversial situation for doctors. According to statistics, a caesarean section is no less traumatic. But surgical delivery requires serious medical indications.

Contraindications to natural childbirth

Contraindications to natural childbirth are not uncommon these days. They can be detected during pregnancy or with the onset of the birth process itself.

Contraindications discovered during pregnancy:

• narrow pelvis, pelvic deformities and tumors that will prevent the normal passage of the child through the birth canal;
• the risk of uterine rupture associated with thinning or failure of scar tissue (in case of repeat birth after cesarean); Read more about uterine restoration after cesarean section →
• abnormal attachment of the placenta, covering the entrance to the cervix, which makes physiological childbirth impossible;
• discrepancy of the pubic bones - symphysitis;
• burdened gestosis;
• chronic pathologies of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, diseases of the organs of vision, diabetes mellitus, etc.;
• serious perineal ruptures in previous births;
• plastic surgery on the cervix, in the vagina;
• varicose veins of the vagina and uterus;
• Siamese twins;
• transverse position of the baby in the uterus;
• chronic malnutrition and hypoxia of the fetus;
• long-term infertility;
• stage of exacerbation of genital herpes;
• cancer in the expectant mother.

Contraindications identified during childbirth:

• premature rupture of water;
• pathologies of labor;
• placental abruption;
• acute fetal hypoxia;
• prolapse or presentation of the umbilical cord;
• malposition.

Stages of natural childbirth

Every expectant mother awaits the onset of childbirth and strives to approach this difficult process as responsibly as possible. That is why it is necessary to know how physiological childbirth proceeds, what stages a woman must overcome.

The first stage - contractions

1. Childbirth begins with painless, rare contractions, which at first resemble regular contractions of the uterus. In this case, a woman may be at home, not yet realizing that she is actually going into labor.
2. Contractions begin to intensify, their pain and regularity increases - every 5 minutes or more often. At this time, your water should break. You need to go to the maternity hospital and at the same time remember the technique of proper breathing, mastered in courses for expectant mothers. It helps relieve pain during contractions and improve oxygen supply to the baby.

The second stage - pushing

1. As soon as the cervix is ​​close to full dilation, the desire to push appears.
2. You need to take the right posture and breathe correctly. It is allowed to do pain-relieving massage of the lumbar region.
3. It is important during attempts to control what is happening around you and obey the doctor in everything, fulfilling his requirements exactly. Attempts end with the birth of a child.

Stage three - delivery of the placenta

1. The placenta is born quite quickly - within a few minutes after the birth of the baby.
2. During the expulsion of the placenta, the woman feels weak contractions.
3. The doctor must ensure the integrity of the placenta.
4. If everything is in order, the woman’s birth canal is examined and stitches are applied if necessary.
5. The baby is weighed, measured and placed on the mother's breast for the first time.

This course is typical for most women in labor, but at each stage specific features and problems may arise that the doctor must address.

Natural birth after IVF

When it comes to childbirth after IVF, experts usually insist on a caesarean section, but surgical birth is by no means the rule in this situation. If a woman has no medical indications for a cesarean section, if she is young and healthy, and the reason for artificial insemination was the male factor, then nothing will prevent her from giving birth naturally.

Natural childbirth after IVF follows the same classic scenario as in other cases. The only thing is that due to the non-standard situation with fertilization, the characteristics of the woman’s body and the course of pregnancy, such births may occur a little earlier or later. Therefore, it is recommended that the IVF mother be placed on preservation in advance, starting from the 37th week of gestation.

Caesarean section or natural birth - which is better?

If a woman knows how natural childbirth occurs, then she will understand that a cesarean section is radically different from the physiological birth process. In recent years, doctors have been reconsidering their views on surgical childbirth and resorting to them only when absolutely necessary. In the absence of absolute medical indications for a caesarean section, a woman is recommended to give birth on her own.

Childbirth during a cesarean section is quick and abrupt, while the woman recovers longer because she underwent a real surgical operation, and the child adapts to the environment more difficult due to the abrupt transition from one environment to another.

In the case of natural childbirth, this situation is excluded. The woman recovers faster, the baby is put to the breast in the first minutes of life and perceives the surrounding reality with less stress.

Consequences of natural childbirth

The consequences or complications of natural childbirth are:

1. Tears in the perineal tissue requiring suturing. This complication is diagnosed in 7-15% of women in labor, while in primigravidas this happens 3 times more often. The occurrence of this complication depends on the elasticity of the perineal tissue.
2. Birth injuries arising from a discrepancy between the birth canal and the size of the fetus, rapid and rapid labor, and breech presentation of the fetus. Treatment of birth trauma in a newborn is differentiated, taking into account the location and severity of the injury.
3. Prolapse of the uterus and vaginal walls as a result of a long period of pushing. To prevent this complication, it is important to perform exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor.
4. Hemorrhoids, the development of which is caused by increased intra-abdominal pressure during the period of pushing and stagnation of blood in the pelvic organs in late pregnancy due to insufficient physical activity of the expectant mother. Hemorrhoids are diagnosed in 25% of pregnant women and 50% of women who have given birth.
5. Involuntary urination in the first 3 months after childbirth. The development of this complication is preceded by traumatic natural childbirth associated with rupture of the pelvic floor muscles, multiple births, polyhydramnios and a large fetus.

Thus, natural childbirth has its advantages and disadvantages. But, as practice shows, there are much more of the former. Therefore, it is important for every expectant mother to prepare herself for the fact that her birth will take place naturally, if there are no contraindications for this.

Useful video about proper breathing during childbirth

One of the most pressing questions facing a pregnant woman is how will the long-awaited child be born? Natural birth or cesarean birth, which is better? Should I plan a caesarean section if there are no medical indications for it? More and more women want to do this process without pain and feel nothing. Doctors unanimously recommend giving birth on your own, despite any pain and fears. On the other hand, if there is even the slightest deviation, will a natural birth be justified?

Caesarean or natural birth: pros and cons

In order to decide on the choice: natural birth or cesarean section, you must first consult with your doctor. He will be able to explain all the advantages and disadvantages of both methods, as well as advise the woman the best option in her individual case. Both future parents should carefully weigh the pros and cons, because this is a very important decision.

• Childbirth is a natural process. Any interference with it may have harmful consequences;
• The natural passage of the birth canal helps the child in the future when faced with difficulties and obstacles;
• The baby quickly adapts to new living conditions;
• The small organism undergoes hardening in this way;
• A close, inseparable bond is established between mother and baby;
• The mother establishes lactation quite quickly;
• Easy and quick recovery of the mother’s body after childbirth;
• Immediately after giving birth, the mother can independently care for her baby.

All the positive aspects of natural childbirth are evident, and there are a lot of them. But this process also has its drawbacks, which future parents should take into account. They are few and far between.

• Painful contractions and pushing;
• Postpartum pain in the perineum;
• Tears in the perineum, due to which it is necessary to apply sutures in this place.

Sometimes frequent injuries to the newborn and mother are also cited as disadvantages, but such moments also happen during a caesarean section. The risk of complications during childbirth is equally high in both cases. Therefore, in order to interfere with the natural process inherent in nature, you need to have serious medical indications for this.

Natural childbirth and its contraindications

There are situations when delivery is impossible without surgical intervention, because... threatens the health or life of the child and mother. There are a number of contraindications for natural childbirth, which are also indications for cesarean section.

During pregnancy:

• Pathologies of the uterus or vagina;
• Narrow pelvis of the expectant mother, tumors and deformations in this part of the body, i.e. those situations when the child will not be able to pass through the birth canal;
• Incorrect placement of the placenta, which may block the baby’s exit;
• Severe gestosis;
• Divergence of the pubic bones “symphysitis”;
• The likelihood of uterine rupture during childbirth “its thinning, scarring”
• Chronic diseases “diabetes mellitus, myopia, diseases of the nervous and cardiovascular systems”;
• Long-term infertility;
• Transverse position of the fetus;
• Previously undergone operations on the cervix, vagina, genitourinary tract, intestines;
• Dilated veins of the vagina;
• Severe vaginal rupture during previous childbirth;
• Hypoxia and fetal malnutrition;
• Genital herpes in aggravated form;
• Conjoined twins.

During the birth process:

• Placental abruption;
• Acute fetal hypoxia;
• Premature discharge of amniotic fluid;
• Abnormal course of labor;
• Prolapse of umbilical cord loops or their presentation;
• Incorrect position of the fetal head.

All of the listed contraindications for natural childbirth are undeniable; with any of them, the woman’s desire is not taken into account. There are other contraindications - relative ones, when a woman can make a decision on her own, but in such cases she signs a written consent, where she takes full responsibility. Such contraindications include:

• The woman is over 35 years old;
• Breech presentation of the fetus;
• Fruit size: too small or large;
• Various pathologies of pregnancy;
• Caesarean section in previous births;

Thus, it is possible to identify indications for a cesarean section either at the stage of pregnancy and perform the operation as planned, or immediately before childbirth and proceed with an urgent, unplanned operation. If the expectant mother has no problems during pregnancy, natural childbirth is the most successful way to minimize the risk of complications.

Preparing for childbirth in advance

During pregnancy, the expectant mother must prepare herself for the upcoming event, both psychologically and physically.

What you need to prepare

• A few weeks before giving birth, collect 3 bags: “birth”, “postpartum”, “discharge”;
• Prepare things for the child for the first time: a crib, a stroller, clothes, diapers, a bathtub, medicines and hygiene products for the baby;
• Take care of food for children and husband during absence;
• Documentation.

How to adjust yourself psychologically

• Tune in to the fact that everything will definitely go well and not doubt anything;
• Drive away bad thoughts;
• Entertain yourself with your favorite activities;
• From the very beginning, be committed to natural childbirth, try not to worry about it, not to get irritated or upset;
• During contractions, think only that the long-awaited meeting with your baby is approaching every minute.

How to Prepare Physically

Throughout pregnancy, follow all the doctor’s recommendations, take prescribed vitamins, perform simple physical exercises, walk and move as much as possible, Kegel exercises will be useful.

Practice breathing exercises for childbirth, and also practice self-massage of the sacrum and lower back to relieve pain.

During the birth process, unconditionally follow all instructions of the doctor and midwife.

If a woman calmly prepares for childbirth, is confident in its favorable outcome, and follows all the doctors’ recommendations, experience shows that natural childbirth takes place safely and without complications.

Stages of labor

Every expectant mother should have a clear idea of ​​how childbirth goes and what stages it has.

Uterine contractions begin, rare and almost painless. A woman can do business and sleep. Then the pain intensifies, the interval is reduced to 3-5 minutes, and the water breaks. At this stage it is time to go to the maternity hospital. A woman can benefit from previously practiced breathing exercises to reduce pain. In addition, such exercises enrich the blood with oxygen, and hence the baby’s access to it.

The cervix dilates completely, and the woman has a strong desire to push. First of all, you need to establish proper breathing; you can massage the lumbar region to reduce pain. At this stage, you need to take a comfortable position and strictly follow all the instructions of the doctor and midwife.

Expulsion of the placenta

The woman continues to feel mild contractions, during which the placenta leaves. The doctor makes sure that the placenta has come out entirely and examines the perineum for ruptures. In this case, it is necessary to apply stitches. At this time, the newborn baby is measured, weighed, and then applied to the mother’s breast.

All these stages characterize normal natural childbirth. In different cases, complications may arise, which is decided jointly by the mother, child and midwife. There are times when pain relief may be required.

Epidural anesthesia

Currently, more and more women in labor want to resort to pain relief during childbirth. Sometimes the pain seems simply unbearable. Epidural anesthesia is gaining more and more popularity because... has high efficiency. During such anesthesia, a drug is injected into the spinal canal between the spinal discs with a thin needle. There are a number of mandatory indications for its implementation:

• Myopia of the expectant mother;
• Heart diseases;
• Lung diseases;
• Kidney diseases;
• Toxicosis that developed in later stages;
• Premature birth;
• Incorrect placement of the fetus.

Epidural anesthesia has a number of advantages during natural childbirth:

• using a catheter, you can control the dosage of the drug and add it if the pain intensifies;
• the pressure remains normal “with spinal anesthesia, for example, the pressure drops.”

On the other hand, epidural anesthesia also has disadvantages, due to which doctors strongly discourage resorting to it without indicators:

• the drug does not begin to act immediately, but only 20 minutes after administration;
• Possible side effects: leakage of cerebrospinal fluid, hematoma formation, fluid retention in the body, spasms, unconsciousness, headaches.

Despite the fact that the prospect of giving birth without pain is very tempting, you should weigh everything and not miss the chance of a natural birth without the use of anesthesia. Sometimes very brave women decide to have a natural birth at home, although this is not at all as easy as it might seem at first glance.

Childbirth at home

Home birth can be planned or unplanned, or an emergency when the woman in labor does not have time to arrive at the maternity hospital on time. If such a birth was planned by future parents in advance, they should be fully aware of all the responsibility for such a decision and imagine all the pros and cons of this process.

The undoubted advantages include:

• homely, calm atmosphere;
• lack of hospital microflora;
• the process is completely natural, without outside interference;
• parents can control the entire process themselves;
• the woman in labor can take any position that is convenient for her;
• A special, close connection arises between parents and baby.

Disadvantages of this method:

• if complications arise, the midwife may be powerless, in addition, you may not be able to get to the maternity hospital on time;
• no access to medical equipment;
• in the event of an unfavorable development of events, it is legally impossible to hold someone responsible;
• It is quite difficult to prepare for childbirth at home, the conditions are not sterile, and the microorganisms in our apartments are simply dangerous for a newborn;
• many dads get lost and cannot withstand a stressful situation, they experience too much shock;
• A woman has no helpers at home; after giving birth, she must immediately begin caring for the baby, before she has time to gain strength.

If the parents nevertheless chose this method for themselves as the most suitable, usually such childbirth proceeds normally and without complications. The main conditions are a good pregnancy and an experienced midwife nearby. However, such births can have disastrous consequences when an emergency, timely caesarean section is not performed. Such a medical error can have the most severe consequences:

• birth injuries of a newborn or woman in labor;
• perineal ruptures;
• death;
• mother's postpartum depression.

All these consequences are quite rare, therefore during pregnancy and during childbirth you should be very careful about the recommendations of doctors and follow all their instructions.

Non-standard natural childbirth

There are situations when childbirth is complicated by the unusual course of pregnancy, unusual or abnormal development of the fetus, or illness of the woman in labor. The woman faces the question:

Natural birth or cesarean birth, which is better? You need to approach its decision very carefully and be fully aware of the consequences of each possible outcome.

Birth of twins

There is an opinion that in case of twins, the only delivery is a cesarean section. This is wrong.

The likelihood of giving birth to twins naturally with a favorable outcome is very high.

Some nuances need to be taken into account:

• after the birth of the first child, a woman may become weaker, and, as a result, labor may become weak;
• there is a high probability of premature rupture of the amniotic sac and loss of water, due to the gravity of the two bodies;
• interweaving of two umbilical cords;
• In multiple pregnancies, the babies are often positioned incorrectly in the womb.

If a decision is made to give birth to twins naturally, doctors must keep in mind all these nuances and be ready to provide emergency assistance to the mother and babies.

Breech presentation

There are cases when natural childbirth can be allowed with a breech presentation. Such cases include:

• small fruit;
• the woman in labor has a normal pelvis;
• with a breech baby.

Mixed or leg presentation is a more complex situation. It can lead to very serious complications: umbilical cord prolapse, child suffocation “asphyxia”, placental abruption, various injuries to mother and baby. In such a situation, to avoid dire consequences, the doctor must immediately decide on an emergency caesarean section.

After the IVF procedure

Not long ago, a woman undergoing IVF had only one birth option - a caesarean section. Nowadays, the practice of natural childbirth in this situation is becoming increasingly common. However, there are a number of contraindications for this:

• A woman carrying more than one child;
• Age over 35 years;
• Risk of miscarriage;
• Duration of infertility from 5 years;
• Fetoplacental insufficiency;
• The desire of the woman in labor to have a caesarean section;
• The woman has a number of diseases;
• Preeclampsia

Medicine is unanimous: if a woman who has undergone an IVF procedure does not experience any of these situations, and the reason why she could not get pregnant lies in her partner’s deviations, she may well give birth on her own naturally.

Symphysitis

Symphysitis is a rather rare pathology of the pubic symphysis of the pelvis, characterized by an inflammatory process. This pathology occurs during pregnancy or after childbirth.

With this disease, there is the possibility of natural childbirth:

• if a woman is not bothered by joint pain, the disease is mild;
• the pubic fissure has expanded no more than 10 mm;
• the mother's pelvis is of normal size;
• small fruit.

If at least one of the points matches, the woman is indicated for a cesarean section.

Scar on the uterus

Currently, doctors give a woman the opportunity to give birth even if she has a scar on the uterus after operations such as “myomectomy, laparatomy, or previous cesarean section.” However, for this to happen, the following conditions must be met:

• Head presentation of the fetus;
• The placenta is located along the posterior wall of the uterus;
• In the case of a previous cesarean section, a repeat pregnancy occurred within 1-2 years;
• The ultrasound clearly shows that the scar is smooth, without sprains or tears;
• The pelvis is of normal size;
• The baby's intrauterine development proceeds without pathologies;
• The child weighs no more than 3.5 kg
• There is no more than one scar on the uterus

If a medical examination reveals that at least one condition is not met, doctors recommend scheduling a cesarean section.

Uterine fibroids

This disease “tumor neoplasm” in itself is not a contraindication for natural childbirth. A woman can tune in to a natural birth, provided that the pregnancy is normal, the absence of any pathologies in the child’s development, the absence of illnesses in the mother and baby, and the correct location of the placenta and fetus.

Haemorrhoids

With this disease, giving birth to a child naturally is quite difficult and painful.

When a child passes through the birth canal, it compresses and pinches the veins, increasing pressure on the pelvic organs and intestines. This process leads to enlargement of hemorrhoids. Despite this, medicine recommends refraining from caesarean section for this disease and opting for a natural birth. The only way a woman can help herself avoid worsening the condition is to regularly take preventive measures against hemorrhoids during pregnancy.

Natural childbirth is possible even with a high degree of development of the disease, if the following conditions are met:

• the disease has positive dynamics;
• Mom pays great attention to preventive measures “takes special vitamins, medications, calcium”
• pregnancy proceeds without pathologies;
• Mom has no history of vision correction surgery.

If such operations have been carried out, the risk is very high. The consequences can be very serious: hemorrhage in the eye tissue, retinal detachment, loss of vision, so it is strongly recommended to schedule a cesarean section if at least 1 of the points has not been met.

Conization of the cervix

If a woman has undergone such an operation “cutting out a part of the uterus of a cone-shaped form”, it is necessary to consult a doctor. This operation leaves a strong scar, which during childbirth can prevent the dilation of the cervix. If a woman nevertheless decides to give birth on her own, the doctor should be prepared to perform an emergency cesarean section.

Low placenta previa

This case is very dangerous for natural childbirth. If the edge of the placenta is 6 cm or lower from the internal os, there is a high risk of premature placental abruption. This is very dangerous for the baby's life. If a natural birth is planned, doctors should be prepared to perform an emergency cesarean section.

The age of the woman in labor is over 40 years

Age itself is not a contraindication for natural childbirth. Even at this age, a mother can give birth to her baby on her own, provided that the pregnancy proceeds normally and there are no diseases in the mother and child.

Umbilical cord entanglement

In this case, natural delivery remains the preferred option.

The exceptions are the following situations:

• a delay in fetal development was detected;
• during childbirth, the baby's heartbeat increases;
• umbilical cord entanglement 2 or 3 times.

The doctor assesses how dangerous the umbilical cord wraps around the child for his life and health. In the case of a single entanglement, most often a woman can give birth on her own with the help of doctors.

Often, many women are afraid to give birth naturally with this disease. There is an opinion that during the birth process, a child can become infected with a dangerous virus, and his weak immune system cannot withstand such pressure. However, doctors are ready to reassure expectant mothers. If a woman gets sick during pregnancy, it means her body contains a sufficient amount of antibodies and the child has already received them in full. Such antibodies are able to overcome the placental barrier, so the child is already protected and is not at risk of illness.

Narrow pelvis

In such a situation, childbirth is not easy. A pelvis is considered narrow if it has at least one indicator less than one and a half to two cm. Such dimensions represent an insurmountable barrier for a child. When a woman seeks consultation, as well as upon admission to the maternity hospital, doctors must take measurements of the expectant mother’s pelvis and determine the possibility of the child moving through the birth canal. In addition, it is necessary to correlate the size of the mother’s pelvis with the size of the child’s head. Additionally, bone connections are always checked for deformations.

Enterococcus fecalis disease

Doctors insist that this bacterium is part of the natural microflora of the human intestine, and therefore is not a contraindication for natural childbirth.

Inguinal hernia

This disease is quite unpleasant, although in certain cases it allows for natural childbirth:

• when the hernia is small;
• if the expectant mother wore a special bandage during pregnancy;
• During childbirth, the midwife helps not to worsen the situation - she holds the hernia with her hand.

Almost always after childbirth, this disease goes away within a short period without a trace or consequences.

In conclusion, it can be noted: medicine is unanimously of the opinion that natural childbirth is the best delivery option for both mother and child.

Even in the presence of certain diseases, it is better to give preference to independent childbirth, even without the use of anesthesia. More and more doctors are giving women the opportunity to give birth on their own, revising outdated views of the process of human birth. Any surgical intervention always has a greater risk of complications than a natural process. Caesarean section has become an exceptional measure, which can be resorted to only in cases where there is a threat to the life and health of mother and baby. After all, childbirth is a natural process, laid down by nature itself, which has already provided for everything for us.

For every woman, childbirth, especially the first, is one of the most important events in life. After just a few hours of hard work, the new mother will have her baby in her arms, who has been kicking from the inside for so long. And it doesn’t matter whether it was a natural birth or a caesarean section, the main thing is that here he is – a small and familiar little lump, loudly screaming to announce that he’s hungry.

If there are no indications for cesarean section, then any pregnant woman is prepared for the birth of her child through natural birth.

Mucus plug

During the normal course of labor, the following happens in a woman’s body. First, the mucus plug that formed in the cervix at the beginning of pregnancy comes out. It looks like a lump of dense mucus, the size of which can vary, yellowish in color, sometimes streaked with blood. You shouldn’t be scared when you see it: this means that the birth process has already begun, although the birth of the child is still far away.

Aching pain in the lower back. Is it worth going to the maternity hospital?

The expectant mother may feel a nagging pain in the lumbar region. This is similar to the sensations before menstruation, but does not go away. If there are any complications, for example, the fetus is in a breech or breech position, then it is better to go to the maternity hospital.

In general, this is not always a contraindication to natural childbirth, but it is better to be safe. The birth of a baby in a breech or breech presentation is a complicated process. It is possible that a caesarean section will be required: it is quite difficult to give birth independently in such a presentation, and in the past many died, unable to give birth to a child walking feet first. Now doctors are successfully helping women whose children are in the breech position to be delivered without consequences for both their own health and the condition of the newborn.

If a mother knows that she is expecting twins, she should also seek medical help as quickly as possible. Two babies in one womb is not a pathology, but also a complicated birth process, and it is necessary to control it immediately. For a woman’s body, the birth of even one child is a lot of stress and work, which requires all the strength, and the birth of twins intensifies it. And although, as a rule, such babies weigh much less and are small in size, the mother still has to work hard to bring them into the world. In addition, a pregnant woman should know the size of her pelvis so that doctors can decide how the expectant mother will deliver her pregnancy.

So, the pain intensifies, encircling the back and stomach, the pelvic area. Sometimes they are permanent, not stopping and gradually becoming more and more noticeable. Sometimes periodic, but not equal in time periods. Also, a woman in labor may experience a fever, which, appearing suddenly, goes away just as suddenly after a few seconds or minutes.

These are not contractions yet, but a state close to them is a harbinger of labor. Every woman should understand that this is only preparation for the main stage. And if during true contractions the cervix opens, then during warning signs it is still just softening and preparing to open.

Contractions. How can you tell what they are?

Often, pregnant women are ready to mistake any tension in the uterus for a contraction, but this is not the case. It doesn’t matter what happens in the end: a natural birth or a caesarean section, it is important to understand what is happening now. Contractions are only those painful contractions of the uterus that are repeated with equal frequency. Everything else is just harbingers. They can begin long before the actual birth.

I would like to add a few words about the outpouring of water. Forget everything that is shown in films: during the normal course of the onset of labor, even if it ends up being a cesarean section, the membranes retain their integrity almost until pushing. If the water has poured out, but there are no contractions as such yet, this is wrong. Urgently to the maternity hospital. Even with an emergency caesarean section, the bladder often remains intact. And it is opened directly during the operation. Neither the size of the pelvis nor the indications for natural childbirth are important, the main thing is that the baby does not suffocate: a long stay of the fetus in an anhydrous space is fraught with infection and suffocation. Quite often, early rupture of water is one of the signs of uncoordinated labor, and often in such cases doctors perform a cesarean section.

If during pregnancy the gynecologist paid attention to the size of the mother’s pelvis, then it is best to go to the maternity hospital at the stage of mild contractions. It is important to understand that the health of both mother and newborn depends on this.

Pain during contractions is periodic, they do not subside, but, on the contrary, intensify and become more frequent. This marks the woman in labor entering the first stage of true labor. And even if in the end she has to have a caesarean section, so far everything is going well, as nature intended. Primiparas enter the second stage of the birth process a long time after the onset of contractions. Therefore, it is advisable to go to the maternity hospital when no more than 10 minutes pass between them. The mother’s psychological mood is very important at this time. There is no need to be afraid, panic, or become hysterical. Natural childbirth is a common process for the female body, in most cases it ends with the happy appearance of a new life. Even if in the end there was a caesarean section, you still shouldn’t worry and reproach yourself. The main thing is a healthy toddler and a calm, confident mother.

Childbirth in progress

Contractions become stronger and more frequent, and the first attempts begin to be added to them. What it is? This feeling is similar to what people experience when they want to go to the toilet “in a big way.” For those women who have decided to have a natural birth after a caesarean section, pushing is unfamiliar. At some point they become uncontrollable, but doctors do not allow you to push right away. Why?

The baby's head is just descending into the birth canal, and it can be harmed. With breech presentation the sensations are the same. In any case, the woman in labor must hear the doctor and follow his instructions.

Many people are interested in the question: is natural childbirth possible after cesarean? Of course they are possible. The first emergency cesarean section is not a mandatory indication for reoperation unless there are additional complications. However, they differ from ordinary ones, firstly, in that doctors do not perform any stimulation. Read more about induction of labor →

Secondly, a CTG sensor is constantly connected to the mother’s stomach in order to monitor the baby’s condition throughout the entire period of labor. When giving birth naturally after a cesarean section, a woman must feel everything, so only natural pain relief is used during such births. No epidural anesthesia.

Although, already at the end of the first period, when the pain in contractions becomes very severe, natural childbirth after a cesarean section can still be relieved with the help of an epidural. But by the time we push, the anesthesia wears off. All this can be seen on thematic videos.

Now there are a lot of materials on the Internet that talk about the peculiarities of childbirth after cesarean section, twin births or delivery, in a pelvic (breech, leg) presentation. A pregnant woman has the opportunity to obtain all the information, including how the dimensions of the internal and external pelvis influence the course of the second stage of labor.

The attempts intensify, the baby’s head crashes into the birth canal. Now the task of the expectant mother is to push during contractions, helping the baby come into the world. If the baby is in a breech position, then the legs appear first, and this is the difficulty of such a birth. Even if the size of a woman’s pelvis allows it, often in this case everything can end in surgery. Although many manage to get rid of the burden naturally.

If the baby is not in a breech position, then the back of the head appears first. In order for a small person to successfully enter the birth canal, the size of the internal pelvis is important. They differ from the dimensions of the external pelvis and are determined by measuring the expectant mother’s wrist, which is carried out during examination in the maternity hospital. Often this indicator can be the reason for cesarean section.

The arrival of the baby

While pushing, the baby's head rises into the birth canal. With each contraction, the woman, pushing, helps the uterus push the fetus out. If twins are expected to be born, the same thing happens, only twice.

As a rule, the child goes face down. In case of breech presentation - with legs. When the back of the head comes out first, it is easier to give birth to the rest, and usually a woman copes with this task in two to four attempts.

When a baby is breech, the legs are born first. It turns out that the baby moves through the birth canal in reverse order. Such births are dangerous for both the baby and the mother, and often end in a caesarean section. Unfortunately, even the size of the pelvis does not play a special role here.

The last, third, period of labor, even if it is the birth of twins or a fetus in the breech presentation, is the appearance of the placenta. If the baby was born via cesarean section, the placenta will be removed directly during the operation.

Of course, vaginal birth is the best option for both mother and child. They allow you to go through the entire process from beginning to end, as nature intended. But even in the case of a caesarean section, you should not be upset in any case. After all, a new person, son or daughter, has been born, what could be more beautiful than this event?

From the first days a woman finds out that she is pregnant, many questions related to childbirth are spinning in her head. For example, what awaits her - natural childbirth or caesarean section, whether anesthesia is needed and many others.

What does the term “natural childbirth” mean? This is a birth that occurs according to the scenario laid down by nature itself, that is, without outside intervention. In the modern world, this is perhaps only feasible if the woman is left alone with herself without any medical assistance. In other cases, natural childbirth takes place in the maternity hospital, and doctors intervene in labor only if necessary. The duration of such labor without complications is on average 9-11 hours.

If a woman is prepared for childbirth, then there is a high probability that it will take place naturally. Even the pain that accompanies contractions will be perceived correctly by trained women in labor, without unnecessary nervousness.

Preparation for natural childbirth has two directions:

• physical;
• psychological.

Physical training

First of all, a woman must learn to breathe correctly during contractions.

In addition, during pregnancy you need to pay attention to the following types of preparation:

1. Preparation of the cervix. Every woman, especially those giving birth for the first time, should perform exercises that prepare the cervix for the upcoming birth. Weak, inelastic cervical muscles are more likely to rupture and be injured. Kegel exercises and squats with your knees wide apart help prepare the cervix for childbirth.
2. Preparing the perineum. To prevent episiotomy (cutting of the perineum during pushing), it is necessary to perform self-massage of the perineum from the 30th week of pregnancy using any vegetable oil. A gynecologist should tell you how to do a massage.
3. Preparing the mammary glands for lactation. You also need to prepare for breastfeeding in advance. and sore nipples are the first thing young mothers face after childbirth.

To minimize discomfort in the chest area or avoid it altogether, you should follow these recommendations:

• regularly conduct contrast douches on the chest;
• rub the nipples with a rough terry towel;
• manually pull the nipples forward, as if shaping them;
• arrange air baths for the mammary glands, thereby hardening the breasts.

Physical preparation for childbirth is necessary for all women, regardless of whether they are giving birth for the first time or repeatedly. Women in labor with a weak, unprepared body experience serious problems during the birth process - unbearable pain during contractions, weakness in pushing, etc.

Psychological preparation

Psychological preparation for childbirth includes the obligatory ridding of a woman from fears, which are often false. It is fear that makes childbirth extremely painful, problematic, and sometimes dramatic. If a woman in labor is not afraid and can feel confident, then her birth will proceed according to a more favorable scenario.

Psychological preparation of a woman is also carried out during pregnancy. If the expectant mother refuses to attend and gives preference only to book publications, she will most likely be in the grip of false ideas about childbirth, that is, either overly dramatize its inevitability, or, on the contrary, overly idealize its occurrence. In both cases, her expectations will not coincide with reality; psychologically, such a woman in labor will be unprepared, which cannot be said about women who learned in courses not to lose composure and to properly control their emotions.

Advantages and disadvantages of natural childbirth

The undoubted advantages of natural childbirth are:

• rapid development of lactation;
• natural adaptation of the newborn to the environment;
• passing through the mother’s birth canal, the child gains a difficult but useful experience of overcoming obstacles;
• formation of a close bond between mother and child;
• faster recovery of a woman’s body after childbirth;
• the young mother will be able to care for the baby in the first days after discharge from the hospital.

Disadvantages of natural childbirth include:

• severe pain during contractions and pushing;
• pain syndrome after the birth of a child in the perineal area;
• possible , seams.

Many people consider trauma to the mother and baby to be a disadvantage of natural childbirth, however, this is a controversial situation for doctors. According to statistics, a caesarean section is no less traumatic. But surgical delivery requires serious medical indications.

Contraindications to natural childbirth

Contraindications to natural childbirth are not uncommon these days. They can be detected during pregnancy or with the onset of the birth process itself.

Contraindications discovered during pregnancy:

• , pelvic deformities and tumors that will interfere with the normal passage of the child through the birth canal;
• the risk of uterine rupture associated with thinning or failure of scar tissue (in case of repeat birth after cesarean);
• abnormal attachment of the placenta, covering the entrance to the cervix, which makes physiological childbirth impossible;
• divergence of the pubic bones -;
• burdened;
• chronic pathologies of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, diseases of the organs of vision, diabetes mellitus, etc.;
• serious perineal ruptures in previous births;
• plastic surgery on the cervix, in the vagina;
• varicose veins of the vagina and uterus;
• Siamese twins;
• transverse position of the baby in the uterus;
• chronic malnutrition and fetus;
• long-term infertility;
• exacerbation stage;
• cancer in the expectant mother.

Contraindications identified during childbirth:

• premature rupture of water;
• pathologies of labor;
• acute fetal hypoxia;
• prolapse or presentation of the umbilical cord;
• malposition.

Stages of natural childbirth

Every expectant mother awaits the onset of childbirth and strives to approach this difficult process as responsibly as possible. That is why it is necessary to know how physiological childbirth proceeds, what stages a woman must overcome.

The first stage - contractions

1. Childbirth begins with painless, rare contractions, which at first resemble regular contractions of the uterus. In this case, a woman may be at home, not yet realizing that she is actually going into labor.
2. Contractions begin to intensify, their pain and regularity increases - every 5 minutes or more often. At this time, your water should break. You need to go to the maternity hospital and at the same time remember the technique of proper breathing, mastered in courses for expectant mothers. It helps relieve pain during contractions and improve oxygen supply to the baby.

The second stage - pushing

1. As soon as the cervix is ​​close to full dilation, the desire to push appears.
2. You need to take the right posture and breathe correctly. It is allowed to do pain-relieving massage of the lumbar region.
3. It is important during attempts to control what is happening around you and obey the doctor in everything, fulfilling his requirements exactly. Attempts end with the birth of a child.

Stage three - delivery of the placenta

1. The placenta is born quite quickly - within a few minutes after the birth of the baby.
2. During the expulsion of the placenta, the woman feels weak contractions.
3. The doctor must ensure the integrity of the placenta.
4. If everything is in order, the woman’s birth canal is examined and stitches are applied if necessary.
5. The baby is weighed, measured and placed on the mother's breast for the first time.

This course is typical for most women in labor, but at each stage specific features and problems may arise that the doctor must address.

Natural birth after IVF

When it comes to childbirth after birth, experts usually insist on a caesarean section, but surgical birth is by no means the rule in this situation. If a woman has no medical indications for a cesarean section, if she is young and healthy, and the reason for artificial insemination was the male factor, then nothing will prevent her from giving birth naturally.

Natural childbirth after IVF follows the same classic scenario as in other cases. The only thing is that due to the non-standard situation with fertilization, the characteristics of the woman’s body and the course of pregnancy, such births may occur a little earlier or later. Therefore, it is recommended that the IVF mother be placed on preservation in advance, starting from the 37th week of gestation.

Caesarean section or natural birth - which is better?

If a woman knows how natural childbirth occurs, then she will understand that a cesarean section is radically different from the physiological birth process. In recent years, doctors have been reconsidering their views on surgical childbirth and resorting to them only when absolutely necessary. In the absence of absolute medical indications for a caesarean section, a woman is recommended to give birth on her own.

Childbirth during a cesarean section is quick and abrupt, while the woman recovers longer because she underwent a real surgical operation, and the child adapts to the environment more difficult due to the abrupt transition from one environment to another.

In the case of natural childbirth, this situation is excluded. The woman recovers faster, the baby is put to the breast in the first minutes of life and perceives the surrounding reality with less stress.