What Happens During Labor And Delivery

Popular culture portrays childbirth in an unrealistic manner where the laboring mother is usually found panting in a hectic hospital room. The perfectly groomed mother will then progress into pushing by screaming her way through contractions. With this kind of media portrayal, it is no wonder that those who have spent nine months studying their bodies are totally unprepared psychologically for the big event.

Medical Description

Clinically speaking, the process of labor and delivery is divided into three stages. Stage one is full dilation of the cervix until ten centimeters. Stage two is the actual process of pushing the baby down the birth canal and out of the body. Stage three is detachment and delivery of the placenta. What you as the mother actually encounters during labor and delivery is more than can be explained in clinical terms.

Stage One

During the first stage, the cervix is dilating and a part of the womb that has, as a practice, been sealed, is now opening through muscle contractions. How this initial phase starts is different for everyone, but what is happening is dramatic because of the body making a way for the baby to come out. Contractions usually start off mild and sporadic, and then become more intense and often. During this time, many women might try to brace themselves to prepare for each contraction. This is not recommended, though, because it robs your body of energy resulting in you essentially fighting yourself. What you should do is anticipate each contraction and try to relax and think about your cervix opening. This will allow your mind and body to work in unison to achieve the same goal.

Stage Two

Popular media tends to concentrate on the second stage of labor the most because it results in the birth of the baby. Movies usually show a doctor yelling “push,” but it will surprise many that some women might never feel the urge to push, and others will naturally begin pushing on their own. The objective during the transition is to find what keeps you, the mother, relaxed, which is usually a controlled and quiet environment.

Stage Three

The third stage of labor is the most overlooked part because it occurs after the baby is delivered. The presentation and detachment of the placenta are a critical aspect of delivery because this is the part where your body tells itself that the pregnancy is completed. When the placenta is expelled from the mother, which might require pushing, the labor and delivery process is complete.

What Really Happens

The entire process of labor and delivery is an intense workout for the mother. It is an exhilarating process where you must call upon your inner strength to carry another human being into the world. It is truly a surreal rite of passage to realize that your body was designed for this birth and you must apply every aspect of yourself to someone that is beyond yourself.