Labour and birthing

1. Labour and birthing Jaclyn Duursma, Jocelyne Muzigo, Shelby Forster

2. A mother’s body and labour • A mothers body goes through a lot of distress before and after labour, these can be broken down into two categories: • Physical • Emotional • Symptoms vary with mothers as well as the rate and intensity of symptoms. • Post partum changes happen after birth changing the body back to normal psychologically and hormonally.

3. Physical – the uterus and vagina • Hormones soften ligaments between bones and pelvis for more room. This may cause other bones in the body to be sore and achy. • The cervix (neck of the uterus) softens and starts to spread and is typically known as contractions • The baby lowers in the pelvis this process is referred to as engagement. • Blood tinged mucus is passed through the cervix, (rapture of the membrane usually referred to as the water breaking)

4. Physical – other internal changes • Low hemoglobin levels • Due to blood loss • Dehydration • Due to blood loss and the body concentrating on other hormones for labour.

5. Emotional • Due to different hormones the mother goes through some of these emotional expressions: • Excessive worrying about self and child birth (anxiety) • Self empowerment • Vulnerability • Stress This is why labour exercises are important for both the father and the mother.

6. What Starts Labour? • Doctors around the world do not have a clear picture as to what prompts labour to start. • The excepted theory for many years was that it is the Mother’s body which prompts labour, however new evidence suggests that it is the babies body which prompts labour. • We will discuss the two most accepted theories of how labour is prompted.

7. Cortisone From the baby • When the baby is mature, and ready to leave the mothers stomach, the adrenal gland of the child releases Cortisone. • Cortisone causes the placenta to turn estrogen into progesterone. • Progesterone stimulates the prostaglandin of the mother to be activated • The prostaglandins cause the uterus to contract.

8. Did you know • A synthetic form of oxytocin/prostaglandins can be given to a mother if labour needs to be induced.

9. Oxytocin from mother • The mothers body can sense when the baby is fully developed and ready to be born…when this happens: • The mothers anterior pituitary gland releases oxytocin. • Oxytocin causes the uterus to contract. • This begins the process of labour

10. Did you know? • Oxytocin is known as the love hormone?

11. Once labour has been prompted • In a normal situation, the baby elongates its body so that its head is pushing against the mothers cervix. • Relaxin is produced by the placenta and it causes the ligaments within the pelvis to loosen, and the cervix to soften. • The mothers cervix now has to open in order for the baby to leave the womb.

12. When the amniotic sac pops due to the pressure of the baby, the head can start moving out through the cervix. • This is also known as the mother’s “water is breaking” • Once the head has pushed through the cervix, the first stage of labour is over

13. Did you know? • With each contraction the mother feels, a force equal to 55 pounds is put on the baby?

15. The second stage • The second stage happens once the cervix is completely dilated. • The second stage requires double the force as the first stage, however it is normally a lot shorter than the first phase. (Ranges from 2 minutes to 3 hours) • The women can start to fully push Effacement: The shortening and thinning of the cervix 

16. The second phase continued • The women feels a burning sensation, to protect the tissues from tearing if she pushes to hard • The baby is said to have “crowned” when the doctor can see the head • The baby travels down the birthing canal • The shoulders turn and press through the vagina, and then the rest of the body slips through easily

17. Third Stage • The final stage is after the baby has been born. • The umbilical cord is pinched at two separate locations, and than cut with scissors. • Sometimes pinching and cutting of the umbilical cord is delayed for several minutes so the proper amount of blood has flown into the child/mother

18. Third stage continued • Approximately 5 minutes after the baby has been born, the mother will have to deliver the placenta • Small contractions separate the placenta from the uterus wall, and the after birth is usually delivered within 20 minutes of childbirth.

19. Postpartum Stage 1 • Psychological changes (according to Reva Rubin’s theory) happen in three stages following birth • 1. taking in phase • Where the mother is adjusting and tends to seek attention • Usually happens one of two days after birth

20. Stage 2 • 2. taking hold • The mothers very keen on getting the “mother role” right, and can control emotions better • Happens three days to weeks after birth.

21. Stage 3 • 3. Letting go phase • The mother grieves being separated from child • Is usually a time when post partum blues/depression occurs

22. The END!

23. http://www.unhinderedliving.com/begin.html • http://www.families.com/blog/what-triggers-labor • http://www.childbirthgraphics.com/index.php/articles/hormones-of-labor-and-birth/ • http://pregnancy.familyeducation.com/delivery/third-stage---delivering-the-placenta/66203.html • http://www.yourchildbirthguide.com/cervix-dilation.html • http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/kb/content/special/tn9759.html • http://www.welcomebabyhome.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_birth_process.htm • Text book page 539 • “The First Nine Months of Life” • “The incredible Machine”