Labor and Delivery (cont.)
What Can I Do to Relieve Pain Associated With Labor?
The first stage of labor (called the Latent Phase) is best experienced in the
comfort of your home. Here are some tips to help you cope.
- Try to distract yourself -- take a walk, watch a movie.
- Soak in a warm tub or take a warm shower. But, ask your health care provider if you should take a tub bath if your water has broken.
- Try to sleep if it is in the evening. You need to store up your energy for active labor.
What Happens When My Water Breaks?
The rupture of the amniotic membrane (the fluid-filled sac that surrounds the
baby during pregnancy) may feel either like a sudden gush of fluid or a trickle
of fluid that leaks steadily. The fluid is usually odorless and may look clear
or straw-colored. If your "water breaks," write down the time this occurs, how
much fluid is released and what the fluid looks like and then notify your health
care provider. Although, labor may not start immediately after your water
breaks, delivery of your baby will occur within the next 24 hours.
Lastly, keep in mind that not all women will have their water break when they
are in labor. Many times the doctor will rupture the amniotic membrane in the
hospital.
What Is Effacement and Dilation of the Cervix
During labor, your cervix gets shorter and thins out in order to stretch and
open around your baby's head. The shortening and thinning of the cervix is
called effacement. Your health care provider will be able to tell you if there
are changes to the cervix during a pelvic exam. Effacement is measured in
percentages from 0% to 100%. If there are no changes to the cervix, it is
described as 0% effaced. When the cervix is half the normal thickness, it is 50%
effaced. When the cervix is completely thinned out, it is 100% effaced.
The stretching and opening of your cervix is called dilation and is measured
in centimeters with complete dilation being at 10 centimeters.
Effacement and dilation are a direct result of effective uterine
contractions. Progress in labor is measured by how much the cervix has opened
and thinned to allow your baby to pass through the vagina.
Next: When should I call my health care provider or go to the hospital? »
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