Your doctor or midwife will usually want you to be in the position that is most comfortable and allows you to push most effectively. As you push and strain, don't worry about accidentally urinating or defecating - this is extremely common and your birth attendant will expect it. Concentrate solely on pushing out the baby. Push the baby through the birth canal. The force of your pushing, combined with your contractions, will move your baby from the uterus into the birth canal.
At this point, your attendant may be able to see the baby's head. This is called "crowning" - you can use a mirror to see it yourself. Don't be frustrated if, after crowning, the baby's head disappears - this is normal.
Over time, the baby's position will shift down the birth canal. You'll need to push hard to get the baby's head out. As soon as this happens, your birth attendant should clear the baby's nose and mouth of any amniotic fluid and assist you in pushing the rest of the baby's body out. Don't be afraid to scream, cry, wail, or groan. This is very common during contractions and birth pains.
Care for the baby after birth. Congratulations - you have just had a successful home birth. Have the doctor or midwife clamp and cut the baby's umbilical cord using a sterile pair of scissors. Clean the baby by wiping him or her with clean towels, then clothing him or her and wrapping him or her in a clean, warm blanket.
After giving birth, the birth attendant may recommend initiating breast feeding. Do not bathe the baby immediately. At birth you will notice the baby will have a whitish covering. This is normal - the covering is called a vernix. It is thought to provide protection from bacterial infections and moisturize the baby's skin. Deliver the afterbirth. After the baby is born, though the worst is over, you aren't quite done.
In the third and final stage of labor, you must deliver the placenta, which is the organ that nourished your baby while it was in the womb. Mild contractions so mild, in fact, that some mothers don't notice them [14] X Research source separate the placenta from the uterine wall. Soon after, the placenta passes through the birth canal. This process usually takes about minutes and, compared to delivering a baby, is a relatively minor ordeal.
If your placenta doesn't come out or doesn't come out in one piece, go to the hospital - this is a medical condition that, if ignored, can have potentially serious consequences. Take your baby to a pediatrician. If your baby appears perfectly healthy after birth, it probably is. Plan a visit to a pediatrician within a day or two after giving birth. Your pediatrician will examine your baby and give you care instructions. You may also want to receive a medical examination yourself - childbirth is an intense, demanding process, and if you feel out of the ordinary in any way, it's best to have a doctor determine whether anything is wrong.
Understand the pros and cons of water births. Water birthing is exactly what it sounds like - giving birth in a pool of water. This method of birth has become more popular in recent years - some hospitals even offer birthing pools. However, some doctors don't consider it to be as safe as conventional birth. While some mothers swear by water birthing, claiming that it's more relaxing, comfortable, pain-free, and "natural" than normal birth methods, it does carry certain risks, including: [15] X Research source Infection from contaminated water Complications from the baby swallowing water Though very rare, there is also a risk of brain damage or death from oxygen deprivation while the baby is underwater.
Know when a water birth is inappropriate. Like any home birth, water births shouldn't be attempted if the baby or mother are at risk for certain complications. If any of the conditions listed in Part One apply to your pregnancy, do not attempt a water birth - instead, plan to go to a hospital. Additionally, you shouldn't attempt a water birth if you have herpes or another genital infection, as these can be transferred to the baby via water.
Prepare a birthing pool. Special pools designed specifically for water births are available for renting or purchase - some forms of medical insurance will cover the cost. Take your clothing off below the waist you may choose to be completely nude if you prefer and enter the pool. Make sure your water is clean and no hotter than degrees Fahrenheit about 37 degrees Celsius. Have a partner or birth attendant enter the pool with you optional.
Some mothers prefer having their partner spouse, etc. Others prefer to have their doctor or midwife in the pool. If you plan on having your partner in the pool with you, you may want to experiment with leaning back on the partner's body for support as you push.
Proceed through labor. Your doctor or midwife will assist you through your labor, helping you breathe, push, and rest when it's appropriate. You will want to have your hands free to hold on tight when pushing.
As with normal labor, you may change your position for comfort. You may, for instance, try pushing while lying or kneeling in the water. If, at any point, you or the baby show any signs of complications, get out of the pool. Get the baby above water immediately.
As soon as the baby is out, hold it above water so that it's able to breathe. After momentarily cradling the baby, carefully get out of the pool so that your cord can be cut and the baby can be dried, clothed, and wrapped in a blanket. In some cases, the baby will have his or her first bowel movement in the womb. In this case, get the baby's head above water and away from any contaminated water immediately, as serious infection can occur if the baby inhales or drinks any of its own feces.
If you believe that this may have happened, take your baby to a hospital immediately. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Have competent friends or a registered nurse nearby. Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0.
Never give birth alone -- without a doctor or nurse nearby. Lots of things can go horribly wrong. Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1. If you can, wash the vulva before the baby comes. This will help make sure the area is as clean as possible to be more sanitary.
Helpful 5 Not Helpful 1. During a water birth, bring the baby slowly to the surface in a swift safe manner holding baby upright and under its arms. Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0. For instance, one study found that the overall rates for survival and for survival without impairment ranged from 5. For 26 weeks of gestation, the percentages were significantly higher with a survival rate of It's also important to note that these rates are heavily dependent on a multitude of factors, including why the baby is born early and where the baby is cared for.
Very preterm births account for approximately 1. To provide a better idea of how early deliveries are categorized, doctors break down the gestational week ranges as follows:. Note that the vast majority of premature births take place during the late preterm period.
A periviable birth is a birth that takes place near the limit of viability—usually defined as between 23 and 26 weeks gestation. Birth before 23 weeks is usually considered previable, which means there is virtually no chance of survival. Multiple factors can play into whether or not a baby will survive a premature birth, including:. As such, babies who are born very prematurely and survive face high odds of having some level of long-term effects.
The severity of these effects depends on many factors, including the need for and types of treatment received. Typically, the more intense the life-saving treatments, the greater the risk factors for these extremely small and fragile babies.
However, it is difficult to tell precisely which babies will have problems and how severe these problems will be later in life. Some common long-term effects of being born very prematurely include:. If you expect to deliver an extremely premature baby, start a conversation with the doctors who will be caring for your baby about what type of resuscitation you would want for your child at which gestational ages.
This is undoubtably a difficult situation to face. However, considering these issues before they are happening can give you a chance to ask all the pertinent questions and think through these tough decisions before they need to be made. Among some questions parents who are facing a pre-term birth or who unexpectedly have one should ask:. There are so many variables to consider when delivering a preterm baby for both parents and medical professionals.
It is not merely a discussion of whether the baby survives the birth, but what the long-term outcomes for your baby are. If your baby was born prematurely or you expect your baby to be born prematurely, talk at length with your baby's doctor so you can be as prepared as possible and get the support you may need.
Parental support groups are invaluable to both yourself and others. Get diet and wellness tips delivered to your inbox. Outcomes for extremely premature infants.
Anesth Analg. Very premature births: Dilemmas and management. Part 1. Outcome of infants born before 28 weeks of postmenstrual age, and definition of a gray zone.
Arch Pediatr. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Periviable birth. Published June Between-hospital variation in treatment and outcomes in extremely preterm infants.
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