Vaginal birth refers to delivery of the baby through the vagina. Vaginal birth includes the pregnancy, stages of labor and delivery.
Giving birth to a healthy baby is one of the happiest moments in women’s life.
Most of the deliveries are vaginal births. In the vaginal birth, the baby delivers through the birth canal.
It is found that, in the United States, approximately three million childbirths are normal vaginal birth.
Before we move further about natural birth, it is good to know the female reproductive organs that involves in the childbirth process.
The vagina, fallopian tubes, cervix, ovaries and uterus are the major female reproductive organs.
The ovaries release an egg monthly during menstrual cycle. The egg descends from fallopian tubes to the uterus (womb), where it fertilizes. If fertilization occurs, the egg remains and develops in the uterus until baby delivery (vaginal birth).
The baby in the uterus is well protected by a fluid-filled sac called amniotic sac, which contains amniotic fluid. Placenta, an organ that lies between amniotic sac and uterus carries oxygen and nutrients from the mother to the baby inside the uterus.
It also takes away the wastes from the baby. The placenta makes use of umbilical cord for this transportation. Remember that, during pregnancy, the placenta also develops along with the baby.
During the months leading up to the delivery (vaginal birth), the baby’s head descends into your pelvis.
Now, you start feeling cramps in the abdomen. Cramps occur when the muscles of uterus tightens or contracts. You also feel back pain or vaginal bleeding during uterine contractions.
In some cases, the amniotic fluid comes out of the amniotic sac. Inform your doctor when this condition becomes severe.
At first, the frequency between cramps will be 20-30 minutes and it gradually increases with very less frequency in-between.
In this period, the cervix (the lowest part of the vagina) slowly dilates and become thinner. Remember that you should not push the baby out until the cervix dilation is complete.
When the contractions become stronger, your body becomes ready to push the baby out. At this stage, the doctor will examine the condition to know the dilation of the cervix.
When the cervix is dilated completely, the baby travels through the cervix and vagina and comes out via birth canal.
Remember that even the placenta delivers out once the baby is delivered. The doctor will examine the delivered placenta and umbilical cord and cut the attachment between the cord and the baby. This is called a natural childbirth.
Remember that the bodily changes that occur in you during labor become normal within the first hour after child birth.
On the other hand, if the head of the baby is large to come out of the vagina or the vagina hole is small, the doctor will make a surgical incision in the vagina to remove the baby out.
The doctor generally recommends a cesarean section (C-section) when the delivery of the baby is not safer through vaginal birth.
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40wks pregnant today – had period like cramps since I got up. Went shopping twice and they didn’t ease up?The cramping has been constant….feels like it’s getting stronger throughout the day but I’m not sure. Is this the start of labour?? When should proper contractions start if it is. I’ve had cramping all day since I got up – it hasn’t really come in waves, it’s just there all the time. Occasionally it might feel a bit stronger, especially if I’m sitting down.THEY ARE CONSTANT AND THEY’RE NOT COMING IN WAVES YET….