At the moment of birth, the expectant mother is overwhelmed by a lot of different emotions. These include meeting a new person, the onset of fear of the unknown, and a lot of all kinds of troubles. Childbirth is a huge stress, and what kind of stress it will be depends on many different factors. It is important to know the basic rules of behavior; how you can get rid of many unpleasant moments depends on them. We should not forget that they can cause enormous harm to health. expectant mother and her baby.

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If all the waiting periods have ended, labor always begins unexpectedly. You should tune in to the necessary mood and maintain your composure in full. It's quite difficult, but possible.

For these reasons, there are some “don’ts” to keep in mind:

1. At the start don't panic, it’s pointless to run around the living room, doing everything very quickly. It should be remembered that the duration of the first birth is up to 12 hours, the subsequent ones are reduced to 8 hours. The expectant mother in labor has a large period of time to calmly get ready, but she should not delay getting ready too much.

But we should not forget that there are exceptions: there are cases when natural childbirth twins passed within 4 hours from the start of contractions.

1. You can’t run around the apartment and try to collect the necessary things. In this case, balance is disturbed, weakness occurs and dizziness begins. Bags for the maternity hospital must be prepared in advance.
2. It is prohibited to move carelessly or abruptly, which may threaten to fall. This can lead to premature abruption of the placenta, which can lead to blood loss and even threaten the life of the little person and the mother herself.
3. You can't leave documents at home. You must have a passport, exchange card, insurance policy, and, if you have a contract for childbirth, with you. If doctors do not have documentary evidence full condition pregnant, she may be admitted to a special institution where women who are suspected of having an infectious disease give birth.
4. You can't try to get to hospital facility on one's own(for example, by private car). The feeling of pain, the breaking of water can provoke inattention on the road and this can lead to emergency situation on road. In case of contractions, a medical team should be called.

It is strictly forbidden to stay at home if:

1. The waters have broken.
2. When bleeding occurs.
3. If you experience pain in the head, blurred vision, or pain in the uterus.
4. If the baby's movement in the womb has become quite violent or weakened.

In the above cases, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible(ideally, call ambulance with a medical team). A woman preparing to become a mother should take a supine position, placing herself on her side.

Reading time: 7 minutes. Views 3.3k. Published 02/02/2019

This article will be of interest to those expectant mothers who have about a month left before giving birth. The baby is already preparing for birth, and his mother needs to take care that the birth goes smoothly. Obstetricians advise training the pelvic floor muscles, mastering breathing techniques, and adjusting psychologically. A special diet before childbirth will also help you have an easier birth.

The benefits of diet before childbirth

The diet of a pregnant woman is important throughout pregnancy - the health of the developing baby largely depends on it. But by the ninth month the formation process is almost complete.

The main task of the ninth month is to prepare the woman and child for childbirth. Nutrition in the last weeks of pregnancy should solve the following problems:

• prevent overfeeding of the baby;
• unload the mother's body;
• increase elasticity muscle tissue.

Basic principles of nutrition before childbirth

Towards the end of pregnancy, a woman has a hard time. A massive belly, frequent trips to the toilet, and swelling make her life much more difficult. Therefore, nutrition is structured in such a way as to help the expectant mother as much as possible.

It is better to choose a fractional diet - often and little by little to reduce the load gastrointestinal tract. It is optimal to eat 5 times a day at intervals of about 3 hours.

You should not eat at night, and drinking should be limited after seven in the evening - otherwise sleep will be interrupted by trips to the toilet.

You should drink frequently, but only on condition that there are no problems with fluid removal. If there is swelling, the doctor will probably advise you to limit drinking, as well as salty foods.

What not to eat before giving birth

IN last month It is recommended to reduce or completely remove meat products from the menu, including animal fats, the same applies to fish and eggs. This is due to the fact that animal protein negatively affects the elasticity of muscle tissue, including in the birth canal.

Foods rich in calcium are undesirable: cottage cheese, cheese and other dairy products.

The baby's skeleton is already formed, and excess calcium can cause excessive hardening of the bones, which will complicate childbirth. An exception is made only for fermented milk products, due to their benefits for digestion.

What can you eat before giving birth?

To make childbirth easier, the diet before childbirth consists of cereals and vegetable dishes. If you gain excessive weight, it is better to cook porridge in water; you can add fruit for taste.

For vegetables, frying is excluded from the cooking methods - boil, bake, stew, steam. Salads made from raw vegetables with the addition of vegetable oil will be useful.

Vegetable oil must be included in daily diet, approximately 1-2 tbsp. l. It regulates the gastrointestinal tract and also has a beneficial effect on the elasticity of muscle tissue. Olive or flaxseed is the healthiest; sunflower is also possible.

The menu also includes dairy products: kefir, fermented baked milk, yoghurts - but without fillers.

Let's look at the nutritional features of the last month week by week. The approaching birth dictates that you lighten your diet, but relying only on intuitive decisions is unwise.

In 4 weeks

Animal proteins and dairy products are removed from the diet, with the exception of fermented milk - on the contrary, they need to be eaten every day.

Water-based porridge with dried or fresh fruits, vegetable soups, baked and stewed vegetables, salads with vegetable oil, vegetable and fruit fresh juices, herbal teas, gray and black bread - a fairly extensive range of products.

If you really want meat, you shouldn’t give it up completely. Boiled chicken breast or steamed fish in reasonable quantities will not cause harm. But gradually it is better to exclude them.

Sweets and baked goods are prohibited. For sweets, you can allow a little marshmallow or marshmallow, but it’s better to avoid them. Sweet and rich foods provoke gas formation, which is extremely undesirable at this time. And the extra calories that are inevitable with such a diet are also useless.

In 3 weeks

The menu becomes simpler. It is better to remove meat and fish completely.

In 2 weeks

This diet contains all the substances necessary for the body, and at the same time significantly facilitates the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

In 1 week

There are only a few days left before the birth. It is better for the expectant mother to temporarily be a vegetarian - fermented milk products are removed from the diet.

All that remains is plant food. This will allow the body to spend a minimum of energy on digesting food, focusing on preparing for childbirth.

If not a diet, then restrictions

But restrictions are still necessary. There is no need to eat pork three times a day; get by with a small piece of boiled or baked chicken. If you really want something sweet, eat it, but not the sponge cake with buttercream.

Believe me excess weight and a stomach tired of heavy food are bad helpers during childbirth.

What to eat before giving birth

So, day X has arrived. If you feel the beginning labor activity(water has broken, contractions are weak), it is better to refuse food. During labor and childbirth, nausea is possible, which is easier to tolerate on an empty stomach.

It is also better not to overload the intestines, which is why an enema is done before childbirth. In addition, the first time after birth it will be difficult to empty the intestines, and it will take time to recover.

Appetite usually disappears before childbirth. But you can drink it – unsweetened drinking water, mineral without gas, herbal teas. Be careful with herbal infusions– their composition should not include herbs that affect the uterus, such as thyme.

But if your appetite still awakens, you can eat a small portion of light food even in the prenatal ward.

What to eat before giving birth:

• cracker;
• cheese with bread;
• boiled egg;
• dried fruits.

Eat little and be sure to drink.

Teas and decoctions are prepared in advance and brought with you in a thermos or in bottles. You need to drink in small portions - a too full stomach can lead to nausea.

Food during prolonged labor

If for some reason labor is delayed, appetite may appear. And the strength of the woman in labor needs to be restored. Therefore, in this situation, the answer to the question of whether it is possible to eat during contractions is definitely “yes.”

Food should be easily digestible and well-replenishing energy. Experienced obstetricians recommend taking chocolate to childbirth, and not so long ago scientists discovered another product useful for women in labor - dates.

Chocolate

Let us clarify right away - we are talking only about bitter Milk, with fillers, white and other varieties are not suitable. Beneficial features Chocolate is flavored by cocoa beans, the maximum amount of which is found in bitter varieties.

Chocolate is useful not only as a generally recognized energy restorer. It has the property of stimulating the process of dilation of the cervix and also reduces pain sensitivity.

But you should still consult a doctor in advance - chocolate is one of the most powerful allergens. And in any case, you shouldn’t eat the whole chocolate bar at once; it’s better to replenish your strength one slice at a time.

Dates

Another product that can restore energy lost during contractions is dates. They are distinguished by a high content of healthy sugar, reaching up to 60%. It is fructose that will help a woman in labor quickly restore vitality.

But dates also have other properties that are valuable for a woman giving birth. The oxytocin they contain has a beneficial effect on labor by stimulating muscle contraction. The effect of oxytocin continues after childbirth - it activates the production of breast milk.

Thus, dates before childbirth, thanks to their unique properties, will not only satisfy your hunger, but will also help you give birth easier.

Conclusion

Childbirth is a difficult experience for female body. Although the birth of a baby justifies both the nine months of waiting and the pain of contractions, the expectant mother needs to do everything to make the birth as easy and painless as possible - both for her and for the baby.

Special nutrition in the last weeks of pregnancy is one of the effective measures to help mothers in labor cope more easily with the birth of a child.

What is your opinion on this issue? Do you think a diet is needed in the last month and is it possible to eat before giving birth? We are waiting for your comments.

When the 35-36th week of pregnancy is at the end, the expectant mother often receives recommendations from the doctor to exclude heavy foods from her diet, limit flour, meat, and sweets. A couple of weeks before the expected date of birth, it is better to eat mainly fruits, vegetables, stewed and boiled dishes, and “lean on” fermented milk products. Moreover, on the day the baby is born, it is generally considered dangerous to eat: in case of emergency caesarean section this may cause complications.

However, circumstances vary, so no woman can possibly predict how much time will pass between eating and the onset of labor. In addition, the process of giving birth to a child often lasts a very long time, and a hungry (and sometimes sleep-deprived) woman in labor can almost immediately lose strength, which in the end will not benefit anyone. That's why even doctors may take different approaches when it comes to food during labor:

1. It is better to minimize the risk of complications if emergency surgery and do not eat all the time from the beginning of the first contractions. A woman’s body is quite capable of surviving childbirth well without eating.
2. Eating on the day a baby is born is not only possible, but even beneficial: it gives the expectant mother the opportunity to get the energy she needs so much and prevents labor from slowing down.

Both points of view are reasonable and logical, however, even if a woman has decided that she is not going to starve during childbirth, she is recommended to adopt the following rules:

1. It is best to have a snack at the very beginning of labor. This makes sense for two reasons. Firstly, when contractions are still weak, a woman usually feels well and the thought of eating does not cause her discomfort. Secondly, there is still a lot of time before the end of childbirth for the food to be digested. It should be understood that in any case you need to eat something light, for example, bread or yogurt.
2. During frequent and intense contractions, it is better to refrain from eating, because even a small piece of chocolate can trigger an attack of nausea. Multiparous women understand that they are unlikely to want to eat during this period anyway.
3. Drinking a little water or juice during childbirth is not at all harmful; on the contrary, it will help restore a little strength and relieve discomfort from pain. However, it is advisable that the drink you take with you to the maternity hospital does not contain artificial additives or sugar.
4. When the cervix is ​​fully dilated and pushing begins, you will have to forget about drinking and food. The second stage of labor usually lasts no more than an hour. Since it requires the active participation of the expectant mother and the concentration of all her strength, she will not need either food or water.

When the birth is over, you can safely quench your thirst. However, despite how much time has passed since the onset of the first contractions, you should not rush into food too actively: the body needs rest after childbirth, and heavy food will become quite a burden for it. It is better to have a light snack: for example, vegetable broth or fruit puree.

Please note in advance that breast-feeding imposes certain restrictions on a woman’s diet. So, it is not recommended to eat vegetables and fruits bright colors, as well as exotic foods and foods with potentially high levels of toxins.

Have you ever heard of Mendelssohn's syndrome? This is the reaction of the digestive tract to general anesthesia. The syndrome was discovered in the forties of the last century. Doctors have found that if a woman in labor ate or drank during labor, or shortly before it, and received general anesthesia, it may happen that pieces of food get into the lungs, and this can contribute to the development of pneumonia. In some cases, the consequences can be more serious; due to damage to the lungs, the woman may die.

But now, during a caesarean section, general anesthesia is used very rarely; epidural anesthesia is often used for this operation, and therefore the ban on taking food and water during childbirth is no longer relevant.

Method of use general anesthesia Since that time, it has also changed, the technique of performing a cesarean section has improved, so women should not worry about what she ate before giving birth. Since even in the event of an emergency caesarean section, food will not be a threat to the woman’s life.

Today you can eat and drink during childbirth - this has been proven by various studies.

But our readers may have a completely logical question: why was it not possible before, but now it is possible?

Firstly, many studies have been conducted and scientists have proven that during normal childbirth, a woman can consume water and food in small quantities.

Moreover, prohibiting food and water during childbirth can affect not only physical state women (dehydration, exhaustion), but also on moral. And stress can lead to complications during childbirth.

Scientists have also proven that drinking food or water during labor significantly shortens the duration of labor.

But not all women are allowed to eat during childbirth, those who are overweight, or those who take certain types of anesthesia.

Food or water - which is better?

English scientists conducted a study dividing women in labor into two groups, some were only allowed to eat a little liquid or solid food, others were only allowed to drink water. As a result, the scientists found that food or water did not affect the duration of labor, either natural or via cesarean section. If a woman's birth is natural and uncomplicated, then the woman can eat small amounts of food and water if she wishes.

List of foods that can be consumed during childbirth:

• natural juice;
• tea (not very strong);
• yogurt;
• bread (you can spread a little butter);
• boiled eggs;
• fresh or baked fruits;
• bouillon;

You need to drink water in moderation during childbirth; if a woman drinks more than 2.5 liters, the amount of sodium ions in her blood may decrease, which can lead to headaches, nausea, and even vomiting.

Doctors say it's best to drink clean water During childbirth, you need to drink water in small sips and in small quantities.

The first birth lasts approximately 12 to 16 hours; it is still possible to survive without food for that long, but without water it is very difficult. Therefore, it is better not to exhaust your body, and take care of a bottle of water in advance.

Many women after giving birth admit that they didn’t want to eat at all during childbirth.

Also, doctors say that taking a small amount of food can calm a woman during childbirth.

Listen to your own body and if you still want water, or feel hungry, do not deny yourself. IN in this case The principle applies: “if you really want to, then you can.” But remember that everything should be in moderation.

Why you can’t eat or drink during childbirth

Today, in most maternity hospitals, women in labor are not allowed to eat or drink during labor. This is due to the fact that during childbirth it may be necessary to administer general anesthesia (if indications are for cesarean section or manual separation of the placenta); In this case, there is a possibility of the stomach contents being released into the mouth, and from there into the lungs, which in turn can lead to severe pneumonia (pneumonia). In addition, during contractions, due to the reflex connection that exists between the stomach and the cervix, a gag reflex sometimes occurs, which can lead to vomiting. The more contents are in the stomach, the higher the likelihood of such phenomena.
You can often hear that during childbirth it is simply necessary to replenish large fluid losses in order to avoid dehydration and its likely consequences. In fact, fluid loss during childbirth is quite insignificant due to the increased secretion of the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin (water retention) by the pituitary gland, as well as due to the relaxation of voluntary muscles. By the beginning of labor, the mother’s body has a more than sufficient supply of water; rather, one should be wary of water intoxication and low sodium levels in the blood. There is also discomfort when the bladder is full.
Therefore, every woman in labor will have to undergo a bowel cleansing procedure with an enema before giving birth. Especially this procedure necessary for women preparing for a caesarean section.

Why you shouldn't scream during contractions

Screaming while pushing is the most useless activity. The cry takes all your pushing efforts upward and the baby does not move. A cry can be useful to us only at the moment of “crowning”, when the baby’s head begins to emerge in its largest size - at this moment it is very important not to push him too hard, so as not to injure the perineum. And there’s no point in shouting here, you can just breathe through the “doggy” pushing.
During the scream, the mother loses strength, and the child receives less air when he vitally needs it - he already experiences pain during contractions. oxygen starvation. This is due to the fact that at the moment of contraction of the muscles of the uterus, compression of the uterine vessels that nourish the placenta occurs; accordingly, the fetus receives much less oxygen and nutrients. And while a woman in labor is screaming, she also experiences a lack of oxygen and a loss of strength, which she will need during pushing. By the way, screaming during pushing also interferes with the successful process of expulsion of the fetus.

Why you can’t push without the permission of a doctor or obstetrician

When, after all periods of contractions, you have a desire to push, very similar to the urge to defecate (the desire to empty the intestines), you cannot immediately implement it. Untimely pushing can lead to injury to both mother and baby. The desire to push arises when the fetal head puts pressure on the pelvic floor muscles. But all women have different thresholds of sensitivity, so for some, pushing begins when the head is still high and has not moved along the birth canal, and for others, when the baby’s head is already located on the pelvic floor. If everything develops as described in the second case, you will be allowed to try pushing immediately, otherwise you need to skip pushing using special breathing techniques. This necessity is caused by the following: the fetal head must gradually pass through the birth canal, because during this short but very difficult path it undergoes a so-called configuration, when the bones of the skull are superimposed on one another like a tiled roof. This occurs due to the presence of sutures and fontanelles between them - areas where there is no bone tissue, but only connective tissue; these areas gradually close bone tissue). If you push at the moment when the fetal head is at the very beginning of the birth canal and its configuration has not yet occurred, then the advancement may be traumatic for the child.
Another circumstance that determines the need for timely pushing is the condition of the cervix. If you try to push when it is not yet fully dilated, then when moving the head forward by contracting the abdominal muscles (this is pushing), there is a high probability of rupture of the cervix with the fetal head.
Therefore, when you feel the first desire to push, try to breathe quickly and shallowly (push) and immediately call one of the medical personnel.

Why can’t you push into your face or puff out your cheeks while pushing?

During childbirth, it is very important to push correctly: the condition of both the woman and her child depends on the behavior of the mother during this period. For correct and fruitful attempts, the first thing you should do is dial full breasts air. It is not difficult. The subsequent actions may be incorrect. For example, many women in labor puff out their cheeks and tense their facial muscles; in this case, the pushing turns out to be completely ineffective, and the fetal head does not move along the birth canal. Moreover, after such attempts, small hemorrhages may form on the face and eyes, and with low vision You can go completely blind. In order for the birth to end quickly and safely, you need to take a full chest of air, as if swallowing it (but not exhale). Then press your chin to your chest, rest your feet on the devices provided specifically for this on the birthing chair, and pull the handrails towards you with your hands . It is necessary to tense the muscles of the front as much as possible. abdominal wall (similar actions a person exercises when constipated). You need to push for 15-20 seconds, then exhale smoothly, then immediately take a full breath of air and repeat everything again. These steps must be repeated three times in one push.

Why you can't sit during childbirth

The sitting position is the worst position for childbirth. This must be remembered towards the end of the first stage of labor, when contractions become quite frequent (after 1-2 minutes) and strong, and even more so when the first desire to push appears. At this moment, the baby’s head has already entered the birth canal and, taking a sitting position, the mother thereby creates an obstacle to her birth. Therefore, it is better to choose other positions for the birth process.

Why you shouldn’t strain during contractions

During contractions, you should not strain or squeeze. On the contrary, you should relax all muscles as much as possible. Remember: frequent tension of the pelvic floor muscles can lead to more painful contractions and cervical spasms, and painful contractions will prevent the uterus from opening at the right time. Plus, the more you strain, the more painful it becomes.
During the first period, the cervix smoothes out, the uterine os opens, which allows the baby to be born. At the same time uterine contractions(contractions) push the fetus out of the uterus. Tight muscles of the pelvis and limbs prevent the baby from moving through the birth canal. If muscle tension is absent, then all emotional reactions fade, including painful sensations. Thus, if during childbirth your body is completely relaxed, then this eliminates the excessive tone of the cervix, which provokes painful sensations during contractions. In a state of complete relaxation and tranquility increased activity the uterus is perceived simply as muscle contraction.
To reduce tension, you should use all possible reserves, which lie in breathing, self-numbing massage, taking a comfortable position and mood.
There is no need to strain during doctor’s examinations (he determines the dilation of the cervix, its elasticity, the position of the fetus, the advancement of the head or pelvic end), since tension will also only increase the pain. During the vaginal examination, try to breathe quickly and shallowly, relax all muscle groups, especially the perineum.

Why you shouldn't lie on your back during childbirth

In this position, the pregnant uterus compresses large vessels (aorta and inferior vena cava), which leads to a deterioration in blood flow to the brain, heart and other internal organs, uterus and fetus. This, in turn, leads to oxygen starvation of the baby and stagnation of venous blood in the internal organs (including the uterus). This is precisely what the so-called inferior vena cava syndrome consists of. If for some reason you are forced to be in bed during contractions, try to take a position lying on your left side or half-sitting.

Why does the umbilical cord need to be cut after pulsation?

There are many reasons for cutting the umbilical cord not immediately, but when its pulsation ends. So, when a child passes through birth canal a small part of the blood from the umbilical cord flows under pressure to the placenta and after the birth of the fetus, while the umbilical cord is pulsating, the blood must be allowed to pass back to the newborn in order to reduce his blood loss. In addition, nature itself provides for the pulsation of the umbilical cord for some time after the birth of the child, which contributes to a smoother transition to independent breathing, if he does not immediately breathe, and for some time receive oxygen simultaneously from two sources. Reducing blood loss and full oxygen saturation help increase the baby’s body’s resistance to possible harmful effects and allows him to adapt to new living conditions as quickly as possible.
And yet today there are two opposing opinions on this matter. Most doctors (proponents of active labor management) believe that cutting the umbilical cord should be done within one to two minutes. They consider this an effective measure to prevent birth bleeding, since the placenta, filled with blood, is more easily separated from the walls of the uterus, and the baby will not experience increased blood viscosity. Other doctors (supporters of physiological management of childbirth) are convinced that it is necessary to cut the umbilical cord after its pulsation has stopped, since natural contact between mother and child from the first minutes of birth is a guarantee that the mother will not have blood loss and problems with the separation of the placenta from the uterus, and the child has anemia in the first weeks of life.

Main arguments

1. Arguments for cutting the umbilical cord after the end of the pulsation

• the newborn receives up to 150 ml of blood that belongs to him (this is up to 40% of his total blood volume);
• given blood the child needs it to fill the pulmonary circulation, as well as for sufficient blood supply to the liver, kidneys, and intestines (after all, the blood circulation of a newborn changes completely: there are two circles, new vessels are involved). It is known that under conditions of oxygen starvation in the body, blood is distributed according to priority - first to the brain, and then to the rest of the internal organs in order of decreasing importance in the body. In this situation, blood does not reach the lungs immediately, but without this they will not be able to start working normally! Accordingly, timely cutting of the umbilical cord will help maintain the health of the lungs and prevent many of their diseases in childhood;
• The baby breathes through the umbilical cord, receiving oxygen from the blood. The lungs do not start up immediately after birth, but gradually. If the connection with the placenta is interrupted immediately, then oxygen starvation occurs, and at this time the baby is on an “extra lung” (gas exchange occurs through the placenta, still attached to the uterus) until his own pulmonary breathing (never used by him before) stabilizes. This contributes to the smoothest transition to life outside the womb in healthy children and may have great value for resuscitation of children born with asphyxia;
• there will be no transfer of the baby's blood cells into the mother's bloodstream, which most often happens if the clamp is applied early, thus raising the pressure in the blood vessels of the placenta. This helps prevent possible conflicts regarding the blood type and Rh factor of the mother and child;
• mother and baby are close at this important period in the development of their relationship and thereby their close attachment to each other is established, and possible postpartum hemorrhages are also prevented, since the level of oxytocin in the mother, who is not disturbed after childbirth, is extremely high.

2. Arguments for cutting the umbilical cord immediately after birth

• due to the abundant supply of blood from the placenta, the child may develop increased blood viscosity, as well as polycythemia (excess red blood cells) and plethora (blood volume overload);
• conversely, blood can leak from the newborn into the placenta, causing blood loss in the baby;
• due to the abundance of blood coming from the placenta, the child more often develops physiological jaundice;
• in case of possible conflicts regarding blood type and Rh factor, the child receives fewer antibodies that cause hemolysis (however, there is no clear data in favor of this argument).

Why and how to do an enema before childbirth

Many women have questions about how necessary this procedure is, sometimes even causing panic. During contractions, and especially during the period of pushing and birth of the fetus, the woman feels quite strong pressure on the pelvic floor, involuntarily pushing. Therefore, even if a woman has recently had stool, the possibility of its recurrence cannot be ruled out. Precisely for reasons of hygiene, and for normal psychological state women, before giving birth, do an enema. In addition, colon cleansing is mandatory procedure before a cesarean section, since in the first days after the operation you should under no circumstances push to avoid sutures coming apart.
How does this happen? The woman in labor goes into the treatment room, lies down on her left side, and the nurse uses an enema to inject about 1.5 liters of liquid into her intestines. Then the woman in labor is allowed to take a shower. After the enema, you need to be prepared for increased contractions and accelerated dilatation of the cervix. Some women try to cleanse their colon on their own in non-standard ways, for example, using laxative suppositories and microenemas. However, they are unlikely to provide the same complete bowel movement as this medical procedure.

Why are oxytocin drips given during childbirth?

When labor is weak, maternity hospitals often use it to enhance uterine contractions. different drugs. The most well-known and still widely used is oxytocin (the so-called birth hormone).

Oxytocin is a hormone with a complex structure that is formed in a woman’s brain and performs functions in the body that are associated with childbirth and lactation. Oxytocin travels through the bloodstream from the brain to target organs - the uterus and mammary glands, affecting them. It is a natural stimulator of the smooth muscles of the uterus, increases its contractile activity, and also affects lactation by increasing the secretion of prolactin (the hormone responsible for milk production). It also promotes the contraction of myoepithelial cells (the cells that produce milk), which leads to the movement of milk into the ducts from the mammary glands. Research has shown that oxytocin is also involved in the formation of a close bond between mother and child immediately after birth.

Oxytocin is administered only intravenously, intramuscularly, and less often subcutaneously. After intravenous administration contractile activity of the uterus appears within 3-5 minutes and lasts about 3 hours. Very small amounts of the drug reach the fetus without affecting it. Based on this, indications for its use were developed. Most doctors are of the opinion that oxytocin should only be prescribed with therapeutic purpose, and not for stimulation of labor during a normal pregnancy for quick completion, and not for stimulation performed at the request of the pregnant woman. Therefore, at present, the indications for the use of oxytocin are quite clearly defined.

Oxytocin is prescribed:

• for inducing and stimulating labor for medical reasons, i.e. in cases where rapid delivery is required naturally because of high risk development of complications in mother and fetus. This happens, for example, with premature rupture of amniotic fluid and the absence of contractions, since a long anhydrous period (12 hours or more) increases the risk of infection of the uterus and membranes. A quick delivery is also necessary in case of severe gestosis of a pregnant woman (a condition in which edema appears, protein in the urine increases arterial pressure), when both mother and fetus suffer. An indication for the need to administer oxytocin is also the presence of Rh conflict (in this case, the mother’s body produces antibodies that destroy the red blood cells of the fetus). But even in these situations, oxytocin is used only if the cervix is ​​ready for childbirth - shortened, softened, its canal is slightly open. If the neck is not ready, then use various methods, accelerating its maturation, and then injecting oxytocin;
• Oxytocin is used for weak labor, to stimulate or re-intensify it, and for weakening or complete cessation of contractile activity of the uterus. Weak labor is a condition in which the duration, intensity and frequency of contractions are insufficient, so the dilation, effacement of the cervix and the advancement of the fetus occur rather slowly. Timely administration of oxytocin during weak labor helps to avoid many complications;
• after childbirth, oxytocin is prescribed mainly to contract the uterus to avoid postpartum uterine bleeding. For the same purpose, the drug is injected into the uterine muscle during a cesarean section;
• Oxytocin is used to prevent and treat lactostasis, as it facilitates the initial outflow of milk from the mammary glands in the early postpartum period.

Oxytocin is contraindicated:

• when there is a discrepancy between the sizes of the pelvis and the fetal head, as well as when its position is incorrect, when natural delivery is impossible (if narrow pelvis, with hydrocephalus, with a large fetus, with a transverse position of the fetus, with umbilical cord presentation or with its prolapse, as well as with placenta previa, since this situation poses a threat of bleeding and is an indication for cesarean section);
• with immaturity of the cervix;
• if there are scars on the uterus, including after cesarean section and myomectomy (surgery to remove fibroids), since the existing scars may fail, and therefore there is a risk of uterine rupture;
• when there is a threat of uterine rupture, which is dangerous for the life of the mother and fetus;
• in the presence of a cervical tumor, atresia (fusion of the cervix) and its cicatricial changes that prevent its opening;
• if the woman in labor has information about hypersensitivity to oxytocin (if, for example, there is evidence of uterine hyperstimulation by oxytocin in previous labor);
• take special care when deciding on the use of oxytocin for multiple pregnancies and uterine fibroids.
• Oxytocin is used extremely carefully even if the fetus has signs of hypoxia - insufficient oxygen supply, since when it is administered, contractions become more frequent and longer, and during contractions the blood supply to the placenta significantly deteriorates.

Why do you put a heating pad with ice on your stomach after giving birth?

Labor does not end with the birth of a child: after 10-15 minutes, the uterus begins to contract again, then the birth of the placenta occurs. The birth is considered complete if a doctor’s examination shows that the uterus has been freed from all particles of the placenta, umbilical cord and other organs that helped intrauterine development baby. After this, a heating pad with ice is placed on the mother’s stomach to press down on the uterus, thereby speeding up its contraction, and also to reduce postpartum hemorrhage(due to cooling of blood vessels).