Labor pains

definition

Labor pains occur in every woman before their child is born. They are used to prepare for the actual birth. In other words, lower labor is a normal (physiological) process that is important for an unproblematic birth.
In contrast to the "real" contractions that induce labor, pectoral labor occurs around 2-6 weeks before delivery. They ensure that the baby "slides" out of the mother's stomach and into the pelvis. If a woman has already given birth to several children, the vertebral pains often come later because the child is already deeper in the pelvis.

Typically, you can tell by the fact that it occurs several times a day towards the end of pregnancy. They are expressed by a slight pulling in the area of ​​the lower abdomen. Usually, contractions are uncomfortable, however not as painful compared to real labor. Another important differentiation from real contractions is that the lowering contractions only last for a short time (a maximum of one minute). In addition, there is an improvement as soon as the patient relaxes.
Even if sinking pains can be annoying for patients, they are still enormous important for childbirth. During the contractions it happens that the muscles of the uterus (Uterus) tense (contract) rhythmically again and again. This rhythmic tension of the muscles is very important at birth so that the child can quickly slide out through the birth canal. There may be minimal opening of the cervix during vertebral labor. This also serves to prepare for the upcoming birth.

At what point do lowering pains occur

The point at which vertebral pains occur depends primarily on how many children a woman has already given birth. It is generally believed that swaying pains from the 36th week of pregnancy occur. They ensure that the child slips out of the mother's stomach (abdomen) into the small pelvis.
So contractions are the optimal preparation for childbirth and position the child so that an easy birth is possible. However, the point at which somatic labor occurs can vary greatly. Some women experience vertigo as early as 6 weeks before giving birth. Especially before the first birth, pains started earlier. Often times, the pains do not start until later, when a woman has already been pregnant one or more times, as the child is already deeper in the pelvis.
In general, contractions can start 2-6 weeks before the birth. However, it is difficult to predict or control when the sinking pains started. However, one assumes that absenteeism induced by stress or overwork could be. It is therefore important for a woman to avoid stress towards the end of the pregnancy, as otherwise she may go into labor earlier.

How long do the contractions last?

Labor pains classically occur in the 36th week of pregnancy. The duration of the contractions is about 20-60 seconds. They are often accompanied by sudden shooting pain, while other women only feel a slight pull.
There is hardly any difference between the duration of the lowering pains and the real contractions that initiate the final delivery. It is therefore important that the expectant mother observes the intervals at which labor occurs. Real labor that induces childbirth occurs every minute and gets stronger and stronger.
On the other hand, contractions occur very irregularly throughout the day. The duration of the contractions can sometimes be shorter and sometimes a little longer. However, the intensity of the sink pains can be reduced by relaxing baths or lying down.

Pain during lowering labor

Labor labor usually occurs in the 36th week of pregnancy and is very important for childbirth. They ensure that the child gets out of the mother's stomach (abdomen) towards the small pelvis. This makes the birth easier because the child is already in the correct position.
However, lower pains are associated with pain, which can be very uncomfortable for the expectant mother. Generally they are Little pain compared to real labor. Nevertheless, women can suffer greatly from the pain of lowering pains.
It helps here especially if she tries to relax. A warm bath can help relax muscles and tension. A hot water bottle can also help the expectant mother to relax again and the pain to subside.
In Preparatory courses Pregnant women also learn special breathing exercises that can help relieve pain. Fresh raspberry leaf tea can also help relieve the pain of sinking pains. Additional gentle massages also promote relaxation of the muscles.
In general, the pain associated with a contractions is different from the pain experienced during a real contraction. The sink pains are there to transport the child into the correct position. It is a light, rhythmic tension (contraction) of the muscles of the uterus (uterus). This tension in the muscles then leads to pain during the lower abdomen, back and thighs. In addition, there may be a feeling of pressure in the area of ​​the bladder, as the child now lies more in the small pelvis and thus narrows the bladder.
The intensity of the pains in the lower pains is different for every woman. In the first child, the pain is usually more intense. Mothers who have already given birth to several children often feel the pain of the abscess pains only slightly.
There particularly painful lowering pains are often indistinguishable from real contractions, it is important that the woman induce one Doctor or midwife contacted.

Nausea during labor pains

During pregnancy, it's not just a woman's body that changes. The unborn child must also be relocated from the mother's abdomen to the pelvis in the course of pregnancy so that a complication-free birth is possible. To make this possible, people go into labor from the 36th week of pregnancy. These can be very uncomfortable for some women. Some women suffer from severe pain, others hardly feel anything.
Some expectant mothers experience it during low labor nauseathat can sometimes last longer. The nausea can rarely be a harbinger of the subsequent sinking pains. Unfortunately There is not much that can be done about the nausea during vertebral labor, as they are caused by the pressure on the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract), which cannot be avoided during labor.
Still, the woman can try to get through Breathing exercises to minimize nausea. In addition, a relaxing bath can help calm the muscles and thus also reduce nausea. Anti-nausea medication should only be taken during pregnancy in urgent cases and must be taken in consultation with a gynecologist.
With some women it does after the lowering pains to an improvement of the nausea, because the child slides out of the stomach (abdomen) into the pelvis and thus the stomach (gaster) is no longer restricted by the child. The nausea usually gets better as soon as the child lies in the right position in the pelvis.
General are Nausea and diarrhea (diarrhea) are often a harbinger of the impending birth. So if the contractions occur more often and more intensely than usual, it may also be that it is not nausea associated with plummet pains but real contractions that indicate the impending birth.

Cardiotocography (CTG) for vertebral pains

The so-called Cardiotocography (English: Cardiotocography, CTG for short) is used to detect the heartbeat of the unborn child and to record the labor activity of the expectant mother.
With the help of the CTG, lower pains can be distinguished from real contractions. This is especially important when the cervix has already opened slightly and it is difficult to differentiate between true and pervascular contractions. Furthermore, the frequency and length of the vertebral pains can be detected using CTG.
Especially in women who have already had several children, the vertebral pains are hardly painful. The CTG helps to determine whether the expectant mother is still having labor pains. Nevertheless, the CTG is very sensitive to different women.
By Sslim women It comes to more frequent and stronger rashes the sinking pains in the CTG. This is because due to the low body fat, the child's activities and the abdominal girth of the abdomen are much more perceived.
At very strong women on the other hand, the fatty tissue ensures a strong limited signal perception, which is why slight downward pains are difficult to detect here or are even completely absent.

Contractions in breeches

Senkwehn is one normal (physiological) process, which ensures the correct position of the child in the small pelvis before the birth. Unfortunately, a woman cannot differentiate in which position the baby is on the basis of the vertebral contractions.
Generally, absorbency occurs Breech position as well as in the "normal" position of the child. However, if the child lies in the breech position, the bottom slides towards the pelvis instead of the head. Since children are usually born head first, breech position can be complications in natural birth.
That's why is trying the child from the 36th week of pregnancy to turn into the correct position. This is done through certain pressure movements on the expectant mother's stomach, which should only be carried out by specialist staff (midwives).
On the one hand, the hip contractions can help to move the child in the right direction. On the other hand, the contractions can ensure that the child sinks so deep into the pelvis that it is no longer possible to turn.