The baby is coming

1. After 9 months (sometimes a bit longer and sometimes a bit shorter), the time has finally come; labor begins! You do not have to worry that the delivery will start unnoticed. You can clearly feel when the contractions start or the membranes break.

2. After 9 months (sometimes a bit longer and sometimes a bit shorter), the time has finally come; labor begins! You do not have to worry that the delivery will start unnoticed. You can clearly feel when the contractions start or the water breaks.

1. The order in which a delivery starts is not the same for every woman. Maybe the water will break before you feel contractions. In any case, you can be sure that your baby will arrive if you have lost amniotic fluid and the cramps in your stomach return regularly.

Broken membranes

1. Usually you feel a little 'handsome' when the water breaks. If the membranes break at the bottom of the uterus, you suddenly lose a lot of amniotic fluid. If the membranes break high in the uterus, you will always lose some moisture. The amniotic fluid should be clear in color with small flakes in it. It is useful to collect some amniotic fluid in a glass. The midwife can see from the amniotic fluid whether the baby has defecated in the water. The amniotic fluid is then green or brown in color. This could mean that the baby is short of breath. You must then go to the hospital immediately. After the membranes have ruptured, the contractions have free rein because often the mucus plug in front of the cervix has disappeared. Always call the midwife if you think your water has broken. She will then make an appointment in the hospital anyway. If the contractions have not started after 24 hours, you will be admitted. Infections can easily develop after rupture of the membranes, because the sterile occlusion of the uterus has disappeared.

2. Usually you feel a little 'handsome' when the water breaks. If the membranes break at the bottom of the uterus, you suddenly lose a lot of amniotic fluid. If the membranes break high in the uterus, you will always lose some moisture. The amniotic fluid should be clear in color with small flakes in it. It is useful to collect some amniotic fluid in a glass. The midwife can see from the amniotic fluid whether the baby has defecated in the water. The amniotic fluid is then green or brown in color. This could mean that the baby is short of breath. You must then go to the hospital immediately. After the membranes have ruptured, the contractions have free rein because often the mucus plug in front of the cervix has disappeared. Always call the midwife if you think your water has broken. She will then make an appointment in the hospital anyway. If the contractions have not started after 24 hours, you will be admitted. After the membranes have ruptured, infections can easily develop, because the sterile occlusion of the uterus has disappeared.

Woe The midwife speaks of a contraction when you have a painful, hard stomach every five minutes for about an hour that lasts for about sixty seconds. By following a pregnancy course, you can learn how to best manage contractions. For many women, heat helps with pain. A warm shower or bath, or a hot water bottle can relieve some of the tension. You don't have to panic. Rather find a nice place where you can relax the contractions. Some women experience contractions neatly one after the other at regular intervals, others experience a contraction storm that immediately sets in violent. You should agree with the midwife when it is the right time to call her. In the case of a first child, the midwife often assumes an hour-long contractions that recur every three minutes. For a next child, this is often during contractions every five minutes, which are experienced as powerful. You can assume that you have to call directly at: amniotic fluid loss, contractions or blood loss before the 37th week of pregnancy broken membranes green or brown amniotic fluid severe contractions that recur regularly for an hour large, bright red blood loss (more than with a period) How are you going to give birth

1. When the time comes, you have of course already thought about how you want to give birth. You have probably already made the choice of hospital or home, but did you know that you can also give birth in the bath, for example? By the way, you can also arrange both: hospital and home. You only really know what it feels like when you are busy. An overview of the possibilities: Giving birth in the water: you can give birth in a (rented) bath. Many women like it because the water relieves pain. The romarad: it looks a bit like a fairground attraction, but it is a kind of rocking chair in which you can give birth vertically. The passage to the pelvis is the widest when you are seated. The birthing stool: basically the same principle as the romarad, but it is more of a stool on which you sit. Also useful for your partner, he can sit behind it as support or to massage you. By the way, if there are no complications you can give birth standing, sitting, lying on your back, on your side, on your hands and knees whenever you want.

The delivery

1. It is of course very difficult to give an average delivery. Childbirth really differs per woman. However, three phases can be clearly distinguished for each delivery. Phase 1: The digestion time The first contractions serve to widen the cervix. The cervix must 'open'. In other words: your child needs the space to be able to go through it later. Usually this phase lasts twelve to fourteen hours. It may take a little longer with a first child. When you have four inches of dilation, the cervix has disappeared and you can start straining. Phase 2: The exorcism The child will search his or her way to the exit. The contractions are stronger now and you usually get the urge to press. After a while the head can be seen in front of the vagina, but occasionally still slips back. When the head is 'standing', so it does not slide back, you are no longer allowed to press. The following contractions will 'drive' the baby out. As soon as your baby is out, the umbilical cord will be cut and he may recover and look for the breast. Make sure this is a quiet time. A little help is allowed, but the baby can very well show initiative. The baby's suction also stimulates the afterbirth. Phase 3: The afterbirth In the last phase, the placenta (placenta) is born. Your child was fed through this organ for nine months. This afterbirth is more intense for some women than for others. Usually the placenta will arrive within ten minutes to half an hour after the birth of your baby. This afterbirth leaves a wound in the uterus that will keep you flowing for several more weeks.