How long between contractions

There are some situations where physiological management is not advisable. Your midwife or doctor can explain if this is the case for you. Your midwife will give you an injection of oxytocin into your thigh as you give birth, or soon after.

This makes your womb contract. Evidence suggests it's better not to cut the umbilical cord immediately, so your midwife will wait to do this between 1 and 5 minutes after birth. This may be done sooner if there are concerns about you or your baby — for example, if the cord is wound tightly around your baby's neck. Once the placenta has come away from your womb, your midwife pulls the cord — which is attached to the placenta — and pulls the placenta out through your vagina.

This usually happens within 30 minutes of your baby being born. Active management speeds up the delivery of the placenta and lowers your risk of having heavy bleeding after the birth postpartum haemorrhage , but it increases the chance of you feeling and being sick. It can also make afterpains contraction-like pains after birth worse. Read about preventing heavy bleeding on our page What happens straight after the birth.

The cord is not cut until it has stopped pulsing. This means blood is still passing from the placenta to your baby. This usually takes around 2 to 4 minutes. Once the placenta has come away from your womb, you should feel some pressure in your bottom and you'll need to push the placenta out. It can take up to an hour for the placenta to come away, but it usually only takes a few minutes to push it out.

If the placenta does not come away naturally or you begin to bleed heavily, you'll be advised by your midwife or doctor to switch to active management. You can do this at any time during the 3rd stage of labour. Read more about what happens straight after you give birth. Page last reviewed: 20 March Next review due: 20 March Home Pregnancy Labour and birth What happens in labour and birth Back to What happens in labour and birth.

The stages of labour and birth. If your labour starts at night, try to stay comfortable and relaxed. Sleep if you can. When to contact a midwife Contact your midwifery team if: your contractions are regular and you're having about 3 in every minute period your waters break your contractions are very strong and you feel you need pain relief you're worried about anything If you go into hospital or your midwifery unit before your labour has become established, they may suggest you go home again for a while.

You can either walk around or get into a position that feels comfortable to labour in. When you reach the end of the 1st stage of labour, you may feel an urge to push. Monitoring your baby in labour Your midwife will monitor you and your baby during labour to make sure you're both coping well.

These pads are attached to a monitor that shows your baby's heartbeat and your contractions Sometimes a clip called a foetal heart monitor can be attached to the baby's head instead. A foetal scalp monitor will usually only be removed just as your baby is born, not before. Speeding up labour Labour can sometimes be slower than expected. Breaking your waters Breaking the membrane that contains the fluid around your baby your waters is often enough to make contractions stronger and more regular.

Oxytocin drip If breaking your waters does not work, your doctor or midwife may suggest using a drug called oxytocin also known as syntocinon to make your contractions stronger. Finding a position to give birth in Your midwife will help you find a comfortable position to give birth in. Pushing your baby out When your cervix is fully dilated, your baby will move further down the birth canal towards the entrance to your vagina. What happens when your baby is born When your baby's head is almost ready to come out, your midwife will ask you to stop pushing and take some short breaths, blowing them out through your mouth.

There are 2 ways to manage this stage of labour: active — when you have treatment to make it happen faster physiological — when you have no treatment and this stage happens naturally Your midwife will explain both ways to you while you're still pregnant or during early labour, so you can decide which you would prefer.

What is active management? In general, labor can take anywhere from 12 to 24 hours for the first delivery and about 8 to 10 hours for subsequent births. However, everyone is different and every pregnancy is different. Some people are in labor much longer or shorter than average. Individual pain tolerance and perception should be considered as well.

There are apps for timing contractions , but the good old-fashioned way of using a watch with a second hand or a reliable digital watch works just as well.

You also can use a stopwatch app on your phone. Whatever you use, here are the steps to take. Grab a notepad so you can do the simple math required to determine how long each of your contractions are lasting:. During the last few weeks of your pregnancy, you'll want to discuss your birth plan with your provider so that you know what to do once your labor begins. Here are some general guidelines but keep in mind, every woman's individual situations may vary.

In general, though, unless your doctor or midwife has told you otherwise, you should head to the hospital or your chosen place of birth when your contractions are every three to five minutes apart and they last 45 seconds to 60 seconds over the course of an hour if this is your first baby.

If you've already had one baby, start making your way to the hospital when your contractions arrive every five to seven minutes apart and last between 45 seconds and 60 seconds each. If you experience any bleeding, fever, or extreme pain, however, call your provider and head to the hospital right away.

Contraction timing is an important tool to help you identify when you are in labor and when it might be time to head to the place where you plan to give birth. However, while the guidelines provided in this article are helpful tools, you should always talk to your provider about your individual birth plan so that they can advise you based on your unique circumstances. Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy.

March of Dimes. Stages of Labor. March Cleveland Clinic. Reviewed: July 26, Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellFamily.

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