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How long before the birth should the stomach drop. Description of the prolapse of the abdomen before childbirth. Positive signs of head prolapse

The expectant mother can find out about the upcoming birth in about a week or two if she listens to her body, which is actively preparing for the culmination of pregnancy. The results of this preparation are manifested by the so-called harbingers of childbirth. True, it is never possible to say exactly how many days or hours after the appearance of a particular symptom, childbirth will begin.

Belly "drops"

Approximately 2 to 3 weeks before delivery, a woman who is giving birth for the first time may notice that her stomach has shifted down. In a woman giving birth again, the stomach usually drops immediately on the eve of childbirth. Moreover, as a rule, the lowering of the abdomen is very noticeable: if earlier it began right under the chest, now you can place a palm between it and the beginning of the abdomen. Many note the lowering and visually. Most women have a protruding belly button. The “lowering” of the abdomen occurs due to the lowering and insertion of the presenting part of the fetus (usually the head) into the pelvic inlet, as well as stretching the lower segment of the uterus and deflecting the bottom of the uterus (its upper part) anteriorly due to some decrease in tone abdominals. So the child finds comfortable position for entry into the small pelvis and settles in it. The baby's head is placed approximately in the middle of the small pelvis of the expectant mother. In the second and subsequent pregnancies, the head is initially located low, so there is no noticeable omission. In some cases (and this is within the normal range), the baby can “wander” or be relatively high in the pelvis until the very moment of childbirth, and the “lowering” of the abdomen does not occur at all.

Easier breathing

Immediately after the baby begins to sink deeper into the pelvis and the pressure on the chest, diaphragm and internal organs, mom is relieved: it becomes much easier to breathe. Most often, heartburn resolves because there is more space for the stomach and there is no backflow of contents from the stomach into the esophagus. However, this increases the pressure on the lower abdomen and makes it a little more difficult to sit and walk. It is also possible that after the displacement of the fetus down, the expectant mother will have difficulty sleeping, since at this time it is difficult to find comfortable posture. In addition, numbness of the legs is possible, which is due to the lowering of the baby's head, which can pinch nerve endings- numbness can be relieved by lying on your side.

Increased urination and defecation

The urge to urinate becomes more frequent as the pressure on the bladder. Under the influence on the intestines of a woman, produced in her body by the end of pregnancy, biologically active substances there is some liquefaction of the stool and acceleration of peristalsis, which leads to diarrhea and mild abdominal cramps. This condition is comparable to the "bear disease" well known to many students and occurs before the exam. It is believed that the appearance of frequent soft stool it is no coincidence: this leads to a cleansing of the mother's intestines, and at the same time, space in the pelvis is freed up to facilitate the passage of the child. Sometimes this process is so pronounced that it causes serious panic, because women take it for food poisoning. So, if there were no significant reasons for indigestion, then you can confidently perceive such a disorder as a harbinger of childbirth.

Pain in the lumbar region

After having a baby, a woman may experience uncomfortable sensations and pain in the lumbar region, accompanied by a feeling of fatigue and heaviness. These sensations can be similar to pain before menstruation. At the same time, it is difficult to comfortably settle down in any particular position for any period of time. In order to eliminate discomfort during sleep, you can use several small pillows, placing them under the lower back, under the knee.

The baby is less likely to "push"

Most women report some decrease before giving birth. motor activity child, due to the fact that by the end of pregnancy, the fetus with a body weight of about 3 kg is already quite crowded in the uterine cavity. At the same time, the movements of the baby can cause even slight discomfort and be painful for the mother.

Decreased appetite and weight loss

Most often, just before the birth, the appetite decreases somewhat. Even if the whole pregnancy was hungry, then a few weeks before giving birth, women eat little. With regular weighing, the expectant mother may notice a slight decrease in body weight before childbirth (by about 1-2 kg), depending on the increased excretion of water from the body. This is how the body naturally prepares for childbirth: the body must be flexible and plastic.

"The laughter, then the tears"

Curious changes occur in the psyche of women. The expectant mother develops a kind of “inhibition” and “calmness”. This is due to the fact that inhibition processes predominate in the cerebral cortex, and the woman becomes somewhat absent-minded, forgetful, and less anxious. All this has its natural validity. Similar changes are necessary so that extraneous thoughts and emotions do not interfere with concentration on the birth of a child and the formation of the so-called "patrimonial dominant".

Frequent mood swings, characteristic of the entire period of pregnancy, are especially pronounced before childbirth. This is due to the processes taking place during this period in the central nervous and endocrine systems pregnant. The state of fatigue and inertia can suddenly give way to periods of vigorous activity.

Some women, shortly before giving birth, have a desire for “nesting”: they clean everything, wash, clean, wash. In addition, the term "nesting" refers to the behavior of a pregnant woman, when closer to childbirth she becomes withdrawn, avoids prying eyes and literally wants to hide from the whole world in some cozy warmth corner of the house. It also happens unconsciously, instinctively.

"Trial" contractions

These are the so-called "rehearsal" contractions, they are also called Braxton Higgs contractions. These contractions prepare the muscles of the uterus for future work, and also contribute to the gradual softening and smoothing of the cervix. Such training contractions are felt as tension in the abdomen: it seems to “reduce” it, there may be a need to bend over a little.

To the touch, the stomach becomes harder than usual (“it turns to stone”, “stands like a stake”), while there may be pulling sensations lower abdomen or lower back. Of course, preparatory contractions are not as painful and regular as during childbirth and, as a rule, do not cause significant discomfort to the expectant mother. They usually appear after the 30th week of pregnancy. A woman may feel certain contractions a few weeks before giving birth. Very often they are mistaken for the beginning of childbirth. If a regular and continuous rhythm is not established and the intervals between contractions are not reduced, then this is not the beginning of labor. Doctors call this period preliminary (preparatory). Both normal and pathological course of this period is possible. Prenatal contractions can be quite long (more than a day) and painful, which leads to fatigue of the woman and prevents the development of normal labor activity. In this case, it is necessary to consult a doctor and conduct appropriate treatment.

As already mentioned, preparatory contractions are not accompanied by painful sensations or their pain is insignificant, but already during preparatory contractions, you can practice the skills correct breathing and relaxation.

Some pregnant women do not have such “false” contractions at all - this is very individual.

The appearance of secretions and discharge of the mucous plug

Approximately a week before delivery, the amount of vaginal discharge increases, the tissues of the vagina loosen and soften, and the amount of colostrum flowing from the breast may increase.

As the cervix flattens and thins, the so-called mucus plug that keeps the birth canal closed during pregnancy may come off. A mucus plug is a discharge from the vagina cervical mucus which may be colorless, yellowish or pinkish. It can look very different: a dense clot of mucus, transparent or streaked with blood, or very voluminous liquid mucous discharge, and sometimes these are separate small dense mucous pieces.

Loss of the mucous plug is a sign of the onset of labor. However, the discharge of the mucous plug is not a reason to go to maternity hospital, since she can move away 2 weeks before the onset of labor, or maybe 3-4 days, and even in the midst of the onset of contractions. But if the waters break or appear bleeding from the genital tract, then it is urgent to go to the maternity hospital, as this can lead to serious complications and requires medical examination and observations.

To distinguish the cork from the water, it is necessary to use a white woven pad (diaper), after ironing it. You should observe the discharge: if it is very plentiful (one pad is missing or if the discharge continues for half an hour), you need to think that it is water and go to the hospital. The mucous plug is released at once, and in this case, the discharge will stop within 30 minutes.

The manifestations of precursors before childbirth are very individual for each expectant mother. Sometimes they may not be at all, and in some cases 2-3 signs appear, so if you do not have harbingers, you should not worry. And if the harbingers of childbirth nevertheless appeared, it is necessary to strictly observe the general hygiene rules and prepare everything you need for admission to the hospital, because childbirth can begin at any time.

“The tummy has dropped, which means that the baby will be born soon,” say experienced mothers and grandmothers. But how do you know exactly when it's time to give birth? What does the lowering of the abdomen before childbirth mean? These questions arise in many women, especially during the first pregnancy, when prenatal changes occur in the body. future mother she fears that she will not be able to get to the maternity hospital in time and she will have to give birth at home.

Why does the stomach drop?

During the last month of pregnancy in female body there are changes that help prepare for childbirth. At that time:

  • The baby's head goes down a little, approaching the bones of the small pelvis.
  • The pelvic bones gently fix the head, ensuring the correct passage through the birth canal when the time comes for childbirth.
  • Simultaneously with the change in the position of the baby, the uterus goes down by 4-6 cm. Sometimes it looks like the pregnant woman's tummy has decreased and the navel has gone down.

Signs indicating a lowering of the abdomen

How to understand that the stomach has dropped? Most primiparous and some multiparous find it difficult to determine whether the abdomen has dropped or not, especially if the pregnant woman has swelling or excess weight.

The expectant mother can determine the sagging belly if, at the 35th week, she makes a mark on the wall at the level of her navel in advance and checks the correspondence of the navel and mark every couple of days. If the mark is higher, then this means that the stomach has dropped. Additional feature the fact that the palm is calmly placed between the tummy and chest will serve.

When does the belly drop in pregnant women, if the gestation took place without pathologies? For each woman, this period is individual.

But what usually happens is:

  • In primiparas at 36 weeks.
  • In multiparous the exact date difficult to determine. At repeated pregnancy this event may occur at 37 or 38 weeks, or it may also happen that the abdomen has dropped just before labor began.

In addition to measuring the height of the navel, a pregnant woman feels changes in her body:

  • It becomes easier for her to breathe.
  • Heartburn stops, digestive problems disappear.
  • The baby stops kicking hard, allowing the mother to rest a bit.

At the same time, unpleasant symptoms appear:

  • The head of the child in the small pelvis presses on the bladder and intestines, forcing the woman to often run for small needs and causing constipation.
  • If the baby's head compresses blood vessels or nerve endings, then there are backaches that radiate to the leg or lower back.
  • Walking becomes more difficult due to the increased load on the legs.

What causes your tummy not to drop?

Some moms start to panic that it is time to give birth, and the stomach is still under the breast, although it has already been 38 weeks. Such undescended uterus for a period of 37-38 weeks can be caused by:

  • multiple pregnancy, when the babies at 38 weeks have not yet taken the position necessary for childbirth;
  • polyhydramnios;
  • large size of the baby - in this case, descent can occur after 38 weeks.

If the pregnancy proceeds normally, and after 38 weeks the child has not yet taken the position necessary for childbirth, it is recommended to increase physical activity.

For this you can:

  • Perform simple homework(wash the floor, cook dinner).
  • Take short walks.

Probably a few days after the promotion physical activity, the uterus will take the necessary prenatal position. But even the non-descension of the uterus after 38 weeks is not a reason to panic. You just need to consult with your doctor regarding the course of pregnancy and individual features of your body.

When to go to the maternity hospital?

“When the stomach dropped, how long should I wait before giving birth? After how many days do you have to go to the hospital? - some pregnant women begin to panic, noticing their tummy lowering. When you see this change, don't panic.

You can roughly determine the date of birth:

These symptoms will serve as an additional signal that you need to prepare the necessary things, if this has not been done before, and go to give birth after:

  • There were strong contractions, and the interval between them is gradually decreasing.
  • The fetal waters are leaking or departed immediately.

How long will it take from the moment the tummy goes down to the birth of the baby? For each woman, such a period is individual, but the appearance of this sign in a pregnant woman always says that in the near future (from a few hours to a month) she will be able to become a mother.

No need to fuss. It is better to familiarize yourself and familiarize loved ones with the rest of the harbingers of childbirth and try not to make long trips at this time in order to reduce the risk of having a baby before arriving at the hospital.

By the end of pregnancy, every expectant mother is a little tired of her interesting position and increasingly begins to dream of a quick meeting with his baby. At the same time, the pregnant woman begins to actively listen to her body and pay attention to all changes. And this is no accident, because only in films, childbirth begins unexpectedly and very quickly.

In life, everything is completely different, before the most important event in life, every woman notices the appearance of harbingers. The main one, of which (and most importantly, a reliable) sign is a prolapse of the abdomen. If this happened, then the birth is already very close.

That is why many women worry if suddenly the stomach does not drop or, on the contrary, it happened earlier due date. Though no one can name exact date and the date of birth, so you should not worry too much about the last question.

Why does the stomach drop

After successful conception a rather complex process takes place in a woman’s body - the uterus, due to its constant growth and stretching, over time affects the position of absolutely all organs that are located in abdominal cavity. In this regard, the pregnant woman has difficulty breathing, heartburn appears, and pressure on the lungs increases.

By the end of the third trimester (approximately at 33-34 weeks), the child gradually takes a certain position, thereby preparing for the appearance. As a rule, it is located head down and remains in this position until the birth itself. It is after the positions are taken that the lowering of the abdomen begins.

When the belly drops during pregnancy

Usually, significant differences between primiparous and multiparous no, but still some features can be identified. So, with repeated pregnancy, the signs may be more rapid and pronounced.

So, when should we expect relief in the form of a lowering of the abdomen, how long before the birth does this happen? Of course, all terms are individual, but, according to statistical data, it was still possible to determine the average value. So, a primiparous woman notices the manifestation of this kind of harbinger already at 35-36 weeks, while in a multiparous woman, the timing shifts slightly closer to childbirth - to 38 weeks. It also happens that after the prolapse of the abdomen, the multiparous childbirth begins on the third day. That is why it is worth remembering that during pregnancy the body becomes special and it is absolutely impossible to predict anything. After all, it happens that nothing happens.

Two weeks before the birth, in addition to lowering the abdomen, the expectant mother may notice:

It is in the latter case that it is imperative to consult a doctor, since the water should break immediately before delivery, with the advent of real contractions.

Other harbingers of childbirth

When childbirth occurs, situations such as frequent going to the toilet due to the appearance of false urges or indigestion. In the latter case, the body, as it were, prepares, cleanses, and frees the stomach for the successful passage of the crumbs through the birth canal. Sometimes nausea or even vomiting appears, this may also indicate that childbirth will begin in the near future.

A day or two before giving birth, a pregnant woman may also notice a slight decrease in weight, there is a lot of pressure in the perineal area. severe pain in the lumbar region.

During her entire pregnancy, any woman gradually begins to prepare himself for upcoming birth , studies the relevant literature, and, as a rule, when the precursors begin to appear, she already clearly notices and distinguishes them. That is why every pregnant woman feels when she needs to go to the hospital. Of course, during the first pregnancy, many people panic, and they think that they will not be able to recognize the contractions that have begun or that the water has broken in time.

But, do not needlessly frighten yourself and worry about it. It is best to go to the hospital, with the manifestation of constant contractions with a frequency of ten minutes (if the hospital is far away). Indeed, according to approximate data, after such an interval, there are still four to six hours before delivery. If the waters have broken, then you need to urgently call ambulance be sure to record the time of departure and their nature. As practice shows, the situation last scenario extremely rare - only 5% of women, so you should tune in to the lungs and quick delivery and follow your desire.

Also a must from 36 weeks you need to prepare bags for the hospital so as not to forget anything during the turmoil and be absolutely calm in this matter.

The most exciting period in the life of pregnant patients, including multiparous, is the third trimester and especially last days before childbirth. Carrying a baby throughout pregnancy, women worry about every new sensation and external changes to be able to predict future events. For example, if at 28, 30, 37, 38 or 39 weeks the stomach sank, when all the women who carry a baby in their womb want to know when to give birth. We posted the answers to this question in this article with a photo.

In most cases, if the patient's stomach sank during pregnancy, this can promise the onset of a long-awaited birth. Observations of doctors (for primiparous, multiparous) will help to find out exactly how much is left before the birth of the baby on this basis.

Why and when does the belly drop in a pregnant woman?

A drooping belly in a patient who is expecting the birth of a baby is a completely expected phenomenon for 34-40 weeks. It occurs against the background of the preparation of the mother's body for the upcoming delivery.

During pregnancy, a cardinal restructuring of all systems and organs takes place in a woman’s body so that the baby is comfortable growing and developing in the womb. Increasing, the uterus, in which the child is gestated until childbirth, affects the bladder, stomach and other organs. As a result, a future woman in labor may experience discomfort before childbirth (at 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39 weeks):

  • vomiting urge.

AT last trimester, from 34 weeks the child begins to change its position, and the woman may experience a lowering of the abdomen, as shown in the photo.

When the abdomen drops in pregnant women, this may mean that the fetus in the womb has taken a preparatory position. That is, preparing to be born in a few days, the fetus takes. This position is considered ideal for the child to leave mother's womb easily and without complications. In this position, the baby's head is at the level of the patient's pelvis, as shown in the photo, and the pressure on other organs and systems is reduced.

If we talk about when the patient's stomach can drop in position, then there is no exact information. As a rule, in future women in labor, it begins to fall from the middle III trimester(34-35 weeks). In the vast majority of all cases, the same phenomenon is observed in primiparas at 38, 39 and 40 weeks. However, the situations are different and it is almost impossible to determine exactly how long to wait until the expected date of birth if the stomach has dropped.

When wondering how many days before the birth the stomach drops, it is important to always take into account other symptoms that accompany the preparation of the child for the birth. In addition, it is necessary to clarify at what exact time the pregnant woman is, and whether there were previous pregnancies, because for primiparous and multiparous, the number of weeks / days for childbirth is significantly different.

When to expect the appearance of the baby giving birth for the first time?

For primiparous optimal time lowering - the middle of the III trimester (34, 35, 36 weeks). In the same time, practical experience doctors shows that there may be exceptions. So, for example, a lowered belly at week 28 is an acceptable phenomenon. However, this does not mean that such a harbinger appears immediately before childbirth. In some cases, the stomach begins to change its position during pregnancy from 28, and in the rest - similar phenomenon patients are observed from 34 to 39 weeks.

If during pregnancy later dates(40 weeks and later) does not notice that the position of the abdomen is beginning to change, she should not panic, because primiparous, as well as multiparous, cannot stimulate this phenomenon. Through certain time it will go down by itself. You will definitely need to notify your gynecologist about this in order to, focusing on the patient's feelings and examination indications, establish the approximate date of delivery.

When to expect the appearance of a baby giving birth again?

If in primiparas the belly can drop in the period from the end of the 28th to the 40th week of pregnancy, then in multiparas this phenomenon is observed much later. As many have noticed mothers of many children, with repeated and subsequent pregnancies, the position of the abdomen changes closer to 38-39 weeks. That is, it falls later than during the first pregnancy. Therefore, before predicting when the long-awaited birth will begin, you should pay attention to the patient's children.

According to the observations of doctors, no more than seven days pass between the lowering of the abdomen in multiparous women and the onset of active labor. Therefore, patients who have previously experienced childbirth can assume when the baby should be born.

Explicit changes

Answering another actual question about how to understand that the stomach has dropped, it should be noted that it is not difficult to notice this. There are several characteristic features, which will help the patient find out if his position has really changed, in order to determine the remaining period of time before childbirth.

First of all, a woman herself can find out about the changes by placing her palm on the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe body between her chest and stomach. If the hand lies completely on the entire area (see photo), then it has fallen.

At the same time, a woman in a position experiences an improvement in well-being. If at 30, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 or 40 weeks the fetus changes its position, against which the tummy drops, the patient may notice that:

  • heartburn disappears;
  • there is no shortness of breath;
  • the heartbeat becomes more regular.

In addition, the future woman in labor may experience new sensations for herself. These symptoms may tell you about how long a woman will see her child. Among the most pronounced signs of a long-awaited event before childbirth can be:

  • pain in the region of the sacrum;

What should patients do in position?

At the first signs of changes in the period from 30 to 40 weeks, the patient should always focus on her own feelings. If the abdomen has dropped, symptoms characteristic of the approaching birth may soon appear. If this happens at 38, 39, or 40 weeks, don't worry. You should warn your gynecologist about preparing the body for the birth of a child, who, after examination, can send the woman to the maternity hospital.

In other situations, if the tummy drops at the beginning of the third trimester (from 30 to 36 weeks), but other symptoms of labor activity do not occur, you can not worry. In this position, a woman can go on for about 1-1.5 months before the time when she has to give birth. If the signs of the beginning of the prenatal activity of the body appear a few days after lowering from 30 to 36 weeks, you will need to see a doctor for an examination.

Almost all women in position are confused by false contractions, which appear soon after changes in the position of the fetus and tummy, which are shown in the photo above. False contractions for a period of 30-38 weeks are quite natural phenomenon. They are short-term impulse contractions of the uterus. False contractions do not affect the development of the fetus and the course of pregnancy before childbirth. However, they tend to intensify closer to the date of delivery.

Closer to 38, 39 or 40 weeks, a future woman in labor may experience sensations when the uterus contracts within 1.5-2 minutes and the stomach becomes "stone" at this time. Thus, before childbirth, the body undergoes a kind of preparation for the upcoming difficult physiological process the birth of a baby.