With what contractions you need to go to the hospital. False or training? Emotional signs of an active phase

“When to go to the hospital” is perhaps the most burning question that begins to bother the expectant mother in the last trimester of pregnancy. Women who are preparing to become a mother for the first time are usually especially worried. The fear of giving birth at home, not having time to get to the maternity hospital, is absolutely natural. Anxiety is warmed up, among other things, by a favorite cinematic technique, when a woman feels a sharp pain and realizes that she is about to give birth.

Listening to your own body signals

In fact, in most cases, a woman manages not only to get to the maternity ward on time, but also calmly collect the necessary things, call loved ones and slowly go to give birth. It is only important to hear the signals that the body gives. These signals are the harbingers of childbirth in a woman.

There are two symptoms by which it is possible to determine with a high degree of probability that childbirth will occur in the next day. These are regular contractions and discharge of amniotic fluid. In addition, there are many indirect signs that may or may not be present at all or go unnoticed.

A few days before an important event, the woman's body is reorganized, the hormonal background changes. Due to this, a woman may notice a slight decrease in weight and a decrease in edema. Thus, the body gets rid of excess fluid. In addition, stools may become more frequent in a few days, even diarrhea may occur. This is also a natural cleansing of the body before childbirth.

An important harbinger of childbirth is the passage of the mucous plug. The cork is a protective barrier that protects the entrance to the cervix from the external environment, bacteria and fungi that inhabit the vagina. A woman may find a thick mucus discharge, from clear to bloody. They cannot be confused with dangerous bleeding, since these are precisely clots of mucus. The cork may come off entirely, or it may come off gradually over time, up to two weeks. It is important to understand that after the cork has passed, the entrance to the cervix is \u200b\u200bno longer protected, which means that you should not go to the pool, take a bath, and it is advisable to stop having sex.

Abdominal prolapse is another sign of an impending birth. After the bottom of the uterus has sunk, it becomes easier for a woman to breathe, but the urge to urinate becomes more frequent. It is difficult to be guided by this phenomenon temporarily, since someone's stomach sinks 2 weeks before giving birth, and someone else's directly during childbirth.

If a woman notices any of the above symptoms, this is only a reminder and warning that childbirth will occur soon. None of these symptoms require medical attention if there is no deterioration in general well-being.

But there are two signals that indicate that you need to collect things and go to the hospital.

The first is the outpouring of waters. Regardless of the gestational age and whether the contractions have begun or not, if you find that your water has moved away, you need to get to the hospital within an hour - one and a half. It is impossible not to notice the discharge of water. The amount of fluid after the rupture of the amniotic fluid will be quite large. Don't be bothered by slightly damp laundry - this is a natural increase in mucus before childbirth.

True and training fights

The most important sign of the onset of labor is contractions. Most women experience abdominal tension during the last months of pregnancy. The abdomen seems to be stiff, and pulling sensations appear not only in the stomach itself, but also in the lower back. These sensations are similar to the discomfort during menstruation.

There are the so-called Braxton Hicks training fights. It is very easy to distinguish false contractions from true ones. They are not very painful, but this is not the main thing. True labor pains are always regular, that is, they are repeated at regular intervals, which are gradually reduced. For example, the abdominal tension occurs for 10 seconds every 12 minutes. At first, the interval between contractions is quite large, and their intensity and pain are very moderate. This allows you to calmly observe yourself and notice whether contractions are regular or not. The interval between false contractions is always different, in addition, they can subside and intensify depending on physical activity and body position. The real ones will grow regardless of your actions.

So, if you have decided that you have started regular contractions, your emotional state will tell you when to go to the hospital. You should go to the hospital when you are no longer comfortable at home. But you should still wait for the interval between contractions at least no more than 9 minutes, so as not to spend too much time waiting outside the house.

If the birth is not the first time

It is believed that the second and subsequent births are much faster than the first. In fact, this is not always the case. But a woman who is about to have a second birth can determine herself when to go to the hospital. She already knows what contractions are and how to count them. It is only necessary to take into account that in the second childbirth, the rate of increase in labor activity, and, accordingly, the intensification and frequency of contractions is usually faster.

If the pregnancy is proceeding with some peculiarities, you may need a planned hospitalization shortly before the expected date. The doctor can advise the patient on when to go to the breech presentation. This may have to be done taking into account those very precursors of childbirth. After all, only immediately before childbirth, the doctor usually decides how the birth will take place in the breech presentation - naturally or with the help of a cesarean section.

It is believed that the issue of timely sending to the hospital is of concern only to women who are about to give birth for the first time. They do not have the appropriate experience, and therefore the sensation of the beginning of labor activity is a secret for them. But in practice, the question of when to give up all business and urgently go to the hospital worries those who give birth for the second time, and even during subsequent childbirth. This material will talk about when it is time to go to the hospital, how long to wait so as not to risk your health and the condition of the child.

How can you understand that you are giving birth?

Contractions (contractions or spasms of the uterus) before childbirth are of two types - true, which occur against the background of the expansion and opening of the cervix, and false (or training), which are not directly related to the expansion of the cervix. Training contractions in those giving birth for the first time may well begin already in the middle of the gestation period, while in those giving birth again, they usually start almost before the true ones, after 35 weeks of pregnancy. A few days before the onset of labor (and during the first birth, sometimes even several weeks), preparatory contractions begin, which are called harbingers.

If false contractions of the uterus during pregnancy are in no way interconnected with the uterine muscles and are manifested only by episodic tensions of the smooth muscles of the uterus, then the precursor contractions have a good reason. The cervix begins to prepare for childbirth - it softens, smoothes, because she has to open up in childbirth by 10-12 centimeters. By and large, a woman cannot feel the process of preparing for the onset of childbirth. Its hormonal background is changing, the concentration of progesterone, which was responsible for bearing the baby throughout the entire period, decreases, the production of estrogen and oxytocin increases. A special protein, actomyosin, begins to accumulate in the cells of the uterine tissue.

On a physical level, the muscles of the uterus may tense from time to time, which will feel like a sudden tension in the abdomen. Such contractions do not have a periodicity, a certain rhythm. The fact that childbirth has begun, a woman can guess precisely from the cyclical nature of what is happening. The contractions feel like stretching, starting in the back and ending in the lower and middle abdomen. The first sensations may even go unnoticed, especially during the second or third pregnancy. But gradually the contractions intensify, the moments of tension become longer, and the interval of rest and relaxation between them is shortened.

Initial contractions occur at intervals of approximately every 30 minutes. This gap may be large, but less is unlikely. The duration of the spasm itself at the very beginning of labor is about 15-20 seconds.

Neither a change in body position, nor a warm shower, nor an antispasmodic pill, which effectively helps to get rid of the discomfort of false contractions, when real labor contractions appear, can affect the frequency and frequency of spasms.

The owners of modern smartphones can come to the aid in determining the essence of what is happening, applications that are created specifically for such cases. They are free of charge and are collectively known as Contraction Counter. The principle of their operation is that the woman launches the application when strange sensations appear, and then simply presses the button with each repetition of the spasm.

The application analyzes the recurrence, frequency and makes a verdict - whether the uterus has already begun to open or not. Also, the application can signal the time when it is time to leave for the obstetric facility. The disadvantage of the program is that it cannot take into account the individual characteristics of a pregnant woman, which is why errors are not excluded.

The road to the hospital

The latent period of labor pains usually lasts the longest, so when you find the first labor pains, you should not panic and grab your phone to immediately call an ambulance. Arriving too early at the hospital, if there are no complications of pregnancy, can negatively affect the psychological state of the woman in labor, because the expectation is worse than reality.

In choosing the right time to call the "ambulance", you need to focus on your own feelings and the number of births experienced in the anamnesis.

At the first pregnancy

The tissues of the reproductive system in women who give birth for the first time are narrow, tight, the uterine muscles are less plastic, and the cervix opens much more slowly. If full-fledged regular contractions have begun, it can take up to 14-18 hours before the baby is expelled from the uterus, and therefore there is clearly nowhere to rush. You should go to the hospital when the interval between spasms is 5-10 minutes. Such a period of time means that the uterine dilatation does not exceed 3 centimeters and the active stage of contractions, when the help of doctors may be required, has not yet come.

Thus, the woman has time to take a shower, have lunch, check if everything she needs is put in her bag for the maternity hospital, call her relatives and inform them that labor has already begun. Some people get a little sleep if they manage to fall asleep, although the majority of the excitement is off scale. From the first contractions, it is highly desirable for a primiparous woman to recall everything that she was taught in the classroom in a consultation or clinic where she was registered.

You should take deep breaths with the onset of a spasm and exhale slowly and slowly so that the body is saturated with oxygen. This will naturally relieve contractions from the very beginning of their development.

During the second birth

In the second childbirth, the phase of latent uterine spasms is shorter, and pain sensations can be less pronounced, and therefore women quite often do not perceive the rare and weak contractions that have begun, as generic. By the time the spasms get stronger enough and acquire a pronounced recognizable appearance, it can take quite a long time. You should go to the maternity hospital at the moment when the contractions begin to repeat every quarter of an hour.

Why so early? Because all stages of labor in those giving birth repeatedly proceed faster. A common mistake of women lies in the fact that they sit at home and patiently wait until, as in the first birth, the interval between contractions is 5 minutes to go to the obstetric facility. As a result, by the time the woman arrives at the hospital, the uterus is already fully open and attempts begin. Sometimes it is not possible to take the woman in labor to the hospital at all on time - the child begins to be born earlier.

You need to come to the hospital before the contractions enter the active phase, so that doctors can control it, because neither the second nor the third birth reduce the likelihood of complications of labor and injury to the fetus.

Thus, there will be much less time for collecting from a multiparous woman. It is best to collect the bag and the documents necessary for registration in the maternity hospital in advance. But the woman will have time to take a shower and make a couple of phone calls. It is also important to breathe correctly from the first contractions so that the general muscle tone remains relaxed and there is enough oxygen in the body. This will help avoid quick fatigue and make the contractions less painful.

In the third birth

There may be little difference between second and third births. It is possible that each stage of labor will proceed somewhat faster than it was the second time. Therefore, you need to be extremely attentive to your feelings. It is recommended to arrive at the hospital when regular contractions appear with a frequency of 1 contraction every 15 minutes.

Consider the increased likelihood of a quick, precipitous birth. Therefore, it is better to seek medical help in advance.

Emergency reasons

Regardless of the number of pregnancies and births that preceded the current pregnancy, regardless of the duration of pregnancy, the presence or absence of labor pains, you should go to the maternity hospital immediately, without waiting an hour, if:

• drained of water (in full or in part);
• the contraction began, but does not end (the spasm is long and very painful);
• bloody discharge appeared (of any intensity, shade, amount, with or without pain).

The discharge of the mucous plug in itself is not considered the beginning of labor, and therefore, after this event, "Ambulance" is usually not called. The exit of the mucous plug is a harbinger of imminent birth, but so far - not childbirth. In primiparous, from the moment of its release to childbirth, it can take 7-10 days, in multiparous 1-3 days.

What to look for?

No matter how the birth begins, a woman must definitely monitor her condition before arriving at the hospital, note all the changes, so that when registering at the hospital, inform the doctor, thereby making it easier for him to diagnose the condition. What you need to pay special attention to:

• on the nature of the discharge - intensity, color, smell;
• localization of pain(where it hurts and with what intensity);
• on fetal movements (from the moment the contractions began, they became stronger, weaker, disappeared altogether);
• on the color of amniotic fluid (especially if they are dark, green, brown, brown);
• for additional symptoms on the part of the mother (it becomes cloudy in the eyes, objects become poorly distinguishable, the heart beats violently, the head hurts, vomiting appears, etc.).

A competent and accurate description of sensations should include the time of onset of symptoms. All this will help the doctor to quickly understand whether there are complications of labor, whether there are grounds for an emergency delivery by cesarean section. On examination upon arrival at the hospital, the doctor will assess the degree of cervical dilatation, the strength of the contractions and the condition of the fetus.

The final weeks of pregnancy are the most exciting for the expectant mother. For a woman expecting her first child, the sensations experienced at this moment are new. She is increasingly worried about how to understand in time that it is time to go to the hospital?

The imminent birth of a child is signaled by the onset of contractions. It is difficult for inexperienced mothers to correctly assess their feelings during this period. As a result, some of them rush to the maternity hospital when there is still a lot of time before the baby is born. Others postpone fees until the last, which leads to sad consequences. You can avoid this by figuring out what happens to the female body on the eve of childbirth.

Fight: what is it?

For the birth of a baby, the cervix must fully open. For this, local muscles begin to actively contract. This process and the accompanying sensations are called contractions.

It takes several hours for the cervix to fully dilate. Technically, this time period is considered the first period of labor. However, before the muscles of the uterus begin their vigorous activity, helping the baby in the womb to take the desired position and gradually pushing it towards the outside, the organ must be toned and properly prepared. For this, the female reproductive system is "trained" in advance.

Types of contractions

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Contractions of the uterine muscles are real (generic) and false (preparatory). Both have important tasks. Real contractions "start" the birth process. False - prepare the uterine muscles in advance for this key moment, "train" them.

The sensations experienced by a woman during different types of contractions are very similar. However, in some ways they differ from each other. In order not to miss the moment when it is time to go to give birth, the expectant mother must clearly perceive this difference.

Training, or "false"

Usually, preparatory contractions begin in women half a month to a month before the expected birth (that is, at about 36 weeks of gestation). However, irregular uterine contractions are considered the norm in medicine from the beginning of the second trimester of pregnancy, so the timing can vary greatly.

The main sign of false contractions is the lack of systematicity. They are irregular, the time intervals between attacks are completely unpredictable, as is the frequency of uterine contractions.

A training bout rarely lasts long (more in the article:). The discomfort goes away on its own, often right after the pregnant woman changes her body position or starts breathing deeper.

Contractions during childbirth

The uterine muscles of a woman whose baby is about to be born contract differently. For real, labor pains are characterized by:

• regularity;
• rhythm;
• soreness;
• increase in intensity.

The last point means that the time intervals between uterine contractions will gradually decrease, and the discomfort experienced by a woman will increase. At the same time, the muscles of the organ will continue to strain in a certain order - from top to bottom.

Most women who have given birth again claim that it is impossible to miss the moment when the training contractions ended and the true ones began. For those who have their first pregnancy, the difference in sensations is not so obvious. That is why obstetricians recommend that expectant mothers pay attention to the side signs of imminent birth.

Associated symptoms of onset of labor

What other signs can predict the imminent birth of a child? There are not many such symptoms, but it is difficult to confuse them with anything. For example, if a pregnant woman has lost water, it means that the cervical dilatation has already begun.

However, there are exceptions to this rule. Some women who have given birth note that their water began to drain gradually. Having found wet marks on their underwear, many did not immediately understand what was the matter. The gradual outpouring of amniotic fluid is not a sign of pathology, but it significantly complicates the calculation of the time remaining before delivery.

It is much easier to track when the time of labor arrives by observing the reaction of the pregnant woman's intestines. Just before childbirth, the brain of the expectant mother gives the body a command to get rid of all unnecessary things. The number of mandatory procedures also includes bowel movement, so about a day before the time comes to go to the obstetric department of the hospital, the woman will begin to have severe diarrhea. At the same time, the expectant mother will completely lose her appetite. Thus, the baby is guaranteed unhindered passage through the birth canal.

When do you need to go to the hospital?

If a woman has true contractions, this does not mean that she should immediately go to the hospital. To calculate the moment when to go to the hospital, the expectant mother should start counting the number and frequency of uterine contractions.

You can measure how much time passes between contractions using any metering devices, and a regular stopwatch will do.

At the first pregnancy

If a woman is expecting a baby for the first time, she should start collecting to the hospital only when the interval between contractions is reduced to 5-7 minutes. The remaining time will be enough for her to get to the nearest maternity ward and undergo the necessary obstetric examinations.

Can I go to the hospital earlier? There is no direct prohibition on this. However, usually, if primiparas try to get to the hospital with contractions that recur less than once every 10 minutes, doctors delicately advise them to go home, since there is still a long time before the baby appears.

With repeated birth

The situation is different with those for whom the current pregnancy is already the second or third in a row (we recommend reading :). In multiparous women, the cervix opens much faster, so you need to go to the doctor when the contractions begin to repeat every 10 minutes. Otherwise, you may not have time to get to the hospital in time, and then the woman will have to give birth to her second or third child right in the car.

Indications for early hospitalization

Sometimes doctors insist on early hospitalization of a woman long before the date of the expected birth. This happens if:

• pregnancy proceeds with complications (for example, accompanied by gestosis);
• there is a risk of premature birth;
• the doctor decided in advance about delivery by cesarean section.

Future mothers carrying a fetus are subject to compulsory hospitalization. Week 42 is the deadline by which a woman can relieve herself of the burden. If by this time there are no signs of the onset of labor, she is guaranteed to be hospitalized.

Situations requiring an emergency call

It is believed that an ambulance can be contacted only if the absence of emergency medical intervention will cost the life of the expectant mother or her baby. The fact that the situation is urgent is evidenced by the following factors:

• the presence of bleeding in a pregnant woman;
• intolerable pain with uterine contractions or their irregular nature;
• tension (tone) of internal organs, persisting for 30 seconds or more;
• severe swelling;
• a sharp deterioration in health;
• sudden cessation of the child's movements.

However, it is reasonable to call an ambulance even if the woman's contractions are very frequent (or the water has moved away), and she feels that she will not have time to get to the maternity ward on her own. This is especially true for those pregnant women who had a rapid birth in the family. This feature can be hereditary.

The closer the end of pregnancy, the stronger the woman's anxiety about the upcoming birth. This period is especially exciting and alarming for those who become a mother for the first time. There are a lot of questions about when to go to the hospital, what to take with you and how the birth will take place.

Several days, and sometimes weeks before the birth of a child, some changes appear in the woman's well-being. During this period, it is worth worrying about collecting the bag at the maternity hospital, the necessary documents, and also informing loved ones. The birth itself takes place in several stages. In some cases, early hospitalization is recommended.

A few days before the birth of the child, the woman's body begins to prepare. Observing her condition, a pregnant woman can detect the following signs:

• decrease, and sometimes some weight loss;
• omission of the abdomen by moving the child closer to the birth canal;
• reduction of heartburn and shortness of breath;
• increased urge to urinate;
• feeling of heaviness and squeezing in the lumbar region;
• leg cramps;
• changes in intestinal motility: diarrhea, nausea, retching;
• decreased child activity;
• the manifestation of the "nesting instinct" (the desire to prepare the house for the arrival of a child, wash everything, clean it, organize a child's place in the bedroom);
• the development of false contractions - contractions that train the body and prepare the cervix for childbirth;
• the appearance of slight mucous discharge, odorless, transparent or slightly pinkish;
• discharge of a mucous plug (a clot that looks like a jellyfish).

If such signs are found, there is no need to immediately contact the hospital. It can take from several weeks to 1-2 days before the baby appears, it is impossible to determine the date of birth more precisely. The most important thing is to be on the lookout for medical attention at the first sign of labor.

When to go to the hospital?

You need to go to the hospital at the first signs of the onset of labor. These symptoms need to be known and closely monitored for changes in condition:

1. The amniotic fluid is gone. In the normal course of labor, this occurs during the period of cervical dilatation. Often, the amniotic fluid ruptures before the onset of labor and cramping. In such a situation, you must immediately contact the maternity hospital, a child without amniotic fluid should not be more than 10-12 hours. It is dangerous to discharge amniotic fluid before the 37th week, in this case, doctors will need time to prepare the child's lungs for functioning.
2. The first contractions appeared - periodic contractile attacks that occur along with pulling pains in the lower abdomen. Thanks to them, the cervix softens and opens. During the first birth, minor, but prolonged (up to 24 hours or more) contractions often develop. At first, the contractions do not cause much pain and last 15 seconds. During breaks, the muscles relax and the pregnant woman has the opportunity to rest. Labor activity gradually intensifies, contractions become more frequent, prolonged and painful. Breaks are shortened to 15-20 minutes, and during childbirth - up to 2-3. The pain extends to the lower back, rectum, thighs and calves, sometimes accompanied by chills. When contractions last a minute or more, and the breaks between them are reduced to 10-15 minutes, you need to go to the hospital. This frequency is the main sign of the imminent birth of a child.

The difference between the first stage of childbirth in multiparous women is that it passes more rapidly. Also, more often there is a discharge of amniotic fluid before the onset of contractions.

Situations in which early hospitalization is needed

A woman can go to the hospital in advance of her own free will, having received a referral from the doctor who supervised her. Some women in childbirth feel calmer under the supervision of the medical staff, even though there are no close people nearby. Especially often those who have had complications in previous childbirth ask for early hospitalization.

The indications for going to the hospital in advance are the following situations:

1. Postterm pregnancy. At the 42nd week, it is better to go to the hospital, even if there are no signs of labor yet. In the hospital, special procedures are carried out that prepare the body, soften the cervix and facilitate its disclosure.
2. Gestosis. This condition itself requires hospitalization. One of its complications can be premature birth, and in case of a severe form of pathology, emergency delivery by a surgical method is required.
3. Planned cesarean section. Early hospitalization allows the woman and the staff to prepare for the upcoming surgery: perform blood and urine tests, choose anesthesia and other medications. The procedure is performed one week before the expected due date (PDD).

These are just the most common reasons to go to the hospital in advance. The issue of an early referral to hospitalization is decided by the leading obstetrician-gynecologist, based on the woman's condition, her health, and the characteristics of the gestation process (the presence of complications).

When do you need emergency help?

An immediate call for an ambulance is required in the following situations:

• contractions have become regular, repeated every 5 minutes or more;
• amniotic fluid has departed;
• vaginal discharge becomes bloody or bleeding (scarlet blood) has developed;
• pains do not arise periodically, but torment constantly, by nature - aching or cramping.

Rapid childbirth is a separate case. They can not always be foreseen, a distinctive feature is the rapid opening of the cervix. At the same time, the rest periods are constantly shortened and soon last 2-3 minutes.

Therefore, if the previous birth was rapid or there is a hereditary factor, then an ambulance should be called at the first contractions.

In all of the above cases, it is worth seeking emergency help. It is unsafe to get to the maternity hospital on your own transport, since childbirth can move to the next stage and the woman's condition will worsen. The ambulance car has the necessary equipment for such situations.

The birth of a child is a rather long process, consisting of several stages. A few days before it begins, changes in well-being appear, which are called harbingers.

The first stage of labor includes the discharge of amniotic fluid and the appearance of contractions. You need to go to the hospital when the intervals between contractions are 10-15 minutes, and the contraction itself lasts about 60 seconds.

Early hospitalization is necessary with the development of preeclampsia, post-term pregnancy, planned cesarean section and with some other complications.

You need to immediately call an ambulance if the interval between contractions is less than 5 minutes, water has drained, bloody discharge or excruciating constant pain in the lower abdomen appeared.

Useful video on how to understand when it is time to go to the hospital