The plug comes out, the lower back and lower abdomen hurt, this is childbirth

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How does labor begin? How to distinguish false contractions from real ones? When does the “plug” go away? Why does my back hurt? Experienced sibling mothers share their observations, and Nelly Mikhailovna AGAMYAN, obstetrician-gynecologist, chief physician of the Ultrasound Studio network of medical centers in Novosibirsk, tells what symptoms can signal an impending birth at 37-40 weeks of pregnancy.

• Abdominal prolapse on the eve of childbirth
• Weight loss and colon cleansing
• False (training) contractions
• Removal of the mucus plug before childbirth
• Painful sensations
• "Nesting" instinct
• Changes in how you feel and mood
• Is it possible that there are no warning signs?

Components of the “alarm suitcase”

1. 4 shower caps – will be needed in the operating room for sterility.
2. 2 pairs of socks. A woman should not be in the operating room with bare legs.
3. Several sweaters, including one of them with buttons.
4. Sliders. Calico and flannel diapers.
5. A pack of number one diapers.
6. More wet wipes for the baby.
7. Baby blanket.

It must be said that the most difficult births occur after forty years. Pain in the lower abdomen in such women in labor is almost constant, and it can be very difficult to identify false contractions.

However, no matter how scary and inconvenient it may be, it is better in any situation to call an ambulance and go to the doctors, even if this is not the first case of the day.

Late term requires special responsibility from the expectant mother, despite great fatigue from her position. Remember, there is very little left, harm all the happiest things!

Video

How does labor begin? Are there any signs by which one can recognize their approach? Before childbirth, certain changes always occur in the body; they are called precursors of childbirth, and they appear due to a sharp increase in the amount of estrogen in the blood of a pregnant woman. The activity of these hormones affects both the well-being and behavior of a woman. There are several harbingers of labor, but in order to understand that labor will soon begin, one or two of them are enough.

Typically, the expectant mother has two or three signs of impending labor. But it happens that there are no warning signs at all. This does not mean that the body is not preparing for childbirth: it is quite possible that the woman simply does not notice the warning signs or they will appear immediately before childbirth.

Nesting instinct on the eve of childbirth

On the eve of childbirth, many women receive another “news” from nature that the baby will be born very soon. An indomitable desire arises to prepare him a cozy “nest” and the expectant mother with great pleasure chooses tiny socks and baby vests for her future son or daughter, embroiders diapers, knits a hat and blanket, buys the softest and most beautiful bed linen for the crib, a comfortable stroller, a warm envelope, a lace blanket, a set of bibs and that nice little rattle! Another obligatory item of “building a nest” is often general cleaning (or even repairs). Having set up a children's corner, bought things and “cleaned” the house, the woman breathes a sigh of relief: she can give birth. And... it is at this moment that contractions often begin. “Nesting” is an incredibly happy time, because it reminds you that your dream of meeting your baby soon is about to become a reality!

Siblings' experience

Nena

—Two days before giving birth, she became more active—both times she began large cleanings throughout the entire apartment, which she had no longer had the strength to do for a long time. I paid attention because I read here on the forum that this happens - preparing a nest. And there were no more warning signs.

Ekaterina

—At 39 weeks 5 days I woke up with a terrible surge of strength and decided that it was simply vital to rip out all the floors in the house. Then I realized that it would start at night.

Enya

—I didn’t have any special feelings before giving birth, except that I, like a field mouse, had been dragging all the groceries home from the store for the last 10 days. Well, I couldn’t pass by the store. I take a full bag and drag it, then I realize that I can’t carry it, it’s hard, so I catch a taxi. Twice I came home by taxi with string bags...

Abdominal prolapse

Approximately two to three weeks before birth, the baby, in preparation for birth, presses its presenting part (usually the head) against the lower part of the uterus and pulls it down. As a result, the uterus moves lower into the pelvic region, its upper part ceases to put pressure on the internal organs of the chest and abdominal cavity. People call this - the stomach has dropped. As soon as the stomach drops, the expectant mother notices that it has become easier for her to breathe, but sitting and walking, on the contrary, becomes more difficult. Belching also disappears (after all, the uterus no longer puts pressure on the diaphragm and stomach). But, having descended, the uterus begins to put pressure on the bladder - naturally, urination becomes more frequent.

For some, uterine prolapse causes a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen and even mild pain in the inguinal ligaments. These sensations arise due to the fact that the child's head, moving down, irritates the nerve endings of the pelvic organs.

During the second and subsequent births, the stomach drops later - right before birth. It happens that this harbinger of labor is not present at all.

Expectant mother at 39 weeks

This period is completely normal for labor and it can begin at any day and time. It is not recommended to go on long trips, even within your hometown. You should always have an exchange card and the necessary documents (passport, compulsory medical insurance) with you.

Harbingers of childbirth

There are certain changes in the body that can tell you when to expect labor. For example, loss of appetite and weight.

1. Pelvic bones

From 32-34 weeks it begins to pull in the area of ​​the sacrum, pubis and hips, because... the body is preparing for childbirth. Exercises that are shown in courses for pregnant women or in many videos will help ease the pain. For example, “butterfly”: sit on the floor, spread your legs and bend them at the knees. The feet should be touching and the knees should be pointing in opposite directions. Gently press on your knees, try to press them to the floor. The most important thing is to take your time and do everything very smoothly!

1. Abdominal prolapse

Abdominal prolapse can be expected from 36 weeks. We described this phenomenon in detail here. The baby moves lower, closer to the pelvis, preparing for birth. This makes it easier for the woman to breathe. But the pressure moves to the pelvic organs, so the load on the bladder will increase.

1. Mucus plug

An admixture of mucus in the discharge from the genital tract represents particles of the mucus plug that closes the entrance to the uterus. But the mucus plug itself can be seen in the form of a lump of mucus (sometimes streaked with blood), the volume of which is approximately 2 tablespoons.

1. Contractions

Training contractions begin as early as 30 weeks of pregnancy. You can determine which contractions have overtaken a woman - false or real - by the following points:

• Duration. False contractions last 15-20 seconds. The true ones then become longer and longer.
• Regularity. False contractions are irregular. The true ones are stronger, longer lasting and occur more often.
• Mucous discharge. With false ones, there is no mucous discharge from the vagina. True ones are accompanied by discharge mixed with blood.
• Warm shower. False contractions will disappear. The true ones will continue.

1. Leakage of amniotic fluid

When the dilation of the cervix reaches 7 cm or more, the amniotic fluid is discharged. What to look for near the waters?

• Color. The water should be light and transparent, white flakes are also acceptable.
• Quantity. There should be about 1-1.5 liters.
• Smell. Amniotic fluid has no odor.

If there are any deviations in the appearance of amniotic fluid from the clinical norm, immediately notify your doctor.

After the amniotic fluid has broken, labor should begin within 24 hours (24 hours). After the water breaks, contractions become stronger and more painful.

Removal of the mucus plug

This is one of the main and obvious harbingers of childbirth. During pregnancy, the glands in the cervix produce a secretion (it looks like a thick jelly and forms a so-called plug), which prevents various microorganisms from entering the uterine cavity. Before childbirth, under the influence of estrogen, the cervix softens, the cervical canal opens slightly, and the plug can come out - the woman will see that clots of mucus, similar to jelly, remain on her underwear.

Cork can be of different colors - white, transparent, yellowish-brown or pink-red. Often it is stained with blood - this is completely normal and may indicate that childbirth will occur within the next 24 hours. The mucus plug can come out immediately (at once) or come out in parts throughout the day.

Weight loss

Approximately two weeks before birth, weight may decrease, usually it decreases by 0.5-2 kg. This happens because excess fluid is removed from the body and decreases. If earlier during pregnancy, under the influence of the hormone progesterone, fluid accumulated in the body of a pregnant woman, now, before childbirth, the effect of progesterone decreases, but other female sex hormones - estrogens - begin to work intensively, and they remove excess fluid from the body of the expectant mother.

In addition, the expectant mother often notices that at the end of pregnancy it has become easier for her to put on rings, gloves, and shoes - this means that the swelling in her hands and feet has decreased.

Changing the stool

Right before childbirth, hormones often act on the intestines - they relax its muscles, as a result, stool disorders begin. Sometimes women mistake such frequent (up to 2-3 times a day) and even loose stools for an intestinal infection. But if there is no nausea, vomiting, change in the color or smell of feces, or any other symptoms of intoxication, there is no need to worry: this is one of the harbingers of the upcoming birth.

And even on the eve of giving birth, you often don’t feel like eating at all. All this also prepares the body for natural childbirth.

Mood changes

Many women experience mood changes a few days before giving birth. The expectant mother gets tired quickly, she wants to rest more, sleep, and even some kind of apathy appears. This condition is quite understandable - you need to gather your strength to prepare for childbirth. Often, just before giving birth, a woman wants to retire, looking for a secluded place where she can hide and focus on herself and her experiences.

What to do if any warning signs of labor appear? Usually you don’t need to do anything, because the precursors are completely natural, they simply indicate that the body is being rebuilt and preparing for the birth of a child. Therefore, you should not worry and go to the maternity hospital as soon as, for example, training contractions begin or the mucus plug comes away. We must wait for real labor pains or the breaking of water.

Women in the last stages of pregnancy need to carefully listen to their bodies and be prepared for a possible trip to the maternity hospital. What should you do if you feel pain in your lower abdomen and the plug has come out, or your water has started to break? The main thing is not to panic!

What are the warning signs of labor at 39 weeks of pregnancy?

You have been pregnant for almost 9 months, which means that very soon a small miracle will happen and a new person will “replenish” the Earth’s population. The 39th week of pregnancy is the time for emergency childbirth.

The child has already taken a position that is most convenient for birth, tucked his arms and legs and tilted his chin to his chest.

The fetus at the 39th week of pregnancy is already ready to breathe on its own and take food - mother's milk.

No matter how great the fear of childbirth, 39-40 weeks of pregnancy is the time when most women dream of giving birth quickly. After all, the pregnant belly is already so large that it interferes with normal movement. In addition, women often experience discomfort, their lower back hurts, and their lower abdomen pulls. In a word, this is a difficult period.

Well-being

Let's figure out what happens to the female body at 39 weeks of pregnancy. This is not an easy time, it will require patience and endurance. However, the thought that the trials are coming to an end and there is very little time left before meeting your beloved son or daughter will make it easier to endure the trials.

Since 39-40 weeks of pregnancy is the time for childbirth, the mother’s body is actively preparing for this process. The belly at 39 weeks of pregnancy is very large, most likely it has already moved lower.

This symptom is considered one of the signs of the near end of pregnancy. Abdominal prolapse during pregnancy can occur 1-2 weeks before the onset of labor. But this is optional. For some women, their stomach drops literally on the eve of the birth of their child.

Movements at the 39th week of pregnancy are insignificant; the baby has already grown so much that it is difficult for him to move in such a cramped space. If the baby is positioned correctly, then his head is now directed towards the mother’s pelvic area. If the position of the baby is different, the woman will most likely be placed in a maternity ward, especially if she is indicated for a cesarean section.

Almost all women experience the fact that their stomach becomes stone at 39 weeks of pregnancy. When this symptom appears, you need to understand that these are training contractions or the development of labor. During training contractions there should not be much pain, but there may be a feeling that the stomach is slightly pulling. In addition, training contractions are always irregular.

A child at 39 weeks of pregnancy moves little, but his movements cause significant discomfort. In addition, the uterus has now dropped and is deforming the bladder, so I have to go to the toilet more often than usual.

A prolapsed uterus also affects the pelvic bones, which is why pregnant women often experience lower back pain. There may be pain in the lower abdomen and perineum, but not sharp, but of a pulling nature.

Condition of the "children's place"

The 39th obstetric week of pregnancy is the time when the placenta begins to age rapidly, with:

• its thickness becomes less and less;
• tissue calcification is noted;
• blood vessels begin to function worse.

Because of this, the child receives less oxygen and nutrients. But the process is natural. Nature is wise, and this state of affairs is intended to prepare the baby for the difficult process of childbirth, during which he will inevitably suffer from hypoxia.

However, sometimes the placenta ages prematurely, and the baby is in “starvation mode” for several weeks, which is not good for him. For this reason, in later stages, mothers are often prescribed CTG; this study allows you to check the baby’s well-being.

Ultrasound at the 39th week of pregnancy, as a rule, is not prescribed, since it is not very informative during this period, but if necessary, ultrasound screening can be performed.

Discharge

Throughout pregnancy, you need to monitor the nature of the vaginal discharge. Normal discharge at the 39th week of pregnancy is moderate, mucous, homogeneous, colorless or the color of milk. Thread-like mucous discharge of white or cream color is not considered a pathology; blood may be present in small quantities in the form of streaks.

The thirty-ninth seven-day period is the time when for many women the mucus plug that covers the cervix comes off. As a rule, the plug comes out a few days before the onset of labor.

At 39 weeks of pregnancy, discharge is considered pathological if it is green (purulent), bloody, curdled or brown.

• White discharge of heterogeneous structure is a sign of thrush. Additional symptoms include severe itching. It is necessary to undergo a course of local treatment (suppositories) to eliminate the risk of infection of the fetus during birth.

Sometimes doctors recommend taking a course of preventative treatment for thrush before giving birth, even in the absence of severe symptoms. As a rule, this is necessary for women whose thrush has worsened several times during pregnancy.

• Yellow-green discharge is a symptom of a bacterial infection. This is a very dangerous symptom, since intrauterine infection of the fetus is possible with the development of severe complications. Therefore, if alarming symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.

• Bloody discharge at 39 weeks of pregnancy may indicate that placental abruption has begun. Brown discharge may also be a sign of complications. It is especially dangerous if the presence of such discharge causes stomach pain. As a rule, brown spotting appears with partial detachment, and with complete detachment bleeding develops. This is a dangerous complication that threatens both the child and the mother.
• Watery discharge is a sign of amniotic fluid leakage. If such a symptom appears, you should expect the onset of labor to begin soon.

Baby and his development

Pregnancy 39-40 weeks is the final period of gestation. By this time, the child’s development is completely completed and he is ready to be born. The systems of his body are quite ready for an autonomous existence.

The baby has all the reflexes necessary for survival. The child now lives in newborn mode, he sleeps most of the day, and during periods of wakefulness he trains his sucking reflex by sucking his finger.

The baby may still be gaining weight. The baby’s body weight depends on heredity and a number of other factors. On average, it is 3.5 kg. But the baby can be born with less or more weight; there are cases when the weight of a newborn reached 5 kg, although such weight, of course, is the exception rather than the rule.

Childbirth

By the last weeks of pregnancy, most women look forward to giving birth, as it becomes increasingly difficult to bear the hardships of their situation. You need to know how to distinguish harbingers from signs of labor.

Harbingers

At the 39th week of pregnancy, the precursors of labor in first-time mothers most likely have already appeared. For many women pregnant with their first child, warning signs appear much earlier - at 36-37 weeks.

But the harbingers of labor in multiparous women may appear literally on the eve of a significant event. In general, the precursors of childbirth in multiparous women and in women expecting their first baby are no different. So, the harbingers of labor at 39 weeks of pregnancy:

• downward displacement of the abdomen;
• discharge of the mucus plug;
• frequent training contractions;
• discharge from the nipples - a thick yellow liquid - colostrum;
• loose stools;
• reduction in body weight.

If you weigh yourself regularly, you will notice that you have lost about 1 kilogram on the eve of giving birth. The fact is that the body gets rid of excess fluid before childbirth.

The appearance of warning signs does not mean that you need to urgently go to the maternity hospital. It may take several weeks from the first signs to appear before the birth process begins.

If the plug comes off

The so-called plug is a clot of mucus that remains in the cervix throughout pregnancy. Nature has taken care of expectant mothers and their babies, protecting the woman’s body and the fetus itself from harmful substances and infections entering the uterine cavity. Towards the end of pregnancy, the plug softens and leaves the body. In this case, a pregnant woman may see a small viscous mucous clot of white, pink or yellow color with bloody streaks on her underwear.

There is no need to be afraid of this. The removal of the plug does not always mean that labor has begun. After this event, it may take from 2-3 days to a couple of weeks before contractions begin. Therefore, if no other warning signs are felt, it is too early to go to the maternity hospital. But you should still tell your doctor about this. He will conduct a visual examination and determine how ready the body is for the upcoming birth.

If your stomach hurts

Often in the last final weeks of pregnancy, women feel pain and pulling in the lower abdomen. These can be training (false) contractions that prepare the body for delivery. Usually they are not regular and go away after taking No-shpa or visiting a warm bath.

The stomach can also pull during real contractions. But here the spasms will surround the stomach and lower back at a certain interval. If the painful period lasts about a minute, and the rest from it does not exceed five minutes, it is time to go to the maternity hospital. It can only take a few hours from the start of contractions to the birth of the baby.

Real contractions are difficult to confuse with anything else. They will not go away from painkillers, they will not allow you to sleep or eat normally. Sometimes such contractions are accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting, thus the body prepares for the upcoming event.

At 38, 39, 40 weeks of pregnancy, acute abdominal pain can also occur due to placental abruption. This pathology occurs, unfortunately, quite often. If a woman feels cramps, and also notices bleeding or a jump in temperature, you should call an ambulance immediately. We are talking about the health and life of an unborn child.

How to cope with pain?

The cervical mucus cleared and the woman went into labor. During contractions, a woman in labor usually has pain in her lower back and a tightening in her lower abdomen; this process is associated with pain. Is it possible to relieve pain during contractions? There are 2 groups of labor pain relief methods. Medication methods:

• epidural administration of anesthetics;
• spinal block;
• Pethidine injections;
• gas anesthesia with nitrous oxide.

Non-medicinal methods include:

• psychological preparation;
• massage;
• transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS);
• aromatherapy;
• hypnotherapy;
• impact on reflex zones;
• water birth;
• yoga.

Each of these methods has its pros and cons. Before choosing any method of pain relief, including non-medicinal ones, you must consult a doctor to identify possible risks and contraindications.

Source of the article: https://vseprorebenka.ru/rody/process-rodov/otoshla-probka-bolit-poyasnica.html

If your water breaks

The waters, or more precisely, the amniotic fluid in which the baby was kept for 9 months, can suddenly recede. In this case, contractions or other symptoms of impending labor may be absent. Despite this, you need to urgently get ready for the maternity hospital, because a long period without water can greatly harm the child’s health. In the maternity hospital, doctors will induce contractions and thereby start the birth process.

Many women ask how to understand that their water has broken and not miss this important event? Here are some signs that the fluid coming out of your vagina is actually water.

Did anyone have a difficult labor start?

– My first birth began in the maternity hospital. A few days before this, the plug came off - but, in my opinion, the doctor just picked it out. And then for several days there was silence, no signs of impending labor - until the first regular, slightly painful stretching in the tummy on the day of birth. It all started very smoothly, I had time to get used to the idea that today I would spend the night with my husband and the doctor in the maternity ward.

– And I had no warning signs, no drooping of the tummy. Contractions just started at night at 3, and in my sleep I couldn’t understand why my stomach hurt, like during menstruation. At 6 I woke up, realized it, measured it - the interval between contractions was 5-7 minutes.

– There were no special sensations. I ran around as usual and ate a good meal of cherries at night. I woke up this morning with strong contractions.

“We were told during the courses that a first-time mother most often doesn’t really feel anything. The congestion and water are a given, but the onset of contractions and other warning signs in a primigravida are most often weakly expressed. Although I understand that this is individual for everyone.

Source of the article: https://sibmama.ru/rody_nakanune-rodov.htm