Pregnancy is a very crucial event for any mother and when you are preparing yourself for this big event, there might be certain questions that might crop up in your mind. There might also be certain concerns related to labor pains. If you are able to get a clear understanding of how the contractions work, you will be able to prepare yourself for the better.
Here are the root cause of contractions
There is not just one thing that will trigger contraction. Rather there are a number of things together that might result in triggering this contraction. This normally happens when there is a series of complicated chemical reactions happening inside the body. When the date of delivery comes near, two important chemicals including the Oxytocin and prostaglandin starts getting released and the contractions start.
When should you contact the hospital?
Make sure that you keep the number of the hospital handy so that you can call the hospital whenever required. There are some women who do not keep the number with them till the time the contractions start happening every five minutes. It is always good to let the birth center or the hospital know beforehand that you will reach there so that they can take the necessary preparations beforehand.Baby contraction timerwill certainly help you to understand when you should contact the hospital.
Symptoms of contractions during pregnancy
- At the initial stage, the contractions are quite light and also less frequent. They are also quite familiar to the mild backaches and the menstrual cramps that happen every month.
- It starts from the lower back region and finally extends to the thighs and the lower abdomen region.
- There are no fixed rules for the contractions. It varies from one person to another.
Here is what you should do when labor has started
- Make sure that you call your birth partner first.
- Try understanding the time difference between two contractions and also try to get a clear picture of how long each of the contractions last.
- You can make use of a pregnancy contraction timer at this time as well.
- In case you are not sure about whether this is the actual labor pain, you can certainly contact your doctor.
- Before leaving for the hospital, make sure that you have everything with you.
- Try relaxing. Being too restless will only increase complications.
Different types of contractions
- Practice Contractions
These contractions can occur at any time during pregnancy and do not necessarily occur at the final stage. These contractions also do not occur in all pregnancies.
- False Contractions
These contractions actually occur before the actual contractions. They help the cervix to get ready for the final delivery. If you change the position of your body, these contractions tend to stop. Cervical dilation does not occur at this time. These contractions may start much before the actual contraction or they may also start just before the actual contractions.
- Actual Contractions
These contractions are very much noticeable because the pain is quite persistent as well as intense. Even if you change the positions of your body, this pain does not seem to go. Normally during this time, you tend to experience a lot of pain in the lower back, lower abdomen and thigh.
Knowing these details about contraction will certainly be helpful for you because you will be able to take the necessary action whenever the actual contractions occur.
