Entering parenthood is like a dream come true for almost every aspiring couple. Proactive couples plan this months in advance, thinking everything thoroughly and with utmost precision. However, what they have little to no control over is labour. Giving birth is different for every woman, but the main signs indicating that your beloved is entering labour are usually strong, yet regular contractions. Sometimes, it is imperative for your wife to undergo certain indubitable procedures in order to ensure the health and safety of both, the mother and the baby. Many parents fear signing the consent form more than the procedure itself, and for every such parent reading this article today, please understand that signing such a form does not necessarily mean that your wife would undergo certain procedures for sure. If, ever a need arises for a procedure to be conducted expeditiously, your doctor would most probably discuss it with you prior to getting hands on with the course of action.
You all must know by now that there are 3/three stages of labor:
a) The first stage of labour is when your contractions increase, and your cervix begins to open up- which in medical terminology is referred to as dilation. The first stage is usually the longest of them all.
b) The second stage is when your cervix is usually open and this is the part where you help your baby move out via the vagina through some rigorous thrusts.
c) The third stage is after the birth of your baby, when your womb contracts and leads the placenta to come out through the vagina.
Fetal monitoring during labor is a step that’s not only critical, but consistent as this allows your doctors to monitor your baby’s heart rate. This allows your healthcare providers to check the well-being of your baby while you are in labor. It is essential to clear this here that fetal monitoring does not itself prevent a problem from occurring, but it is a medium of alerting the doctors if there are any changes in the baby’s heart rate. Before the 1970s, this procedure was carried out using a special stethoscope designed exclusively for pregnant mothers. It would allow the doctors to listen to the baby’s heartbeat by placing the stethoscope on the mother’s belly. The heartbeat would give an idea of how the baby was coping with labor and contractions. This later on evolved into Electronic Fetal Monitoring – a process widely known as Cardiotocography (CTG).
There are parents who really prefer not undergoing any surgical procedures and they follow all the necessary steps, train regularly, and exercise the right techniques to ensure they have a normal delivery instead of a surgical one. For every mother aiming to deliver their baby the normal way, it is imperative for them to own a baby contraction monitor of their own and also to know how it works. Pattern recognition is the basis of Fetal CTG and this leads to a difference in opinions of various clinicians. Computerized CTGs are far more reliable, objective, and consistent. It works in a graphical manner and these graphs are obtained in one session of monitoring which lasts for at least 30 minutes. These graphs have readings and indications. The mother has a button to press if she wants to record any fatal movements herself. There are a plethora of articles acting as a guide on how to read a contraction monitor. You can read them at your convenience. It has become an essential staple for deliveries in hospitals and has saved numerous lives.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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