Labor pains

The muscles of the uterus are active throughout pregnancy. At a certain stage, the uterus pulls itself by means of the Labor pains rhythmically together to bring the child into the correct position for birth.

What are the contractions?

Labor pains occur late in pregnancy and are used to prepare the pregnant woman's body for childbirth. Mostly they can be felt in the 36th to 38th week of pregnancy. They ensure that the child slides further into the pelvis and lies optimally in the birth canal for birth.

Labor pains occur irregularly and can sometimes be painful. They are a sign that the body is slowly preparing for childbirth. For many women, it is difficult to tell the difference between labor and labor. In contrast to labor contractions, however, contractions disappear again and appear only irregularly.

Function & task

The main task of the plunge labor is to bring the child into the correct birth position, with the head down in front of the cervix. This also causes the stomach to drop lower. Women who felt pressure on the abdomen during pregnancy, which made it difficult to eat or caused heartburn, notice it when they can eat better again and the heartburn subsides. A shortness of breath during pregnancy also subsides during this time, as the stomach no longer pushes upwards as much.

Contractions of the uterus, in which the abdomen becomes hard at irregular intervals, can occur even during pregnancy. In this way the uterus trains for birth. In contrast to pre-contractions, contractions occur more frequently and can last longer, sometimes up to 2 minutes. It can also lead to a slight opening of the cervix.

If it is the first pregnancy, women still have difficulty distinguishing the pectoral labor from the opening labor, which is why it is more common to misjudge the start of labor. However, contractions are much more irregular than normal contractions. Although they can also cause pain that can resemble menstrual cramps, unlike labor pains, they are not yet regular, so they are not a sure sign of an imminent birth. Proper labor pains come regularly and become increasingly stronger.

If the contractions disappear again after a warm relaxation bath of about 28 degrees, it is more like a sinking pains. Real birth pains would not go away with a bath, but would remain intense or get stronger.

Physical overexertion during this period of pregnancy can also trigger plunging pains. They indicate to the woman that she should take better care of herself so as not to endanger the health of her child. Some women are unsure because they do not feel absent-mindedly whether everything is okay with their child. Contractions can, but do not have to, occur in every woman. If in doubt, the pregnant woman should see a gynecologist or midwife to make sure that everything is in order.

Illnesses & ailments

In general, absenteeism does not cause any major symptoms. With the contractions, women have the impression that something is pulling downwards. In fact, during this time, the belly shifts down again after it had grown continuously upwards in the previous months and sometimes resulted in restricted eating and shortness of breath for the pregnant woman. Back pains against these ailments, which women find pleasant.

On the other hand, the pressure on the bladder increases again and forces it to empty the bladder more often. Contractions should not occur more than 3 to 4 times in an hour and not more than 10 times a day. If this is the case, a gynecologist or midwife should check whether it is contractions. In most cases, pain in pain is harmless. There are natural remedies and relaxation techniques that can relieve the discomfort and, in most cases, provide adequate pain relief.

Warmth relieves tension and has a pain relieving effect. Whether it is the good old hot water bottle or a grain pillow is up to the individual preference of the woman. For some women, cold treatments are also more comfortable.

Birth preparation courses mostly teach breathing techniques that have a pain relieving effect and help the baby to move gently towards the birth canal.

Many midwives recommend raspberry leaf tea, as it loosens the uterine muscles and thus has an antispasmodic effect. However, it should only be drunk in consultation with a midwife, as it can also stimulate labor, which in this case would be counterproductive.

Gentle massages are also a pleasant means of relaxation. They stimulate the release of endorphins and in this way cause pain relief. Women notice for themselves in which areas they find the massages pleasant or uncomfortable.

If labor does not decrease despite natural means and relaxation techniques, it is essential to check whether labor has started in order to avoid complications. If labor pains are related to overexertion, the woman should take more care.