Birth action
Normally, birth occurs between the 38-40th week of pregnancy. In 10% of pregnancies, birth can begin in earlier pregnancy weeks. If a cesarean section is to be performed at the request of the patient or by the direction of the doctor, or if a pregnancy that has previously given birth by caesarean section is to be cesarean section again, the procedure is planned between 38-39 weeks.
Cesarean section planned pregnant women should not eat or drink anything from 24:00 ’ o'clock the night before.
6 Signs that your birth is approaching:
1. Relaxation: With the baby moving to the lower part of your abdomen (pelvis), the pressure on your diaphragm decreases and you become more breathable. However, this time, the need to go to the toilet may increase due to the increase in pressure on the bladder.
2. Engagement: The thick layer of mucus that closes the cervix during pregnancy prevents bacteria from entering the uterus. As the birth approaches, this mucus layer is discarded due to thinning and loosening in the cervix. This phenomenon may not be seen in all pregnancies; it is usually in the form of a bloody darkening discharge and can be discarded minutes, hours or days before the onset of labor.
3. Water coming: In some pregnant women, the amniotic sac breaks before birth, usually a small amount of water flows out of the vagina. One in ten women can drain a large amount of water. Especially in the last stages of pregnancy, you need to consult your doctor to determine whether the liquid that comes from incontinence is amniotic fluid or urine. Because if the membranes are ruptured early, the risk of developing intrauterine infection may increase.
4. Birth pains: Coming at irregular intervals seen in the last months of pregnancy, felt in the lower abdomen and groin, variable in severity, accompanied by hardening of the abdomen, decreasing or disappearing with change of position, short-term contractions are known as false birth pains. As you approach the birth, the pseudo-birth pains are replaced by more severe, called real birth pains, starting from the lower part of the back and spreading to the abdomen and accompanied by hardening in the abdomen, lasting longer (30-60 seconds), coming at regular intervals, not rested, it leaves intervals and violence to increasingly contractions. It is recommended to contact your doctor in case of contractions or water coming every five minutes and lasting longer than 1 minute.
5. Thinning of the cervix: In the last month of pregnancy, the cervix begins to thin. Your doctor can understand this condition by vaginal examination when you go to check and express it as a percentage. Thinning of the cervix allows the cervix to expand more easily. The short-term, severe, low-contraction contractions you feel during the last two months of pregnancy, also called false birth pains, play a role in thinning.
6. Enlargement in the cervix: During the last months of pregnancy, enlargement of the cervix begins. Your doctor understands this condition by vaginal examination and expresses it in cm. In order for birth to occur, there must be a full expansion (10 cm) and complete thinning (100%) in the cervix.It is considered normal that there is some reduction of baby movements in the last days of pregnancy. However, if there is a significant decrease in baby movements (less than 10 ’ per hour) or the baby does not move at all, contact your doctor.