Do I need to go to the hospital in advance. How to understand when it is time to give birth? It is better to always have these documents with you.

Of course, such an abundance of contradictory and unreasoned recommendations only adds to the expectant mother's anxiety: after all, incorrect advice on hospitalization for childbirth, implemented, can turn into serious problems during childbirth. And the health of the mother and the baby largely depends on how this important process will take place, in particular, on the timely commenced observation and the timely medical care provided.

When is it time to go to the hospital - when will the belly go down?

The change in the shape of the abdomen on the eve of childbirth is associated with the "starting position" taken by the baby before the start of the process. The fetus presses the head against the pelvic bones, dragging the uterus down. As a result, the stomach sags, as it were, sinks lower, resembling a pear in shape. The expectant mother can pay attention not only to the external change in the shape of the abdomen, but also to changes in health. For example, more frequent stool and urination (the baby's head presses harder on the rectum and bladder) and the disappearance of shortness of breath (the sagging bottom of the uterus stops pressing on the diaphragm, making breathing easier). A sagging belly is evidence of preparation for childbirth, but does not require immediate hospitalization.
First, from the moment the shape of the abdomen changes to the onset of labor, it can normally take ... about two weeks! Secondly, abdominal prolapse is not an obligatory attribute of precursors and the onset of labor: sometimes this simply does not happen. Whether the stomach goes down on the eve of childbirth or not depends on the shape of the pelvis of the expectant mother, as well as on the amount of water, the size and presentation of the fetus (head or buttocks down).

How to understand that you are giving birth: water

Indeed, if the expectant mother is running out of water, it is necessary to immediately go to the hospital. However, in most cases, you should hit the road much earlier! The fact is that childbirth does not necessarily begin with the outpouring of amniotic fluid. Depending on the volume of water, the location of the fetus in the uterus, the size of the baby and the gestational age, the membranes can break at the beginning, middle and even at the very end of the process. In some cases, the fetal bladder does not rupture on its own, and the child is born in the membranes.
Birth “in a shirt” - in a fetal bladder filled with fluid - is mortally dangerous for a newborn: after all, having been born, he must breathe in air, not water. The old Russian proverb “happy - was born in a shirt” implies that this person does not care about anything, since he remained alive in such a dangerous situation. Despite the fact that many women consider the discharge of water to be the beginning of childbirth, their outpouring simultaneously with the appearance of contractions or even before them is not at all the norm. In fact, the whole fetal bladder, filled with water, must participate in the process of childbirth: during the first contractions, when the opening is still very small, it tenses and presses on the neck, forcing it to stretch.

Staying at home after the onset of regular contractions and waiting for the water to flow is completely wrong. Ideally, the fetal bladder should remain intact until the middle (!) Of the first stage of labor - until the cervix dilates by 4-5 cm. the first stage of labor - until the cervix is ​​fully dilated. Sometimes in the middle of labor, against the background of a whole fetal bladder, the contractions gradually begin to weaken. In this case, to normalize labor, the doctor opens the bladder.

When is it time to go to the hospital: the traffic jam is gone

The cork is a jelly-like mass in the form of lumps or strands of yellowish, pink or brown color. This discharge from the genital tract, correctly called cervical mucus, does not necessarily appear at the onset of labor. Like drooping belly cork release is a harbinger of childbirth - a manifestation of changes in the body of a pregnant woman shortly before the birth of the baby. During pregnancy, the plug that fills the cervical canal protects the fetus from the adverse effects of the bacterial flora of the vagina. Before childbirth, the cervix softens and begins to open slightly. In this case, the mucous plug can stand out outward (or it can remain inside the cervical canal and stand out during childbirth). Sometimes the plug is separated "in several passes" - not immediately, but in 2-3 days. It can also take 7-10 days from the first discharge of cervical mucus to the onset of labor.
Sometimes preliminary departurestraffic jams just doesn't happen! The appearance of mucous discharge from the cervix at the end of pregnancy (as well as the absence of this discharge) is considered normal and does not require a visit to the hospital.

How to understand that you are giving birth - contractions

Despite the credibility of this statement, even it is not always true! During pregnancy, a woman periodically experiences uterine contractions - training bouts Braxton Hicks. At the beginning of pregnancy, such contractions are extremely rare - 1-2 contractions per week, and are completely painless. They simply feel like a slight tension in the uterus. As the gestation period increases, contractions can appear more often - up to several times a day in the form of single (separate) short painless abdominal strains that occur at different times of the day. These contractions are found in absolutely all pregnant women. However, not everyone feels them. Of course, such contractions, which are a variant of the norm, do not require going to the hospital. About 2 weeks before the expected date of birth, the expectant mother may experience new sensations - false, or harbingers... In terms of strength and sensations, they are very similar to real contractions, with which childbirth begins. These are periodically recurring sensations of undulating tension in the uterus, sometimes accompanied by "stretching" in the lower abdomen and in the lower back. Unlike real labor pains, precursors do not lead to the opening of the cervix and end rather quickly.

Harbinger skirmishes may occur every day during the week before childbirth, may disturb the expectant mother 1-2 times on the eve of childbirth, or may not appear at all. The presence of precursor contractions, as well as their absence, is the norm and does not require a visit to a doctor.

When you need to go to the hospital - better in advance!

Supporters of this point of view motivate their position simply: a pregnant woman will be under the supervision of doctors all the time, so it is calmer for doctors, relatives, and herself. Despite the seeming logic of this statement, it cannot be considered absolutely true. More precisely, this advice is not universal - early antenatal hospitalization is needed only in special cases, or, as doctors say, "according to indications":

• When preparing for a planned caesarean section: in order to reduce the risk of operational complications, the pregnant woman must be examined and prepared in advance. In this case, the expectant mother is recommended to go to the hospital no later than 38 weeks of pregnancy. The woman is hospitalized in the department of pathology of pregnant women and a preoperative examination plan is prescribed.
• If pregnancy complications are detected on the eve of childbirth. In this case, early hospitalization in the hospital will help to fully examine, correct identified health problems and monitor the condition of the fetus during treatment. It is necessary to go to the hospital in advance, for example, with gestosis (late toxicosis of pregnant women, manifested by an increase in blood pressure, edema and the appearance of protein in the urine), impaired blood flow in the placenta, delayed fetal development, the threat of premature placental abruption.
• With an exacerbation of general chronic diseases, since any violation of the health of the expectant mother can affect the condition of the fetus and preparation for childbirth.
• If a woman has previously undergone surgery on the uterus, she is also hospitalized in the maternity hospital no later than the 38th week of pregnancy: at this time, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the postoperative scar.
• With a tendency to overdue. In the absence of precursors of childbirth for a period of more than 40 weeks, prenatal hospitalization is recommended for a pregnant woman. In the maternity hospital, the expectant mother is examined, the purpose of which is to exclude the fact of prolongation (a condition in which the organism of the expectant mother ceases to cope with the life support of the baby and his condition worsens), to control the level of placental blood flow and monitor the condition of the fetus. If necessary, a pregnant woman is prescribed medical measures to prepare for childbirth.

In other cases go to the hospital in advance is not necessary. On the contrary, often this unnecessary precaution can be of disservice to the pregnant woman. When hospitalized in the department of pathology of pregnant women, the expectant mother is limited in physical activity, which adversely affects her blood circulation.
Often in the hospital, pregnant women do not sleep well: neighbors in the ward, noise coming from the children's and maternity wards, morning procedures (analyzes, thermometry) interfere. However, the most harmful factor of an unreasonable stay in the antenatal department is the scary stories about childbirth, which mothers-to-be tell each other out of nothing to do. Physical inactivity, insomnia and "horror films" that whip up fear of childbirth have a negative effect on the physiological and psychological readiness for childbirth.

From the very first weeks of pregnancy, every pregnant woman begins to be concerned about the questions: where to give birth, what things are needed with you, what method of delivery to choose. But now almost nine months of pregnancy are already behind, the woman chose a maternity hospital, she clearly knows what to take.

There is one important question left - when should i go to the hospital?

I don’t want to go too early, but I don’t want to be late, and then give birth in an ambulance or even at home. But, unfortunately, no doctor can accurately determine the date and time of delivery.

Therefore, you should know a few things that will help prepare for childbirth and arrive at the hospital on time.

What every mother-to-be needs to know?

The gestational age at which a child is considered full-term varies greatly according to different experts and, on average, is in the range between 39 and 42 weeks.

The main harbinger are precursor contractions - painless contractions of the abdominal muscles. Such contractions appear at any time, are irregular, and pass quickly after taking antispasmodic drugs.

With the help of precursor contractions, the woman's body begins to prepare for the upcoming labor.

Less often, a few days before childbirth, women fix in the form of a small amount of mucus that appears in the vagina. This plug serves as additional protection when entering the cervix.

A little about the beginning of labor

When do I need to go to the hospital? The answer is simple - at. However, there is urgent reasons, when a delay in admission to the hospital threatens with various complications.

Such reasons are the appearance of bloody discharge and prenatal rupture of amniotic fluid.

Generic activity presents that are regular, painful and recur at regular intervals.

Gradually, the frequency of contractions increases, while contractions are not stopped using conventional antispasmodic drugs, what distinguishes them from the harbingers.

It can be difficult to distinguish between these two types of contractions, in which case it is better to play it safe and go to the hospital.

The emergence can accompany normal labor (dilatation of the cervix is ​​accompanied by minor damage to blood vessels), but most often the appearance of blood is a sign of placental detachment and other pathological conditions.

The development of placental abruption threatens the death of the fetus and the mother, therefore, when even a small amount of blood appears, it is better to call an ambulance.

Outpouring of amniotic fluid it is usually easy to determine - amniotic fluid is often of a large volume, although, again, there may be little water, there may be a gradual leakage.

The feeling of the appearance and discharge of water (not mucus) from the vagina is also an indication for calling an ambulance.

In conclusion, it should be said that in the presence or with a complicated course of pregnancy, prenatal hospitalization in a hospital is planned in advance. All other cases are the responsibility of the woman herself.

So when is the best time to go to the hospital? Better to come to the hospital earlier, then why worry - will the ambulance arrive in time?

It is also worth insuring primiparas, because the first birth usually lasts a long time, up to 10-13 hours, repeated births are much faster.

Waiting for the first birth is an exciting and alarming time. Many women worry that they will miss the onset of contractions, and the baby will be born at home. However, in practice, it is quite difficult not to notice the onset of labor.

The beginning of labor

Labor usually begins between 38 and 42 weeks of gestation. In this case, they are considered normal and timely, and the baby is considered full-term.

When is it time to go to the hospital during the first pregnancy? Should I apply to the hospital in advance?

Regardless of whether a woman is carrying the first or third child, there are no indications for hospitalization in a hospital before the onset of labor.

Although earlier this practice was widespread. If by forty weeks the expectant mother did not open her cervix, and regular contractions did not begin, she was sent for hospitalization in a hospital. In the maternity hospital, the woman was under constant medical supervision, if necessary, labor was stimulated.

To date, without indications in the form of complications of pregnancy, the obstetrician-gynecologist does not issue a referral for hospitalization. The expectant mother can stay at home for up to 42 weeks and lead a normal life.

However, the proximity of childbirth must be borne in mind in order to prepare everything you need for the hospital. It is also necessary to be aware of such changes in the body as precursors.

Harbingers

Harbingers signal the expectant mother that it is time for the child to be born. During the first pregnancy, between the onset of these symptoms and the onset of labor, usually 1-2 weeks pass, while during the second and subsequent ones, the baby may be born the next day. This is due to the faster reaction of the uterus to the processes occurring in the body.

Harbingers include the following symptoms:

• Change in the shape of the abdomen.
• Disappearance of heartburn and digestive problems, shortness of breath.
• Straightening the back and neck.

These manifestations are associated with the fact that the fetus sinks lower and fits tightly with the head to the entrance to the small pelvis. At the same time, the pressure on the upper abdomen, respectively, decreases, and the unpleasant symptoms associated with pressure on the diaphragm weaken or disappear.

Abdominal prolapse leads to a shift in the center of gravity, this causes straightening and deflection of the back and neck. Also, a woman may be bothered by pain in the lumbar region.

Closer to childbirth, a mucous plug may come off the genital tract. Usually it is a clot of secretions with bloody streaks and blotches. Sometimes the mucous plug comes off in parts, and this goes unnoticed, especially if the pregnancy is the first.

The appearance of mucous-bloody discharge can scare the expectant mother. However, this harbinger is not a reason for emergency hospitalization in the hospital.

If the water does not leave and regular contractions of the uterus are not observed, even after the cork has come off, you can stay at home and wait for childbirth.

Signs of labor

The mechanism of childbirth is quite complex. First of all, it is necessary for the cervix to open for the free movement of the child along the birth canal.

This occurs during the first stage of labor. This is followed by attempts, when the contractions of the uterus are combined with a strong tension of the muscles of the press, they push the child out. The third stage is the discharge of the placenta - the placenta, or "child's place".

The main signs of incipient labor:

• Regular uterine contractions.
• Discharge of amniotic fluid.

The expectant mother should know that, in addition to true contractions, there are also false, or training contractions. If a woman understands the difference, it will be easy for her to distinguish between them.

Training contractions

Training contractions are sometimes referred to as precursors of childbirth, especially if they are first observed at 37–38 weeks.

However, often a woman can notice their appearance much earlier - in the second trimester. From 16-18 weeks, irregular uterine contractions are considered normal.

The main purpose of this process is to prepare the uterus for the upcoming birth. Such contractions have been described for a long time and are better known in the medical literature as "Braxton-Hicks contractions."

They are painless and irregular, and go away quickly on their own. To reduce training contractions, you need to rest more, change your body position. Deep, rhythmic breathing sometimes helps.

Regular contractions

If a woman is constantly experiencing training contractions, she may miss the moment when they become regular. However, very quickly the differences become apparent.

True fights are characterized by:

• Regularity and rhythm.
• Reducing the intervals between uterine contractions.
• Increase in intensity.
• Painful sensations are moderate to severe.

In order to understand whether these contractions are true or false, you need to use the clock. Regular contractions indicate that labor has finally begun. In addition, they do not diminish during rest or sleep, when changing position. When moving, true contractions can get stronger and more painful. Also, they are not affected by the intake of antispasmodic drugs - No-shpy, Papaverine, Viburkola.

However, if the hospital is far away or difficult to reach, it is best to go as soon as the contractions are regular. It is not worth delaying if in the family along the female line - the mother or sister of the patient - there was a rapid birth. For a daughter, the birth of a baby may follow the same scenario.

Amniotic fluid discharge

During pregnancy, the baby is in a dense shell - a bubble that is filled with liquid. It is called amniotic fluid, or amniotic fluid.

They perform an important task - they protect the child from injury during sudden movements, they serve as a shock absorber. In addition, they are involved in some metabolic processes. Also, thanks to the amniotic fluid, it is possible to maintain the optimal temperature of the environment for the fetus.

At the beginning of labor, the membranes rupture, and the water is poured out. This process, as a rule, is sudden, without any precursors and painful sensations. Most often, women confuse the discharge of amniotic fluid with involuntary urination.

Sometimes a small amount of liquid is poured out, in parts. But the volume can reach 1.5–2 liters.

If this happens, it is advisable to go to the hospital as soon as possible, even if regular labor has not yet been observed. Most likely, the contractions are simply too weak, and the woman in labor does not yet feel them.

A long anhydrous interval threatens the baby with an infection, so you should not postpone going to the hospital. The sooner a woman is examined by a doctor, the lower the risk of complications.

Pathology

Sometimes labor starts early. This happens during the first and subsequent pregnancies.

Premature birth is considered if it started before 38 weeks. In this case, the child or the woman in labor does not always suffer; in the period of 36–37 weeks, most often everything ends well.

Today, doctors take care of babies starting from a weight of 500 grams. Of course, in this case, the risk of damage to the central nervous system and other complications is quite high.

That is why you need to strive with all your might to convey pregnancy. Premature labor may start as usual, but several weeks earlier. With this option, it is necessary to call the ambulance team as soon as the woman noticed the regularity of contractions or the discharge of amniotic fluid.

Sometimes delivery is forced - for example, with premature detachment of a normally located placenta, eclampsia.

A pregnant woman needs emergency hospitalization if the following symptoms appear:

• Regular contractions.
• The discharge of amniotic fluid.
• Sudden, sharp pain in the abdomen, lower back.
• Bloody discharge from the genital tract or signs of internal bleeding (loss of consciousness, a sharp drop in blood pressure, tachycardia, dizziness, sudden severe weakness and pallor).

How to know when it is time to go to the hospital? During the first pregnancy, this issue worries all women, without exception. However, almost no one gives birth at home due to the fact that they missed the onset of labor. Their signs are so obvious and tangible that mistakes are extremely rare.

Do I need to go to the hospital in advance?

The decision to write an article with this title came as a result of the fact that very often one hears a question (request): is it possible to go to the hospital in advance.

I am deeply convinced that you need to come to the hospital with the onset of labor. This does not apply to patients with serious complications of pregnancy: high blood pressure (especially combined with headache, heaviness in the back of the head), placenta previa, fetal malnutrition of the 2nd - 3rd degree, Rh-conflict, impaired fetal condition according to cardiotocography and dopplerometry, severe concomitant pathology of the heart, kidneys, blood system, the course of which may worsen during pregnancy.In such a situation, it is imperative to be under the supervision of experienced professionals in order to carry out treatment and at any time, if necessary, receive emergency medical care. But still, such problems during pregnancy are quite rare. Often, healthy patients try to go to the pregnancy pathology department in order to wait for the onset of labor. What is this desire based on?

Many are afraid that when labor begins, they will not be admitted to the hospital in which they intend to give birth. Do not be afraid of this, because any maternity hospital is obliged to accept any woman for childbirth, except for those cases when there is a severe concomitant pathology (heart, kidney, infectious diseases) and it is safer for the woman herself to give birth in a specialized maternity hospital.

Another problem, more typical for patients with repeated childbirth: the fear of not getting to the hospital. But repeated births last an average of 6-8 hours. You can go to the hospital with the first signs of labor (contractions in 8-10 minutes, outpouring of amniotic fluid). It is not at all necessary to wait until the contractions are in 1-2 minutes and you want to push.

Sometimes relatives are afraid that they will be confused with the onset of childbirth, and also try to send a pregnant woman to the hospital in advance. Such fears can be understood, but it is still better to take care of the psychological comfort not of ourselves, but of the expectant mother, since it is extremely difficult to lie in the maternity hospital, even if it is very good, without receiving any treatment, but simply waiting for the birth. Communication with patients with pregnancy pathology leaves a negative imprint on the emotional state.
The agonizing expectation of the onset of their own labor against the background of the onset of contractions in other patients also does not lead to an improvement in mood. There are unnecessary fears, resentments against relatives and doctors who (quite rightly) treat such patients as healthy. Accordingly, the doctor's rounds are short-lived, and the treatment is reduced to the appointment of valerian. Hence the grievances and complaints about the inattentive attitude of the medical staff. Although such a number of negative emotions could have been avoided by arriving at the hospital with the onset of labor.

The depressed emotional state before childbirth also affects the course of childbirth, which are often complicated by a pathological preliminary period, weakness of labor, discoordination of labor, premature rupture of amniotic fluid.

An important role belongs to the doctors of antenatal clinics, who, being reinsured and fearing for the health of patients, hospitalize them in the maternity hospital even if minimal deviations in health are detected (sometimes without them): minor edema, a single detection of protein in the urine, fetal malnutrition of the 1st degree, Rh negative blood without antibodies, slight oligohydramnios or polyhydramnios, premature aging of the placenta without disturbing the condition of the fetus according to CTG and dopplerometry, prevention of prolongation at 39-40 weeks of pregnancy, etc. Of course, in such a situation, patients, not having professional knowledge, cannot take responsibility for their health. If you have doubts about whether it is worth going to the maternity hospital in the direction of the antenatal clinic, you can consult the advisory department of the maternity hospital to determine the appropriateness of hospitalization.

The same applies to elective caesarean section surgery. If it is known that the operation is ahead, there are no complications of pregnancy, and the fetus feels normal, then you can not go to the hospital in advance, but come on the day of the operation, having carried out the necessary examination and preparation for the operation on an outpatient basis. But for this you need to consult in advance at the hospital, clarify the list of examinations, the nature of the preoperative preparation and the date of the operation.

First, you need to know the estimated calendar due date. The duration of pregnancy is different for each woman; on average, it is 280 days, or 40 weeks, fluctuations from 38 to 42 weeks are considered normal.

How to find out the due date?

There are various ways of calculating the due date. Some try to determine the day of conception and count the days from it. However, the day when sexual intercourse occurred and the day of conception itself may not coincide, since the sperm cells are able to maintain their viability and “wait” for an egg in a woman's genital tract for several days.

Determining the date of birth by menstruation

The most common way to calculate due date is “by menstruation”. This is usually a well-documented event. It is necessary to remember exactly the first day of the last menstruation, from the beginning of which it is proposed to count 280 days. And it's even easier - add another 7 days to the date of the first day of the last menstruation and count back three months. For example, the last period started on September 5th. Then childbirth can be expected on June 12 (5 + 7 days = 12, 9th month September - 3 = 6th month June). But this method will be unreliable if the woman has an irregular menstrual cycle or does not remember the date of her period.

Calculate your due date by your period using our due date calculator

Determining the date of birth by ultrasound

In modern conditions, the date of birth is determined quite accurately, focusing on the data of an ultrasound scan (ultrasound) performed before the 12th week of pregnancy. In the later stages of pregnancy, the error in determining the term using ultrasound increases. This is due to the fact that the size of the fetus, which the doctor is guided by in his calculations, at the end of pregnancy has large individual fluctuations.

Likewise, the calculation is made based on the date and duration of pregnancy established at the first visit to the doctor (method “at the first visit to the antenatal clinic”). The sooner your doctor determines the gestational age, the more accurate your future predictions of the due date will be.

Determining the date of birth by fetal movements

You can roughly calculate the date of birth and the first movement of the fetus: in primiparous women, this occurs on average at 20 weeks, and in multiparous women - at 18 weeks. Of course, these are very subjective sensations, because the moment of the first movement of the child is not always clearly distinguishable.

You can find out about full-term pregnancy and upcoming birth by several signs. In about 1 - 2 weeks, the so-called "harbingers" of childbirth appear.

Harbingers of childbirth

Most women at the end of pregnancy notice that their belly “sank” and it became easier to breathe. This is because during a full-term pregnancy, the amount of amniotic fluid decreases slightly, and the fetal head is pressed against the entrance to the woman's small pelvis. The uterus becomes more excitable, she "trains", prepares for the great work ahead. Irregular painless tension of the uterus and a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen and lower back are called "contractions of pregnant women." Not always even a doctor can say with certainty whether this is the onset of labor or preparatory contractions occur. If this state of increased irregular excitability of the uterus lasts 1 - 2 days, then it is better to contact maternity hospital, where they will be able to assess whether the child is suffering at the same time.

A few days before delivery (or on the day of delivery), light mucous discharge may appear from the genital tract, sometimes with small streaks of blood. Usually they say that "the mucous plug has come off." This is a favorable sign of softening and "ripening" of the cervix.

In many women, by the end of pregnancy, colostrum, the precursor of breast milk, is secreted from the nipples.

A healthy woman with a favorable pregnancy can be at home before the onset of labor. If there are deviations in the woman's health, pregnancy has complications, if signs of fetal suffering are established, then, of course, the last 1 - 2 weeks (and, if necessary, more) should be in the maternity hospital under the supervision of specialists. Recently, many women, especially urban women, prefer to go to the maternity hospital in advance. This is obviously due to a general deterioration in the health of the population, the desire of the family, if possible, to insure itself against various accidents.

When is it time to go to the hospital?

So, at home you felt some change in your condition. There was heaviness, slight pain in the lower back, lower abdomen, the uterus tensed and became very dense to the touch. At first, contractions and relaxation of the uterus are irregular, last 5 - 10 seconds with long breaks (up to half an hour). Then their frequency and intensity increase. It was the contractions that began. If you give birth for the first time and live near maternity hospital, then you can wait until the contractions become regular - every 5 - 7 minutes. If childbirth is repeated, then immediately with the onset of contractions, you should go to maternity hospital... Repeated births are usually faster than the first, there is a risk of giving birth outside the hospital.

Often, before the onset of labor, amniotic fluid can be ruptured. The normal water content in the uterus by the end of pregnancy is up to 1.5 liters. You may feel that a light, warm fluid is flowing out of the vagina (no connection with urination). A little liquid may spill out, or all 1.5 - 2 liters. Be that as it may, if you notice unusually wet laundry, this is a situation in which you need to go to maternity hospital... If the water is poured out completely or leaks slightly, this means that the integrity of the membranes is violated, and the child is no longer protected from the effects of the external environment, primarily from infectious agents. Time counts on the clock, it is advisable for a child in such a situation to be born no later than 12 hours after the outpouring of water. Doctor in maternity hospital must determine if you have a chance of having a vaginal birth, or whether it is better to have a caesarean section. In most cases, following the outpouring of water, normal contractions begin, and labor ends safely.

Above, we have discussed typical normal situations at the end of pregnancy. But complications are also possible. There are situations that require special attention and emergency assistance that a woman with a full-term pregnancy should know about. Call an ambulance immediately and go to maternity hospital, if:

Bloody discharge appeared from the genital tract, smearing or “like menstruation”;

Water stained with blood leaks;

Painful sensations are very strong, the uterus is painful to the touch, does not relax between contractions;

Fetal movements become unusually strong, or weak, or painful;

worried about a headache, vision has become blurry ("flies flicker" in front of the eyes), there are pains in the epigastric region, blood pressure has increased, you cannot urinate.

In any case, if you feel any discomfort, then be sure to consult with the doctor who monitors your pregnancy, and at night, contact maternity hospital... Practice shows that it is better to play it safe than underestimate the seriousness of the situation and endanger the life of the child and your own.

1. Determine in advance in which institution you will give birth. Many women prefer to have the same doctor lead and deliver the pregnancy. In practice, this is far from always feasible. The state system for monitoring pregnant women is organized in such a way that the doctor does not necessarily have to be present at the birth of his patient. And in non-state clinics, the obstetrician who observed you, due to various circumstances, may not be with you at this very moment. However, it should not be perceived as a tragedy when an unfamiliar doctor is giving birth to you. Choose a reputable institution for delivery; if you are not “assigned” to him on a territorial basis (formal objections may arise during hospitalization), decide in advance for yourself whether you agree to a paid service. It is advisable to undergo a set of examinations adopted in this institution, to conclude a service contract.

2. Keep your documents collected, namely:

Exchange card with data of all analyzes and ultrasound examination in the III trimester;

Passport;

Insurance policy.

IT IS BETTER TO ALWAYS HAVE THESE DOCUMENTS WITH YOURSELF!

In the absence of medical documents, childbirth should be carried out in the II obstetric (observational department) or even in a specialized infectious maternity hospital! If you do not have a passport or insurance policy with you, then problems may arise with the possibility of free delivery (for compulsory health insurance). Be careful.

3. Prepare a package with things: 2 - 3 cotton shirts, 3 - 4 diapers (preferably special disposable), 3 - 4 pairs of cotton panties, pads (the largest), a bathrobe, washable slippers, 2 - 3 pairs of cotton socks, toiletries, towels ...

However, in the maternity ward itself, you will not need anything other than slippers: usually, for the time of childbirth, the necessary underwear and clothes are given out in maternity hospital... Relatives will bring you everything else, including things for the baby, after the birth.

What to take with you to the hospital will be suggested by our service List of things in the hospital

Doctors, and you too, will be more comfortable if, having felt the approach of labor, you will not overload your stomach. While waiting for labor at home, limit your diet to light crackers, a cup of broth, and tea.

Trim your nails; you can shave your pubis yourself - these are mandatory procedures before childbirth.

Do not lose your presence of mind, be decisive and collected - you will have a difficult, but joyful work. Remember that you are primarily responsible for yourself and your child.