Contractions
Normal contractions are up to 10 contractions in 24 hours, up to the 30th week of pregnancy less than 3, above that less than 5 contractions per hour. From a pressure of about 25mmHg contractions are considered painful. Exercise contractions: From the 20th week of pregnancy onwards, uncontrolled, local contractions with high frequency (so-called Alvarez waves up to 20 mmHg) or uterine contractions up to 30 mmHg with subsequent pause in labor (=Braxton-Hicks contractions) can occur.
Lower contractions: If pregnancy contractions increase in frequency and pressure in the last 3-4 weeks before birth and are accompanied by a lowering of the abdomen, they are called down pains. Pre-abortion: are irregular contractions, with already a pressure in the uterus (=intrauterin) of 40mmHg. They occur in the last days before birth and serve to press the child’s head into the pelvic entrance, especially in first-time mothers (i.e. where the pelvic floor is not yet so dilated).
They pass over into the birth pangs. Opening contractions: are now regular, cervical labour pains. They occur in the opening period of the birth and lead to an increased loosening of the cervix and a stretching of the cervix.
The child enters deeper and deeper into the pelvic entrance. The contractions have a pressure of about 40-50 mmHg and occur every 5-20 minutes. The duration is about 30-60sec.
The opening period lasts about 12 hours for first-time mothers and 2-8 hours for multiple mothers. This topic might be of interest to you: Inhaling contractionsDeat expulsion contractions: These contractions are stronger and longer than opening contractions and occur when the cervix is fully open. The pressure of these contractions is now 60 mmHg, the contractions occur every 4-10 minutes.
The expulsion period lasts up to 2 hours for first-time mothers, for multi-mothers it is usually faster due to the pre-stretching. Compression pains: These contractions are regular contractions up to 200mmHg, which occur every 2-3 min in the last phase of the expulsion period, the pressing phase. In addition to the high pressure in the uterus (=intrauter), the abdominal press is used.
The duration of this phase depends on the cooperation of the woman giving birth. Afterbirth pains: These contractions serve to loosen and expel the placenta. Pressure and frequency decreases during this time.
The placenta should have dissolved after one hour at the latest. By definition, the postpartum period lasts 2 hours. Only then is the birth considered complete.
Aftermath: are local contractions of the uterus during the puerperium to stop bleeding and regression of the uterus. These are stimulated during breastfeeding by the release of the body’s own hormone oxytocin. In some cases they can be painful, especially in women who have multiple births.
