2. Overview
• Pregnancy Overview
• Truths about pregnancy
• Complications of pregnancy
• Stages of labor
• The Miracle of Birth?
• Strategies to Cope with labor
• Things NOT to do during labor
• Afterwards
3. Pregnancy: You’re practically glowing!
• Remember: Pregnancy is not all physical
– Emotions will run wild along with your hormones
• Trimester 1
– Weeks 1-12; extreme tiredness, morning sickness,
mood swings, constipation
• Trimester 2
– Weeks 13-28; body aches, stretch marks, swelling or
ankles, fingers, and face, itchiness
• Trimester 3
– Weeks 29-40; shortness of breath, heartburn, intense
swelling, hemorrhoids, trouble sleeping, tender
breasts
4. Truths about pregnancy
• It is perfectly safe to have a home birth
– Complicated/high risk pregnancies are an exception
• Being labeled as a “high risk” pregnancy patient
does not necessarily mean you are high risk
• Pregnant teens do not have to drop out of school
• Pregnant women experience no more depression
than non-pregnant women
5. Pregnancy complications
• Late pregnancies: Women older
than 35 are more at risk for
diabetes and high blood pressure
• Overweight: At risk for diabetes,
high blood pressure, larger babies,
and cesarean sections
• Abuse: At risk for losing baby,
depression, fear
• Disability: Is it genetic?
• Addiction: Babies will be affected
by drug use
• Previous cesarean section:
infection, excess bleeding, longer
recovery time
6. Stages of Labor: Contractions
• Warm-up labor (false contractions)
– On and off for days or weeks!
– 0-3cm dilation
• Stage 1: Latent Phase
– A few hours, to a day or more
– 0-5cm dilation
• Stage 1: Active Phase
– Between 2-10 hours
– 4-8cm dilation
• Stage 1:Transistion Phase
– A few contractions 1-2 hours
– 7-8cm dilation
7. Final Stages of Labor
• Stage 2: Pushing, giving birth
– Few contractions over 3 hours
– 10cm dilation
– Contractions every 3 minutes
– Woman will feel urge to push
• Stage 3: Delivery of Placenta
– 10 minutes of less
– No contractions, but strong cramps
• Stage 4: Recovery
– 1-2 hours without complications
– Mild to moderate cramps while uterus contracts
8. The Miracle of Birth?
• Movies portray the
birthing process as clean
and marvelous
• Although your baby is
being born, it is far from a
clean process
– Feces, urine, and blood will
discharge from a laboring
mother’s body
– It is painful; no other way to
say it!
– Not every woman yells;
some women stay very
quiet to deal with pain
9. Strategies to Cope with Labor
• My sister used hypno-breathing (hypnosis)
– It really worked for her!
• Freedom to move during labor
• Don’t lay flat during labor
– Let gravity help you out a little bit
• Water is soothing during labor
• Human touch
– Have someone hold your hand
• Hot or cold packs
• It’s completely up to the laboring mother as to
what makes her comfortable!
10. Things NOT to do during
labor
• Laboring on your back
– As stated previously, let gravity do it’s share of the
work!
• Episiotomy
– A surgical cut to enlarge vaginal opening
– Can lead to tearing through to the anal sphincter
• Can lead to incontinence after birth, and prolonged bleeding
• Immediate clamping of umbilical cord
– Deprives babies of up to one-third of their blood
volume
• Can lead to anemia for several months up to birth
11. Congratulations! It’s a--
• After labor, hold your baby while
waiting for placenta
• Start breastfeeding as soon as
possible
– Relaxes the woman’s body
– Relieves pain
– You deserve to hold your child after
that labor process!
• Although childbirth is a gruesome
process, staying positive and looking
towards your goal is the best
method for a healthy pregnancy and
delivery.
12. Just look at what you made
Have you ever known someone that
has had a high risk pregnancy? What
was their mindset during pregnancy?
13. Citation
• "Pregnancy." Stages of Pregnancy. 27 Sept. 2010. Web. 4 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/you-are-pregnant/stages-of-
pregnancy.html#a>.
