During the first few days after you give birth, your medical team will ask to press on your lower belly periodically. They are checking to make sure your uterus feels firm and healthy. It can be a little uncomfortable, but it's only temporary. You're about to welcome new life into the world, so of course you want to make sure everything is perfect for them. But remember: YOU are the one who has been growing and will soon be birthing that new little being.
Factor in some serious healing time for yourself: rest, eat well and nurture yourself. And a big one See if you can line up people to be on call to help you for the first month after you give birth send this list of suggestions.
It took a good two to three months, and now, almost six months in, my body is still shifting and changing a ton. It takes a while for your uterus to return to its pre-pregnancy size. And, your body has gone through and will continue to go through tremendous changes.
You'll probably be most comfortable in maternity clothes for at least the first month or so after giving birth or way longer, who are we kidding.
Psst: Check this article out for a little post-baby self-love reminder. That was totally worth it. Both are first timers who had fairly easy pregnancies. They're both eager to meet their daughters, but one is counting down the days to her due date like she's going on a cruise. The date is so embedded in her mind that frankly, I'm a little worried. What's going to happen when she gets close to her due date and there's no sign of labor?
What if she cruises right on past it? Will she be disappointed and impatient? Will she start doubting her body? She can't cancel the trip, but she might be tempted to change her travel plans. My other friend is taking a more laid-back approach. She knows she's going on a cruise pretty soon.
She's packed and ready to go, but she's not sure of the actual launch date. If labor doesn't start by her due date, that's cool. A little sooner, a little later doesn't much matter. It's still going to be one heck of a big trip. You need to manage expectations—and remember that due dates are only an estimate of when your baby's going to arrive.
It's not an etched in stone appointment. First time moms, if left alone to go into labor naturally tend to be pregnant for about 41 weeks and 1 day. Women who've had babies before tend to deliver around 40 weeks and 3 days. That's average. Some deliver earlier and some go a little longer and it's almost always completely normal. What is the most accurate way to tell how far along you are? Why is LMP less accurate than using ultrasound? LMP is less accurate because it can have these problems: People can have irregular menstrual cycles, or cycles that are not 28 days People may be uncertain about the date of their LMP Many people do not ovulate on the 14 th day of their cycle The embryo may take longer to implant in the uterus for some people Research indicates that some people are more likely to recall a date that includes the number 5, or even numbers, so they may inaccurately recall that the first day of their LMP has one of these numbers in it.
What is the best time to have an ultrasound to determine gestational age? Should a due date be changed based on a third trimester ultrasound? How long is a normal pregnancy? Is it really 40 weeks? Why is this method wrong? So how can we deal with this problem? There have been two studies that measured the average length of pregnancy using survival analysis: Study finds that estimated due date is 3 to 5 days AFTER 40 weeks In a very important study published in , Smith looked at the length of pregnancy in 1, healthy women whose estimated due dates, as calculated by the first day of the last menstrual period, were perfect matches with estimated due dates from their first trimester ultrasound Smith, a.
Study finds that estimated due date should be closer to 40 weeks and 5 days In , Jukic et al. So what was the average length of a pregnancy in this study? Are there some things that can make your pregnancy longer? Other factors that may make your pregnancy more likely to go longer include: Higher body mass index before you get pregnant Halloran et al. In , Caughey et al. The participants in this sample all gave birth at Kaiser Permanente hospitals in northern California.
The overall use of interventions Cesareans and inductions in this sample was not listed. The participants in this study were mostly well-educated. The rate of inductions was not listed. This was the same time period and same hospital as his study, but this time the researchers only looked at low-risk people who had health insurance. The overall Cesarean rate was The authors also took whether or not people had inductions into account when they calculated the risks of going past your due date Caughey et al.
Risks for mothers: The risk of chorioamnionitis infection of the membranes was lowest at 37 weeks 0. However, these numbers are much higher than are typically seen, and are partially related to the high use of vacuum and forceps in this study. What about the risk of stillbirth? There are two very important things for you to understand when learning about stillbirth rates.
First, there is a difference between absolute risk and relative risk. Absolute risk is the actual risk of something happening to you. Relative risk is the risk of something happening to you in comparison to somebody else. How do you measure stillbirth rates? Actual stillbirth rates vs. So what is the risk of stillbirth as you go past your due date? What factors can increase the risk of stillbirth? Also, small for gestational age babies are often growth restricted at the week ultrasound.
So, the gestational age for these babies is often under-estimated. This means that babies who are small for gestational age may be more post-term than we realize they are—increasing their risk while also leaving us unaware of their true gestational age Morken et al.
The traditional way of calculating the estimated due date 40 weeks after the last menstrual period is not evidence-based. This is more accurate than using the last menstrual period because it no longer assumes a Day 14 ovulation. An ultrasound before 20 weeks is usually more accurate than using the last menstrual period, and the accuracy of an ultrasound is highest if it is done between 11 and 14 weeks.
Changes to the estimated due date in late pregnancy should only be made in rare circumstances. Some individuals, such as first-time mothers, are at higher risk for experiencing stillbirth in late pregnancy than other individuals.
Committee opinion no. Obstet Gynecol , American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists , Reaffirmed Committee Opinion No. Methods for Estimating the Due Date. Ananth, C. A comparison of foetal and infant mortality in the United States and Canada. Int J Epidemiol 38 2 : Baskett, T. BJOG 11 : Boulvain, M. Prospective risk of stillbirth. Randomised trials of earlier induction of labour are needed. BMJ : Caughey, A. Measuring perinatal complications: methodologic issues related to gestational age.
BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 7: Complications of term pregnancies beyond 37 weeks of gestation. Obstet Gynecol 1 : What is the best measure of maternal complications of term pregnancy: ongoing pregnancies or pregnancies delivered? Am J Obstet Gynecol 4 : Declercq, E. New York: Childbirth Connection. Divon, M. Male gender predisposes to prolongation of pregnancy. Flenady, V. Major risk factors for stillbirth in high-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Lancet : You may experience chills or shakiness during this time. This stage can take up to 30 minutes. Once the placenta is delivered, you enter the fourth stage of labor as your uterus returns to its original size.
Many people feel light cramping during this period. This can be due to beliefs about pain in labor, pain tolerance, support in labor and delivery, and previous injury or trauma. There are both medicated and nonmedicated options available. Discuss with your provider the pain management options available to you during your labor and childbirth. Watch this video to learn how to manage labor pains that begin at home and explore your pain-management choices once you get to the hospital.
Most birth plans include having a vaginal delivery, however, there are times where an unscheduled, or even an emergency, cesarean delivery is necessary. Your doctor may require you to have an unplanned cesarean delivery for several reasons - labor is not progressing, contractions are too weak, the umbilical cord is pinched or wrapped, abnormal heart beat is detected in the fetus, there is an issue with the placenta, the baby is too large, or the baby is breech.
Understanding what to expect with a cesarean birth will help you better prepare in the event you require this procedure. To learn more about the risks and benefits of a cesarean delivery, watch the Elective Primary Cesarean video.
You can save time on delivery day by filling out forms in advance. Find out how to pre-register for admission to Cedars-Sinai.
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