Childbirth is an exciting experience, especially if a woman is giving birth to her first child. Even in the early stages of the process, it is important to behave correctly. For example, you need to correctly determine the moment at which you need to go to the hospital.
In the normal course of pregnancy, a woman goes to the maternity ward when she feels distinct precursors of the onset of labor. But they are not always easy to identify. For example, contractions that are considered a sign of labor can occur during most of the pregnancy. True, in this case, they are irregular and are called training. Therefore, more complex criteria are used to determine the time of onset of labor. It is necessary to focus on the frequency of contractions. They should be regular, at least once every 20 minutes. This means you can take your time to the hospital safely - even the fastest delivery rarely takes less than three to four hours. In the event that contractions occur twice as often, childbirth is already close, and you should see a doctor as soon as possible. Another way to distinguish real contractions from training ones is that the former do not pass either from taking anti-spasm drugs or from being in a warm bath. However, in the event that the water has receded, you should go to the hospital immediately, regardless of the strength of the contractions. The drainage of water means a violation of the tightness of the fetal bladder. If childbirth after this does not occur for a long time, doctors stimulate them artificially so that the child does not have a risk of infection. It should be borne in mind that the waters are not always abundant. Even a small amount of fluid released from the vagina can be attributed to them and is considered a symptom of the onset of imminent labor. You should also urgently go to the hospital if there is a discharge with blood. This can be a symptom of both normal labor and pathology, so an examination by a gynecologist is necessary. If, despite all the descriptions, you are still not completely sure what is happening to you, it is better to go to the hospital. In case the doctors think it is too early for you to give birth, you will simply return home. But you will be calm that everything is in order with you and with the child.
