Before delivery, most fetuses are just in the pelvis, and the feelings of pregnant women are varied, especially between the first and second births. Some pregnant mothers say that the first baby starts to enter the pot at 36 weeks, and the feeling of the baby rolling in the womb during delivery is unbearable. However, for the second child, the contractions begin immediately after entering the pelvis, and the pain of lower abdominal distension and uterine contractions occurs almost simultaneously, bringing a unique sour feeling.
In fact, expectant mothers are not alone when it comes to preparing for childbirth. The fetus can also feel the moment of the upcoming meeting with the mother, and they are also working hard for the upcoming meeting, sometimes even harder than the mother!
Fetal dynamics before delivery
Before delivery, the fetus needs to come out by striking the cervix because the uterine opening has not yet been opened. Therefore, the fetus uses the fetal head to constantly hit the cervical opening to trigger uterine contractions, which accelerates the opening of the uterine opening.
However, some babies remain quiet after the contractions and just watch quietly at the opening of the cervix. Many pregnant mothers eventually have to choose to surrender or undergo a caesarean section because it is very difficult to open the uterine opening. If the necessary measures are not taken, the fetus stays in the womb for too long can cause unexpected situations, especially if the amniotic fluid is lost quickly. Therefore, it is particularly important to communicate with the doctor in time to give feedback and open the uterine opening.
What preparations will be made for the baby before delivery?
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Reserve fat to increase the ability to keep warm
Before birth, the baby's subcutaneous fat continues to increase so that they can quickly adapt to colder environments. In the environment of amniotic fluid, the intrauterine temperature is about 40 degrees Celsius, and after birth, it is undoubtedly a great challenge to adapt to the environment of more than 20 degrees Celsius. After the baby is born, the fat weight accounts for about 25% of the body weight, so the newborn is born with a certain amount of "baby fat". These fats are mainly stored in the later stages of pregnancy, before delivery, to play an important role in thermoregulation after the birth of the fetus.
In addition, the fetus has sufficient fat reserves to prevent postpartum nutritional deficiencies. These fat reserves can be utilized when newborns face nutritional deficiencies after giving birth. Therefore, there is a scientific basis for the fact that newborns are born with a "three-day ration".
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Sufficient reserves of calcium, iron, protein, etc
Babies need to store 30 grams of calcium in their bodies to promote healthy bone and tooth development. This is mainly stockpiled in the third trimester and requires a deposit of 330 mg per day to meet the demand. After 7 months of pregnancy, the growth and development of the fetus is significantly accelerated, and 7 to 9 months of pregnancy is known as the fetal growth phase. During this time, pregnant women need to supplement with 1,200 mg of calcium per day.
A daily iron supplement of 30 mg is also required to prevent iron deficiency anemia in the fetus. Throughout pregnancy, pregnant women need about 1,000 mg of iron, half of which is needed by the fetus. Your baby needs to have 400 to 500 mg of iron before delivery, and this iron can only last until the first 4 to 6 months of life. Therefore, when the baby starts to add complementary foods at 6 months, mothers must remember to add iron-rich complementary foods to their babies, such as high-iron rice noodles, liver puree, meat puree and fish puree, etc.
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The fetus is placed in the pelvis
Around 36 weeks of pregnancy, the fetus usually begins to enter the pelvis, which means that the baby is ready for birth. After the fetus is in the pelvis, the pregnant woman may feel a drop in the uterine fundus, a worsening sensation in the abdomen, and the symptoms of frequent and urgent urination will increase, while breathing will be smoother and appetite may increase.
Approaching delivery, the fetus will make an effort to bring its head closer to the cervical opening: when the uterine opening of the expectant mother begins to open, the fetus will force downward, tighten the jaw, tense the whole body, and constantly turn the body to test if the expectant mother's pelvis is wide enough to accommodate itself to pass through.
Curl up to relieve stress on the mother-to-be: Due to the narrowness of the birth canal, the baby must curl up, fold its arms in front of its chest, and tighten its legs together, ready to deliver itself with the mother-to-be.
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The fetal brain secretes oxytocin
The secretion of oxytocin is not limited to pregnant mothers! When the fetus is full-term, the baby's brain also spontaneously releases oxytocin, which affects the mother. This process can be observed by testing the fetus's umbilical cord artery and venous blood.
When the fetus sends this "clearance signal" and is perceived by the pregnant mother, the mother's body also responds by releasing oxytocin to promote contractions of the uterus, abdomen and diaphragm, as well as contractions of the levator ani muscle. Together, these contractions lead to labor and help your baby pass through the tortuous birth canal to complete the delivery process.
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Your baby adjusts his or her position in the birth canal
Although the fetus has good vision before delivery, the birth canal is dark and tortuous. In fact, when the baby passes through the birth canal, he cannot see anything. So, how does the baby survive the birth canal?
In the third trimester, the baby's weight is usually quite considerable, especially at term, when the baby weighs at least 5-6 pounds. At this point, the uterus is already very narrow for the baby.
As your baby descends into the birth canal, it will constantly adjust its position to get through as quickly as possible. During this process, if all goes well, the baby can move to the head position on its own, but if the baby is in the breech position, labor may be hindered and even a cesarean section may be required.
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Constant pounding of the cervix
Before delivery, the fetus will keep hitting the cervix with its head until the opening is fully open. Strong contractions create a push force that helps the fetus move outward, while the fetus uses its strengths, especially its small body, to drill forward. Until I finally saw the light and met my mother for the first time.
Approaching the due date, if the fetus does not enter the pelvis, mothers need to be alert to conditions that may be caused by cephalopelvic asymmetry. If the size of the pelvis and fetal size and the fetal position are normal, then mothers can usually still have a normal delivery. In fact, most fetuses do not enter the pelvis before labor and eventually pass through the pelvis smoothly during delivery. In this case, mothers are more likely to have the phenomenon of giving birth while entering the pot.
Of course, during childbirth, we can't just rely on the fetus, and mothers also need to make sure that all their preparations are in place. For example, prenatal care is done and fetal heart rate monitoring is done before delivery to ensure that the baby's heart rate is between 120-160 beats per minute. If abnormal fetal heart rate monitoring is found, a caesarean section may need to be considered. Because the lack of oxygen in the fetus at the last critical moment of labor is a very serious problem, it is important to have a good prenatal check-up.
After everything is ready, during the delivery process, both mother and child need to work together, come on!