Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

9 Other Emergencies

Labour Labour is the physiological process of birth. Labour can be divided into three parts. Stage 1 – Mild Labour The first stage of childbirth is called early labour. This is when the cervix begins dilating. The dilation of the cervix is triggered by muscular contractions that begin to move the fetus towards the cervix. The cervix needs to open approximately 10 cm before the fetus can be delivered. This can take up to 18 hours or more for a first child but can be much quicker for subsequent deliveries. When contractions first begin they may mimic signs of menstruation, starting with lower back pain.

Stage 2 – Active labour Once the cervix is fully dilated, the contractions begin to push the baby out of the uterus and through the vagina. This next stage typically lasts for about an hour. When the baby is close to the opening of the vagina, the mother will usually feel a tremendous need to ‘push’ the baby out. Usually the baby’s head is the first to emerge, followed by one shoulder and arm, and then the other. Once the head and arms are delivered, the rest of the baby is usually delivered quite quickly. The second stage is complete once the baby has been delivered. The baby remains attached to the umbilical cord, the other end of which is attached to the placenta, which is initially still in the uterus. As contractions get stronger, they can feel like cramps in the lower abdomen and may eventually become severe as the cervix fully opens.

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