Child Birth

Birth of a child can be such a happy time, especially when the little one is very healthy. We all have seen the movies when a new child is born, some of us are lucky to see it first hand. Some of us do get goose bumps, me being one of them. It is just so exciting to see that little life come out of what has been in that big belly for nine months. We sometimes refer to the birth of a child as labor. If only it was as easy as the name sounds. However, it is not. There are three main stages in birth. The first stage is the longest stage that can last 12 to 14 hours with the first birth, and later births are shorter. Dilation and effacement of the cervix take place here. That is when the uterine contractions gradually become more frequent and stronger causing the cervix to open and thin. That forms a clear channel from the uterus into the vagina. Contractions are what most of us know the best, when the mother is screaming and becomes very angry because of the pain. The contractions are opening the cervix, so the baby can come out. The climax, which is also called transition, is a short period where the frequency and strength of contractions are at the highest and the cervix opens all the way. The mother then has to relax no matter how much it hurts. The second stage is the actual delivery, which lasts around 50 minutes for the first baby. Strong contractions go on, but the mother has the urge that she has to squeeze and let the baby get out. Finally with all the pushing the baby comes out. Stage three is the birth of the placenta, which takes around five to ten minutes. After the baby is all cleaned up, the Apgar Scale is used to tell the parents the new born baby's physical condition. Even though many births are normal, some have very serious compilations. A major cause of cerebral palsy is not enough of oxygen during labor and delivery. The one most people know of is premature birth, this is when the weight of the baby is not average, which can cause the baby to