Spontaneous Birth: Stages of spontaneous birth
We combine spontaneity with speed, impulsiveness and determination. Here you can find out why this does not necessarily always apply to spontaneous births.
In the case of a spontaneous birth, your baby is born without any medication to induce labor or without the help of obstetric surgeries such as forceps , ventouse or caesarean section . Birth is divided into the opening phase, the expulsion phase and the afterbirth phase.
The stages of spontaneous birth
The opening phase of labor lasts between 6 and 12 hours and is indicated by contractions. These come every 3 to 6 minutes and cause the cervix to open. During the expulsion phase, the cervix is completely open, the child lies deep in the pelvis and is pushed towards the exit. The contractions are now 1 to 3 minutes apart and are accompanied by the mother’s vigorous pushing. The afterbirth phase begins after your baby is born. The baby is cut off and you expel your placenta. This should happen no later than 60 minutes after the birth of your child. The uterus contracts again and the placenta can separate from the uterine wall.
Why isn’t birth always spontaneous?
Not every woman has a spontaneous birth. Although many babies are born naturally, i.e. without a caesarean section, the mother is very often given painkillers. These agents, which are administered as part of an epidural anesthesia, for example, make childbirth easier.
Numerous factors also influence childbirth:
- The physical and mental state of the woman,
- the number of previous births,
- the anatomy of the birth canal,
- the contractions,
- the size and position of the child.