How to distinguish true and false labor pains, and what methods can be used to relieve them

Mothers are very worried when the due date is approaching. They will think that any movement in the stomach is a sign of delivery. So how to distinguish true and false labor pains? What are labor pains? How to relieve labor pains? The following editor will introduce you in detail.

How to distinguish true labor pains from false labor pains

The symptoms of false labor are as follows: the degree of uterine contraction remains unchanged, and the intervals are irregular, such as 2 minutes, 7 minutes, 30 minutes, etc. Changing posture can reduce the number of uterine contractions or stop uterine contractions.

On the contrary, true labor pains will become more and more intense as time goes by. The intervals between labor pains will also shorten. The lower abdomen and waist will hurt very badly, like being pulled by a rope or being pricked by a needle. Changing posture will not help at all.

What are labor pains

The so-called labor pains refer to the pain caused by the contraction of the uterus before the birth of the fetus. After the fetus has completed its development in the mother's body, the pregnancy is about to end, and the uterus will begin to contract, allowing the fetus to slowly descend from the cervix. At this time, it will continue to contract. After the cervix is ​​opened by two fingers, the frequency and intensity of uterine contractions will increase, that is, they will become more and more frequent and more painful, contracting once every 3 to 5 minutes, each lasting 30 to 40 seconds; when the cervix is ​​close to being fully opened, the uterine contractions can be as frequent as once every 1 to 2 minutes, each lasting 45 to 60 seconds. When the fetus descends to the pelvis and presses on the pubic bone, the pain will shift from the upper abdomen to the lower abdomen. This is labor pain.

Labor pains are regular, so when the expectant mother starts to feel labor pains, it means the baby is about to come out. At this time, you must be prepared in advance!

What does labor pain feel like?

Labor pains are felt first in the abdomen, which is caused by the contraction of the uterus, so the waist, buttocks, and heels will feel stretched, and the cervix and vagina will also be very painful. Then, the whole body will feel more and more pain, and the muscles will become very tight when they are tense.

Netizen A: "It was really painful when I was giving birth. I wanted to hold on to something. Although the midwife comforted and helped me, I still couldn't help but burst into tears."

Netizen B: "During childbirth, the pain was sometimes unbearable. In addition to following the midwife's instructions, I also did some actions to relieve the pain. I put my hands on a chair or table and rotate my waist in a circle, which made the pain less painful."

Netizen C: "When the pain was unbearable, I screamed and yelled, and I felt much better after venting it out. The pain didn't hurt so much anymore."

How to relieve labor pain

Change your posture. Don't lie down completely. Try the most comfortable posture for yourself, such as sitting upright, cross-legged, etc. Moving can promote delivery. Don't forget to move even when it hurts. Don't move during the intervals between labor pains. This is the time for the fetus to rest. Don't be anxious and wait for the labor pains to get stronger naturally.

Sit with your arms around the back of the chair, like you are riding a horse, with your legs apart, your hands around the back, and your head down. If the hospital has a rocking chair, rocking it back and forth can help relieve the pain.

Walk around. In order to give birth to the baby smoothly, mothers should move their bodies in time.

Squatting with your legs apart can open up your joints, repeating the standing and squatting movements, regulating your breathing to relieve the pain. This movement is recommended when the pain is not too strong.

Adjust your breathing. Focusing on breathing can distract you from the pain and help keep the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the body balanced.