Handouts
Your Body During Labor
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Your body goes through many changes during labor and birth .
Uterus The uterus is the muscular organ that holds your baby . When labor begins , the uterus starts tightening , then relaxing , at regular intervals . Each time it tightens , this is called a contraction .
Effacement
Cervix
The cervix is the opening of the uterus and holds the baby inside . For a baby to be born , the cervix needs to get completely thin ( effaced ) and open
( dilated ). This is what contractions do : thin and open the cervix . They also move the baby into the pelvis .
The cervix thins from 0 % to 100 %.
Dilation
The cervix opens from 0 centimeters to 10 centimeters , also called completely dilated .
Timing Contractions
Contractions can be timed by duration ( how long they last ) and frequency ( the time from the beginning of one to the beginning of the next ).
There are many free apps available for timing contractions .
Duration = 1 minute Frequency = every 3 minutes
This information should not be construed as medical advice , nor is it intended to replace the individual care of a health care professional . Copyright © 2019 Plumtree Baby . All rights reserved .