The Childbirth: How Does It Progress?

Childbirth in humans happens at the fortieth week of pregnancy. It is the completion of the pregnancy period where the fetus is incubated and grows in the womb. The process of childbirth begins with labour and ends with the delivery of the baby from its mother’s body. The duration of childbirth varies from woman to woman, but it can range anywhere from ten to twenty hours for new mothers. Natural childbirth, or vaginal birth, takes place in three main stages.

It begins with dilation of the cervix, the mouth of the uterus. This stage may or may not be accompanied by contractions that are felt by the mother. The fetus’ head moves into the cervix as it enlarges and becomes incorporated into the uterus. This stage varies in duration and is shorter in women who have given birth before.

At the second stage, the fetus begins to move from the uterus, through the cervix and into the ever expanding vagina. Muscle contractions at this point work to push the fetus through the birth canal and out into the world. Human female pelvises and human fetuses are adapted for this entire process and the reason why babies are born with skull plates as opposed to a sealed skull is an adaptation for birth. The un-fused skull plates allow overlapping of the skull bones as the baby is pushed through the vagina.

The baby is actually “born” into the world at this point.

The final stage of childbirth is the expulsion of the placenta. This can happen anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes after the baby has been born. The placenta is discarded as it was only needed during the gestation period to care for the fetus in the womb.

For up to forty days after the birth, the mother will shed the built-up lining of her uterus in an extended period or menstruation. This post-partum vaginal discharge is called lochia; it is a mixture of blood, mucous and placenta tissue. The pain of childbirth varies from woman to woman and is affected by such different factors such as prior births, ethnicity, age, and preparation.

Natural childbirth can take place at a medical hospital or at the mother’s home under a midwife or doctor’s care. The choice is the mother’s and, unless there are special medical conditions surrounding the mother’s health or the pregnancy, more and more women are choosing to birth their child in their homes, surrounded by loved ones.

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