Labor process confusion

Question

I am having a hard time understanding a few things about labor. I read alot about it but im still confused.

Dialation means that when the cervix is dialating, right? and contraction cause dialation?

Does the birth canal dialate also so that the baby can come out easier?

what about v****a, does it also dialate? because i read and heard that some people need a cut down there, in order for the baby to come out, and still some people end up having the baby without any tearing or cutting. why does that happen?

Answer 1

http://health.discovery.com/centers/preg...

Hope this helps its kinda a step by step preview of what happens to the body and baby..

Answer 2

Labor!!  Oh the fun of getting to participate in the wonderful functions of life :)

So, first, your cervix effaces, which just means that it takes some time, and changes from a bit of a longer, thicker muscle, to a wider, and very thin one.

Contractions cause you to dialate after that point, the more relaxed you are, the faster the dialation can occur, because you aren't tense, and fighting it.  Kind of a catch 22 :)

The baby can just move down the birth canal - Your contractions help her push out.  Lots of natural birthing moms will tell you that during this phase they can actually feel their baby moving downward, pushing themselves with their feet - crawling towards the rest of the world.

The v****a is super stretchy!  It doesn't dialate, but some women do tear.  Lots of doctors will perform an episiotomy, which is the cut you're talking about, to "prevent" a woman from tearing.  Tearing is caused by pushing too hard, at the wrong times.  Oddly enough, it is doctors that encourage women to push push push as the baby is crowning, which is when they tear.  Natural birthing mothers under the care of midwives, at that stage in active labor are told to do anything it takes to restrain from pushing, because as the baby's head crowns, it is naturally going to be pushed out with the contractions.

These women usually get away with no tears, just a sore bottom :)

I always vote for just a sore bottom, with no stitches!!

Labor is facinating, exhilarating, and ultra exciting!

Answer 3

People who tear or have an epsiotomy is because their muscle were not able to stretch enough or fast enough.  Dialation only effects the cervix, and hormones soften (stretch, and relax) the birth canal and v****a.