Pushing is the final stage in labor before you meet your baby. This period of labor and delivery may be the most painful or the greatest source of apprehension as a woman worries if she will know what to do. It is difficult to describe the sensation and effort associated with pushing a baby in delivery but there are many techniques a woman can attempt to birth her baby. The mother's birth team, consisting of her health care provider and any other support people she has enlisted, can provide more guidance during pushing when needed.
Step 1
Wait until your health care provider confirms that you are fully dilated. This means your cervix has opened about 10 centimeters.
Step 2
Get into a comfortable position. Various methods are considered more effective than others, such as squatting instead of lying flat on a bed. The positions available to you may vary depending on the use of an epidural or the birthing facility.
Step 3
Utilize your contractions when you push. It is more effective to push during a contraction instead of pushing constantly. Contractions can occur every five minutes for some women and last between 45 and 90 seconds, according to California Pacific Medical Center.
Step 4
Push as if you are having a bowel movement, states WhattoExpect.com. When this effort is given, the baby can be pushed down the birth canal and out the vagina.
Step 5
Relax at the end of a contraction. When applicable, sit down or lie back. Holding the same position for the duration of pushing can wear you out.
Step 6
Hold a hand mirror near the vaginal opening when the baby begins to crown, or the head is visible in the vagina. This can help some women concentrate their pushing in this area.
Step 7
Continue pushing with each contraction until the baby is delivered. Your care provider may be advising you when a contraction is occurring if you have had an epidural.
Tips and Warnings
- Hold your breath for as long as you can when pushing. Put your chin to your chest. Remember that pushing can last anywhere between 30 minutes and several hours. Sip water or ice chips in between contractions to stay hydrated. Your birth team may need to remind you to do this at this stage of the delivery. Move around if you feel the need. Some women find getting into different positions more effective in bringing the baby down the birth canal.
- Avoid pushing if you are not fully dilated. Contractions can make you feel an undeniable urge to push at times but pushing when the cervix is still partially closed can cause it to swell. Rest when you need to despite contractions continuing. It isn't necessary to push with every contraction but doing so will speed the delivery of the baby.
Things You'll Need
- Hand mirror
References
- WhattoExpect.com: Pushing the Baby Out
- California Pacific Medical Center: Labor: Second Stage/Pushing
- Ina May Gaskin. (2003). Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
