The Latent Phase - 'Is that it?!'

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Oh girls. If I could tell you how many times I have assessed a labourer and had to break the news that despite contracting throughout the night, feeling completely exhausted & almost biting your partner's head off 10 times already, you're 1cm dilated. Ouch. Sometimes with examinations, the truth can be disheartening for you. Really, its just something we call the latent phase of labour.

So, if you are expecting your first baby, get prepared for this phase. It can take you a while to get to the magic 4cm dilated which is when you are 'established'. I've had many ladies look at me as though I am absolutely batsh*t crazy when I explain that their body 'technically' isn't in established labour & I'm actually sending you home (Yes, with the partner that you will consider murdering if they try to rub your back one more time).

Being at home is actually the best place for you at this point, even though the thought of your car ride home feels like a punishment itself. However, trust me on this one - warm baths, bouncing on your birth ball, staying hydrated, eating your fave snacks & sitting tight will benefit you a lot more than listening to the screams of the woman in the next room.

So, 3 little bits of wisdom for you -

  1. Your cervix is super hard, rigid, and very far back. Examinations can be uncomfortable, but there is no point in doing an examination if we aren't going to find out what we really need to both know. Breathe through them, squeeze your partners hand and tell them you're never doing this again. 
2. Don't just focus on your dilation. Your cervix needs to soften, become stretchy, thin & come forward. It can do all of this without dilating further & that is still good progress!

3. Please please pleeeease don't think we care about how you look. The truth is, we are trying so hard to find your cervix we can't think about anything else! We completely understand that this is not how you like to spend your tuesday morning 😉   (loose women and 10 chocolate hobnobs is how I spend mine)

On a serious note - No matter how long it takes you to get there, there is a light at the end of the labour tunnel.
In the meantime, we are just on the other end of the phone waiting for you.
(Whilst drinking cold cups of tea & running for the last biscuit)

Han Xx

ps. if only men could do it for us.

@_justkeeppushing

Comments

  1. Donna Naturale9 June 2020 at 06:10

    Wish I would have had a good midwife in my area when I was having babies. I think home birth with a midwife would be so much more comfortable!

    ReplyDelete

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