Transition
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Transition is generally the shortest part of labor, lasting 15 minutes to half an hour on average. However, this is also the most intense part of labor for many women. Some women find that being reminded that they are in transition increases their ability to handle the intensity.
The major emotional marker for this stage is giving up. It is in this part of labor that most women ask for medication. This is unfortunate since the shortness of this stage of labor may cause the mother to be pushing before she has received any medical pain relief. When physical signs indicate transition, it may be best to hold out, handling the contractions as best as possible.
Physical signs of transition include shaking or trembling which may resemble shivering or could be stronger. Nausea and vomiting are also common signs. In addition to these, some women will feel hot and cold flashes or have cold sweats. Other women may begin burping or hiccuping as the body prepares.
Another physical sign is the inability to relax or be comfortable. A woman who was handling labor well may suddenly find that she has no idea what to do and nothing is comfortable any more. At this point, it is the job of her coach or labor partner to assist her into various positions in an attempt to find the one that will keep her most comfortable.
During transition, contractions will be long and close. They may be 90 seconds long and two minutes apart, which gives you a 30 second rest time between contractions. The contractions may double peak, or they may seem to be one right after the other without any break.
Transition is the time when the mother is the most emotionally needy as well. Some women need constant reassurance that they are ok and the baby is fine. This may be due to the overall "giving up" and feeling that she is out of control. Most women will respond well to positive encouragements and some require no special consideration other than giving them the physical and emotional space to labor.
The "giving up" or feeling out of control may be recognized by comments the mother makes. It is not uncommon for a mother to say, "I can't do this," or "I need something." Recognize that this is not the mother asking for medication, but for help. She can no longer handle the labor the way she has been, and she needs to do something different.
You May Also Be Interested In:Learn what normal labor is like. Practice your new labor skills with virtual labor. The Natural Childbirth Directory can help you find more information about birth and locate childbirth professionals. The Coach's Notebook helps you learn tools and techniques to manage labor. The Birth Planning section can help you put the finishing touches on your plans for labor. Do some self exploration to discover how you will act in labor. |
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