Stage II of Childbirth - Delivery of Baby

Your cervix is dilated to the maximum and you must start helping to push the baby out through the birth canal. The entire process takes anywhere from 10 minutes to one or two hours. It is faster for women who have given birth before.

Similar to the transitional phase, the contractions last for about 60 to 90 seconds each with a two to five minutes gap between them. The good news is that they are usually less intense and less painful than during the transitional phase. You will also be able to have a well defined rest between two contractions.

With every push your baby moves down the birth canal. With each contraction you may begin to feel the pressure of your baby's head between your legs. Initially, the baby's head will be visible intermittently during contractions. After some more contractions and pushing, the head will be visible continuously. This is called crowning.

Some typical symptoms of Stage II - Delivery of baby are:

• Urge to push vehemently
• Increased pressure of the baby's head on the rectum. This may cause an urge to pass stools.
• Stretching, burning or stinging sensation at the vagina as the crown of the head appears

What can I do during delivery of baby?

Some things that you can do during delivery of baby are:

• Place yourself in a position that you can use to push comfortably.
• Place your hips as wide as possible.
• Push as efficiently as you can. The best efforts will hasten your baby's trip through the birth canal. Remember to follow the instructions given by your doctor carefully.
• Try to relax between contractions.Use your breathing exercises.

The Birth

The baby is born within a few minutes of crowning. The head glides down first and the shoulders are then delivered one at a time. Care is taken to prevent damage to the perineum when the baby is delivered. If needed, an episiotomy is performed before the head makes its way out of the birth canal. The umbilical cord is cut. The baby is cleaned up and placed in your arms - the most beautiful of moments. If you want to, you can get her started on breast feeding right away.