Emergency birth at home: what to do if labor begins before the ambulance arrives

If you feel that you will not reach the hospital, and you are at home (or visiting!), And contractions become more frequent (3-5 in 10 minutes) and you have an irresistible feeling of pushing, do the following:

• call an ambulance - tell me what you have rapid labor and ask to send a team of specialists as quickly as possible;
• open the doors so that the medical staff was able to enter the apartment without any problems - you may not be able to do this later;
• if your husband / mother is not at home, call one of your neighbors or friends;
• wash your hands;
• collect towels, sheets and blankets - put one under you, and keep the rest close at hand (after the birth of the baby, you will wrap it and wipe it dry);
• during contractions, try to distract yourself with the help of breathing techniques: a deep breath - a long exhale. At the same time, the lips are parted, not tense, the eyes are closed. Walk or assume any position that is comfortable for you. Use a fitball.

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What to do if the attempts begin before the ambulance arrives

Attempts differs from contractions in that you will feel strong pressure on the rectum, similar to the desire to go to the toilet "in a big way";

• keep calm!
• spread polyethylene on the bed or carpet, put either your clothes or a towel on top;
• take the most comfortable position for you (it is better to squat with your back resting on the edge of the sofa. If you are not alone, sit on the edge of the bed, bend your knees and rest your feet on the partner sitting on the chair. Doctors do not recommend lying on your back due to impaired blood circulation to the fetus and mother);
• when the head appears, press your hands to the perineum (at this time, breathe shortly and often (like a dog);
• sit down as low as possible during pushing - this minimizes the risk of injury for the baby;
• If the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby's neck, try to remove it from the head and make it looser. Do not try to cut or tie it;
• dry the baby, put him on his stomach to warm him with the warmth of your body. Cover it with a dry blanket;
• free the baby's nose from liquid and mucus by gently running your fingers along the wings of the nose from top to bottom;
• if the child does not cry on his own, rub his back up and down along the spine or tap on the heels. If the child does not begin to breathe, cover his mouth and nose with your lips and inhale his cheek volume twice;
• stay in place until the placenta comes out (5-30 minutes);
• if the ambulance has not arrived yet, try to feed the baby, but only if the cord tension remains weak. Breastfeeding will cause your body to release more oxytocin, a hormone that helps the placenta to release and release. After the placenta is born, continue feeding to keep the uterus contracting;
• after leaving placenta stimulate uterine contractions by intensively massaging the belly under the navel;
• if the placenta still pulsates after leaving, lift it higher than the baby until the pulsation ends. This will give your baby all the blood he needs.

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