-By Bushra Hatahet, UK-Trained Clinical Midwife
“Your baby doesn’t simply slide through the birth canal. As they move through your pelvis they perform a remarkable sequence of movements, each one helping them navigate one of the narrowest passages they will ever travel through. These movements happen naturally, guided by your contractions and your baby’s own instincts.”
Your perineum is the area of skin and muscle between the vagina and the anus.
As your baby’s head is born, this area stretches significantly.
Your midwife will support you throughout this stage and may use several techniques to help reduce the chance of severe tearing.
These may include:
Despite everyone’s best efforts, some women will still experience a tear.
Most tears are small and heal very well.
Occasionally, your obstetrician or midwife may recommend an episiotomy.
An episiotomy is a small surgical cut made in the perineum to enlarge the vaginal opening.
It is not performed routinely.
Instead, it is recommended only when it is believed to be the safest option for you or your baby, such as if your baby needs to be born quickly or during some assisted vaginal births.
As the widest part of the head passes through the vaginal opening, your baby is born one step at a time.
First the forehead appears.
Then the nose.
The mouth.
The chin.
With one final gentle movement, the head is born.
At this point, the hard part is over.
Many parents expect the whole baby to follow immediately, but there is usually a brief pause while your baby prepares for the next movement.
Once the head is born, it often turns gently to one side.
This movement is called restitution.
It happens because the head realigns itself with the shoulders, which are still inside your pelvis.
This is completely normal and tells us that your baby is preparing for the birth of the shoulders.
With the next contraction, your baby’s shoulders rotate inside your pelvis.
Again, this happens naturally.
The shoulder closest to your pubic bone is born first, followed by the second shoulder.
The rest of your baby’s body usually slips out very quickly.
Many women describe this moment as an enormous sense of relief after the pressure of the baby’s head has been born.
Suddenly, after months of pregnancy and hours of labour, your baby is born.
The room often becomes very quiet for just a few seconds.
Your midwife quickly assesses your baby while keeping them close to you.
Many babies let out a strong cry almost immediately.
Others take a few moments before making their first sounds.
Both can be completely normal.
If your baby is well, they will usually be placed straight onto your chest for skin-to-skin contact.
This marks the beginning of what we often call The Golden Hour.
“One of my favourite moments as a midwife is watching parents meet their baby for the very first time. Everything else in the room seems to disappear. The hours of labour suddenly fade into the background as they count tiny fingers and toes, hear that first cry, and realise that the little person they’ve imagined for so many months is finally here. It is a privilege that never loses its magic”
If you are looking for calm expertise and genuine continuity of care, let’s talk.
