Components of the Birth Process, Signs of Labour, Care of the Family, and Stages of Labour

Components of the Birth Process

?Activity 2: Components of the Birth Process
One way to remember the critical factors involved in labour is to make a memory link to each component. For example, in some areas of practice, the interrelated components of the birth process are called the four Ps: passage, passenger, power, and psyche. “Passage” refers to the birth passage, and the fetus is the “passenger.” The primary force of labour (that is, the uterine contractions and what they accomplish) is the “power.” The overall effect on the mother and family is the “psyche.”
In your journal:
1.Recall your previous learning about the gynecoid pelvis. What is the narrowest diameter of the maternal pelvis through which the fetus must pass?
2.Name the parts of the fetal skull.
3.How does the nurse determine fetal presentation during labour?
4.Describe and explain the following:
a.Fetal lie
b.Fetal presentation
c.Engagement
d.Station
e.Fetal position
5.Explain the relationship among the three phases of the contraction. What terms does a caregiver use to describe the intensity of the contraction?

?Activity 3: Signs of Labour
The specific event that triggers the onset of labour is still unknown; however, a number of changes occur to signal the beginning of labour.
In your journal, answer the following:
1.List and describe the hormones currently thought to cause the onset of labour.
2.What changes occur in the uterus, intra-abdomen, and muscles of the pelvis that facilitate the onset of labour?
3.Jenny, a 29-year-old primipara in your community, calls you to ask if she should go to the hospital. She thinks she is experiencing some signs of labour. What signs of true labour might Jenny describe that would lead you to suggest that she go to the hospital?

?Activity 4: Care of the Family during the Stages of Labour
A woman in labour faces a number of unfamiliar procedures and tests that seem commonplace to health care providers. She may be from a culture that restricts who can touch women and how they can be touched during pregnancy, labour, and delivery. Also, labour may trigger memories of sexual abuse. Therefore, it is essential to obtain informed consent before initiating any procedure that involves physical contact.
In your journal, answer the following:
1.Summarize the routine procedures for which a nurse is responsible during the intrapartum period.
2.During labour, women have vaginal examinations to determine dilation and fetal position and presentation. What information might help a woman be more comfortable with this procedure?

?Activity 5: Stages of Labour
As the fetus descends into the pelvis, he or she changes position a number of times. These changes are called the cardinal movements. If the fetus is not able to descend into the pelvis, a vaginal delivery will not be possible.
In your journal, answer the following:
1.What clinical symptoms and signs signify the beginning and ending of each of the four stages of labour?
2.What information do Leopold’s maneuvers provide?
3.Describe the role of the perinatal nurse during the three phases of the first stage of labour.
4.What is the role of the perinatal nurse during the second stage of labour?
5.While the third and fourth stages of labour are not as dramatic as the second stage, the caregiver’s activities are critical to the health of the mother and the baby. List the signs of placental separation.
Summarize the physical changes that occur in the mother during the fourth stage of labour