The uterus is essentially a hollow muscle. When this muscle contracts it transmits its force in the direction of the vagina. Thus, anything inside the uterus is pushed down and out. Problems involving this force are some of the most…
Tag: Labor
Problems involving the Passage
Generally, problems with the passage involve restrictions in the size of the hole through the bony part of the pelvis. Although the muscles and ligaments inside the pelvis may present some obstacle, this “soft tissue” (as opposed to bone) will…
Problems involving the Passenger
Size and position of the baby are the factors involved in problems with the passenger. Simply speaking, the passenger’s size must be somewhat smaller than the hole through the bones of the pelvis (the passage). Nature provides some mechanisms (both…
The Progress of Normal Labor
What is “normal labor”? That’s a tough question. The answer probably lies within the answer to another question, “What is a normal human being?” In an effort to define normal labor, an overly simplistic model has emerged. The model is…
The Course of Labor
Midwives and doctors commonly divide labor into 2 phases, Latent Phase (also known as, early labor) and Active Phase. This is a gross oversimplification of the entire process. This model which largely negates the preparatory process (described above) as a…
The Body Prepares for Labor
Days and weeks before you go into labor, your body is preparing the uterus and cervix for the process. One way to think of this is that the uterus needs to be awakened from its 10-month slumber. It is this…