How do muscles of the body do their function during childbirth

during delivery you should use certain muscles in your body , so its useful to know how they work , which to use , how to use and how you can control them .

In the human body there are muscles called voluntary muscles and these muscles are under brain control in which it sends signal to a certain muscle and this muscle then contracts and do its function , and when its finished it will relax so if you put your right hand on your left then you left it you can feel  it is contracted and the brain will tell you that your arm is contracted ,but at the same time you don’t feel any pain .

There are other muscles in your body you can not control them its called involuntary muscles like heart muscle and blood vessels, and these muscles affected by emotions like fear so we can see that the heart rate increase in these situations or you became pale because blood vessels are contracted and blood flow is affected. Intestines also involuntary muscles that work without our control , muscles need oxygen to do their function properly , the more they work the more they need blood and oxygen .

So fear anxiety will lead to decrease blood and oxygen supply to the muscle so when it  contracts to do its function it become painful and this what will happen during delivery as uterine muscle does not receive enough blood and oxygen so it will become painful contraction.

There is another thing you have to know is how to relax your muscle ,and our concern her is pelvic muscle , which is the most important muscles during delivery ,the pelvis is like a slip without a bottom , instead of it there are muscles , if they are contracted it will be difficult for your baby to exit , sit on a chair and your feet on earth , now squeeze your buttoks and thighs together , you will feel that these muscles contracted very strongly these are pelvic muscles , now you know them you can learn how to control them by controlling and relaxing them many times during the day .

Now lets learn about the uterus, it’s a huge muscle like a pear , if you imagine a balloon half blown and inside it a small tennis ball and you start to squeeze it toward its opening what will happen it will relax with air and gradually will disappear and only a small part will be left from it like a ring ,and if you squeeze more this ring will open and the tennis ball will get outside , this is what happened during delivery , the balloon is the uterus and the tennis ball is the fetus.

At the beginning of delivery the cervix started to efface until its gone completely then started to dilate until the head of the baby comes out of it and at this point the uterus starts to push the baby out and here is your turn to help delivering your baby , by contracting your abdominal muscles and the diaphragm.

The Diaphragm :

It is a muscle like big paper separating between thoracic cavity and abdominal cavity , which helps us breathe . when it is going down the air will enter the lungs and when it will go up the air will go out of the lungs , try to blow a candle 30 cm away from you and notice the sequences of the procedure.

Now you know your body muscles you can help them to function properly by giving them enough oxygen by breathing .

Deep breathing is important for you and your baby :

1. It gives your baby oxygen during delivery stages , remember giving birth is not tuff job to you only but also to your baby , the more work the more oxygen you need .
2. Breathing give oxygen to your uterus to function properly and decrease the pain.
3. To keep your brain busy with breathing and has the priority so you feel less pain and maintain calm .

Take a deep breathe and fill your chest with air , make your abdominal muscle contracts first then diaphragm then chest muscles , keep it inside for a while then blow it off slowly , concentrate on this and try to practice during pregnancy specially during the last months so you can use it during delivery.

It is important to mention again two important exercises:

First: Controlling your pelvic muscles

1. Sit on a chair and your feet on the ground or lay on your back and put a pillow under your knees .
2. Squeeze your buttocks and thighs .
3. Now relax them and imagine your baby is getting outside your body ,repeat many times daily .

Second: Blowing a candle :

1. While you laid back like the previous exercise , take a deep breathe then blow like you want to put out a candle .
2. Watch the sequences of this exercise , the diaphragm will contract and air will get out of your chest , your abdominal muscles will contract and get inside .

After you did both exercised separately, do them together but when you fell abdominal muscles contracted while you are blowing air relax your pelvic muscle at the same time, these will help you delivering your baby, keep on practicing.

Dr. Nazeh Kayyali

FRCOG –London