Childbirth

What to do When the Baby Crowns

The baby will begin to crown in the second stage of labor. Your labor pains will be about 3 to 5 minutes apart and you may notice they are now as painful as before. Your cervix will now be fully dilated to 10 centimeters and your baby's head will be entering the birth canal. You will probably feel the urge to push. The pushing stage, if this is your first baby may take 1 to ½ hours. After you have pushed long enough, remember every time you push and then let up the baby's head will go back up into the birth canal until you have pushed him or her far enough down that he or she does not slide back up. This is the reason that it takes so long for this stage.

Finally, your baby's head appears, this is called crowning. Your labia will begin to bulge and soon your doctor will notice the top of your baby's head as you push. Your doctor will let you know that your baby is beginning to crown. Your perineum will begin to stretch until the vaginal opening fits the baby's head similar to a crown. Once the baby is this far, it cannot retreat back under the pelvic bone. You may begin to feel a burning sensation; you should stop pushing for a couple of minutes and allow the pressure of the baby's head to numb the nerves of the skin around your vagina. Once the burning sensation stops, the pressure has numbed the nerves.

The doctor may ask you to push or may ask that you stop pushing to allow him or her to ease the baby's out without the chance of tearing your perineum or any of your internal tissues. At this point, the doctor may decide you need an episiotomy to ensure that you do not receive any tears. The contraction will still be happening whether you are pushing or not and soon, your baby will be in the doctor's hands.

Now, the baby will have his or her mouth and nose suctioned for any mucous that may be there and then the baby will be massaged until he or she takes their first breath. The baby's cord will be cut and you may get a chance to hold your new bundle of joy for a minute or two. Next, they will take your baby over to an examining table close by to ensure that the baby is healthy.