pris,
yah, if we feel very heavy and pressure there.. it means baby is trying to go into the birth canal. it depends on how far along..
First stage: dilation
There are several factors that midwives and clinicians use to assess the labouring mother's progress, and these are defined by the Bishop Score. The Bishop score is also used as a means to predict whether the mother is likely to spontaneously progress into second stage (delivery).
The first stage of labor starts classically when the effaced (thinned) cervix is 3 cm dilated. There is variation in this point as some women may have active contractions prior to reaching this point, or they may reach this point without regular contractions. The onset of actual labor is defined when the cervix begins to progressively dilate. Rupture of the membranes, or a blood stained 'show' may or may not occur at or around this stage
Uterine muscles form opposing spirals from the top of the upper segment of the uterus to its junction with the lower segment. During effacement, the cervix becomes incorporated into the lower segment of the uterus. During a contraction, these muscles contract causing shortening of the upper segment and drawing upwards of the lower segment, in a gradual expulsive motion. This draws the cervix up over the baby's head. Full dilatation is reached when the cervix has widened enough to allow passage of the baby's head, around 10 cm dilation for a term baby.
The duration of labour varies widely, but active phase averages some 8 hours for women giving birth to their first child ("primiparae") and 4 hours for women who have already given birth ("multiparae"). Active phase arrest is defined as in a primigravid woman as the failure of the cervix to dilate at a rate of 1.2 cm/hr over a period of at least two hours. This definition is based on Friedman's Curve, the gold standard for rates of cervical dilation and fetal descent during active labor. The Friedman curve likely represents an ideal, rather than an average, curve. This study does have limitations (e.g., assessment of cervical dilation is somewhat subjective), and as a result practitioners should use the Friedman Curve as a guideline rather than an absolute indicator of protraction and arrest.[8]. Some practitioners may diagnose "Failure to Progress,", and consequently, perform an unnecessary Cesarean. However, as is the case with any pre-emptive diagnosis, doing so is severely discouraged due to the extra expense and healing time involved with Cesarean operations.[9]