Vaginal Birth Terms Reference Guide (with printable download)
I hope this reference sheet finds you and your support team well, and offers a little help in navigating the information packed journey that your body has embarked on. There is a printable version too in case you prefer it!
With love, Jess.
Vaginal Birth Reference Guide
If a word or term has an asterisk (*) beside it, it means you can find the definition in the glossary towards the bottom of the page.
Baby positions:
Breech - baby is head up
Footling breech - at least one foot is coming out first
Frank breech - positioned for the butt to come out first, most common kind of breech
Complete breech - cannonball position with head at the top of uterus
Occiput Anterior (AP) - baby is head down facing the spine (ideal)
Occiput Posterior (OP)/Sunny side up - baby is head down facing out towards belly button instead of facing back towards spine, can cause back labor
Placenta* placement:
Posterior - at the back of uterus, most common
Anterior - at the front of uterus, can prevent mom from feeling as much
Low Lying - placenta is at bottom of uterus and risks covering part or all of cervix (placenta previa)
Fundal - at top of uterus
Laterally - on left or right side of uterus
Pain management options
Epidural (fentanyl)
Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas)
Hydrotherapy
Hypnobirthing
Massage
Acupressure
Perineal block*
Counter Pressure
Interventions:
Episiotomy*
Inducing with pitocin*
Inducing with membrane sweep*
C-section*
Forceps or vacuum (assisted delivery)
Glossary
Afterbirth: what your body delivers after delivering the baby, this includes the amniotic sac, placenta, and umbilical cord
Amniotic Sac: A membrane sac that encompasses the baby(ies), amniotic fluid, and placenta throughout pregnancy
Birth Canal: the opening in your uterus and pelvis that your baby travels through in order to be born
Braxton hicks: "practice contractions", are real contractions but are inconsistent and go away with water or movement, essentially the body's way of practicing for labor. Every pregnant woman will get them, but not every woman will feel them.
C section - major surgery in which baby is surgically removed from the uterus, a last resort for a lot of women but medically necessary in case of emergency
Dilation: how open your cervix is, measured in centimeters
Effacement: how thinned and soft your cervix is, graded in percentages
Episiotomy - a synthetic tear (a cut) performed by your provider to provide more room for baby to exit the vagina, not common practice anymore
Fetal ejection reflex: when the body is ready for baby to be birthed and begins pushing baby out without intentional effort from mom
Fetal station: scale of -3 to 3 rating how deep into the birth canal baby is, -3 meaning baby hasn’t began his/her descent, 0 meaning baby has entered the birth canal and is in the mid pelvis, +3 being about to crown, ideally baby is at station +3 when mom begins to push
Membrane Sweep: A form of induction where the midwife or provider inserts their finger into the cervix and runs it along the uterus, separating the amniotic sac from the uterus - can be uncomfortable or painful for some women
Oxytocin: the contraction causing hormone, naturally produced by the body but production can be slowed down if mom isn't relaxed
Perineal block: an injection of local anesthetic to prevent mom from feeling the ring of fire, this is the same injection they use for stitching up any tears after an unmedicated delivery
Pitocin: the synthetic version of oxytocin used to speed labor along and cause consistent contractions
Placenta: an organ that only pregnant women have that becomes responsible for sustaining baby in the second trimester
Prodromal labor: also known as false labor, occurs when mom has regular/semi regular contractions that seem like real labor (not braxton hicks), but contractions don't result in dilation as real labor contractions would. Could be caused by baby being sunny side up, which can lead to back labor, which can lead to prodromal labor because the body is working hard to get baby lower in the birth canal, which is harder with a sunny side up baby.
Relaxin: a naturally occurring hormone created by the body to help loosen joints and muscles for the birthing process
Rupturing of the membranes: official term for the water breaking, can occur naturally or manually as a form of intervention
Umbilical cord: a protected set of 3 veins connecting the baby to the placenta. This is how baby gets nutrients from mom
Wharton's Jelly: a jelly like substance that surrounds the veins in the umbilical cord to protect them from getting smushed/ having circulation cut off
Disclaimer: Please note that as with everything on my site, I am not a medical professional and I don’t want to mislead anyone into thinking such, so please take everything I say and do your own research to ensure that you are properly informed. This is simply information that I have acquired through my own research and experience, and should not be considered a diagnosis or medical recommendation.
