The support person can continue to provide encouragement, use a moist towel to help keep lips and mouth wet, and provide comfort measures such as massage or music. As you enter the Transition phase, the contractions are more intense, and your cervix should become fully dilated to 10 cm. The baby is applying pressure to the mothers bottom area and you may have an overwhelming desire to push against that pressure. Do not push until the medical team instructs you to do so. If it is neccessary for you to stop pushing, use breathing patterns and your support person to help you through the feelings of pressure and discomfort.
Women go through many emotional moments during the transition phase of labor.
It is not uncommon to have mood swings, hot flashes, and a desire to give up and go home. It then becomes the important role of the support person to talk them through this and give the mom the encouragement she needs to finish the job and deliver the baby. As you move from Stage I Transition to Stage II, you probably will experience a lot of pressure in your bottom area. The urges to push are strong and it actually feels helpful to many women to begin pushing as they are now active participants in the process. It may be hard, but try and rest between contractions saving your strength for pushing the baby out during contractions.