57. How is a baby born?
The foetus is attached to the placenta in the uterus. It receives all the
food and oxygen that it needs to grow from the mother and the
placenta also eliminates any waste products back to her. When a
baby is ready to be born, the mother begins to experience labour
pain.
The labour pain indicates that the foetus has reached the right stage
of development and is prepared to come out of the mother's womb.
By this time, the uterus has expanded a great deal and many women
find it difficult to walk without leaning back a little. The mother's
pelvic bones also become more seperated.
When the foetus head is being pushed down, there are powerful
contractions which gradually stretch the neck of the womb. When the
neck of the womb is fully open, the baby is pushed out and the baby
is said to be born. Soon after it is born, the umbilical cord is cut,
disconnecting the new-born baby from the mother's womb. The
newborn baby begins to breathe. At the time of birth, an average
baby weighs about 3.4 kg.
