Learning about emergency childbirth during our first aid training level 3 course

• 1 September 2021

Every day in South Africa, around 3 431 live births take place, and some of these births will not take place inside a hospital or even with the assistance of a midwife or healthcare professional. Emergency childbirths can happen at any place, at any time, and one can only hope that there will be someone around to make sure that both the mother and child endure the process safely. 

Taking part in our first aid training level 3 course will help you to understand the fundamentals of emergency childbirth, and one day, you may find that these skills could make you a hero when you least expect it. In just a few minutes of reading, find out more about emergency childbirths and how our first aid training level 3 course will prepare you to perform one should the need arise.

What is an emergency childbirth?

Emergency childbirth can be described as the birth of an infant in a situation or place that is not what was originally planned. In most cases, pregnant women and their families will have decided upon a hospital or clinic or even a midwife for the delivery of their baby. But even the best laid plans can go askew. Unexpected events such as traffic, earthquakes, floods, elevators malfunctioning or even labour occurring while on a flight halfway across the ocean are some causes of emergency childbirth.

Should you find yourself as a bystander when someone pregnant goes into labour unexpectantly, having taken part in Emcare’s first aid training course 3 will have prepared you to a significant extent to assist in the emergency.

What to do in the case of an emergency childbirth

While this article is by no means a medical guide to be used to execute an emergency childbirth, we have gathered some pieces of information that you can expect to learn during your first aid training course 3. This will give you a glimpse into the emergency childbirth aspect of the course that may come in handy should you ever be present during an unexpected birth.

1. Ensure that you call for help

In many cases, emergency births happen in a place or scenario that results in medical professionals being unable to assist. This is where knowledge of emergency childbirth is especially helpful, and in some cases, lifesaving. Where applicable, however, it is recommended that when confronted with an emergency childbirth, even if you have taken part in a relevant first aid training course, you should call an ambulance.

2. Prepare a suitable space

There is no way to ensure that, should the need for you to apply your first aid training course level 3 knowledge about emergency childbirth, there will be a perfectly appropriate space for the individual in labour to give birth. More likely than not, there will need to be a compromising of comfort in many scenarios. If you are fortunate enough to have one nearby, however, it is advised that a bed is the most suitable spot.

It is recommended that you cover the bed with a shower curtain, and then place a clean sheet on top of it. This will serve to protect the mattress from blood and other liquid during the process.

3. Search for appropriate supplies

Birthing is a seriously arduous affair, made possible largely with the help of certain basic supplies. Should you find yourself in a scenario where you need to assist with an emergency childbirth, it is recommended that you try to find as many of the following supplies as possible:

• 4 bath towels
• Clean, disposable gloves
• Hand sanitizer
• Flashlight
• Ibuprofen
• Large sanitary towels

For the actual birth, it is advised to have the following supplies at the ready:

• Scissors and white shoelaces (both boiled in water for at least 10 minutes and placed in a sterile glove while awaiting use)
• 2 plastic bags
• A large bowl
• Several large, rubbish bags for soiled laundry

What is expected from a first aid helper during labour

During the emergency childbirth segment of your first aid training level 3 course, you will learn how to comport yourself during an unexpected birth as an assistant if you feel up to the task. The most important thing is to remain calm, and ensure that the birthing area is as sterile and non-cluttered as possible. The mother must be made to feel comfortable.

Medical professionals advise that helpers ought to place towels under the mother in order to catch fluid when the water breaks, as well as bleeding that may occur during labour. The first stage of labour can last between a few hours to an entire day – every birth is different, especially under emergency circumstances.

During labour, a mother experiences contractions, which is the tightening and relaxing of the muscles in the uterus. These contractions serve to shepherd the baby out of the womb and uterus. As a helper, you must be able to recognise that when these contractions last between 30 to 70 seconds and occur around 5 to 10 minutes apart, the mother has entered true labour. They are usually so strong that the mother will struggle, or be unable, to walk or talk during them.

Applying first aid training for emergency delivery during the birth

Once true labour has begun, the pushing stage begins. This stage can take around a few minutes in some cases, but if this is the mother’s first baby, it can last between 1 to 2 hours. Your first aid training level 3 course will have tutored you to perform the following medically-advised process upon completion:

1. Crowning

Once the birthing canal has been fully dilated, you may be able to spot the baby’s head, which is referred to as crowning. Once you see this, it is advised that you put on your sterile gloves. If you are in a situation where gloves are not available, professionals recommend a thorough hand-washing with soap and water or the use of sanitizer.

2. The umbilical cord

Once the baby’s head is out, the American College of Nurse-Midwives recommends that you feel around the head to establish whether the umbilical cord is around the neck of the baby. The cord is jelly-like and slippery. Should you find that the cord is indeed around the baby’s neck, it is advised that you either lift it gentle over the child’s head or alternatively push it back down behind or below its shoulders. 

3. Shoulders

Next, if the baby’s shoulders do not emerge out soon after, medical experts recommend that you very gently push the side of the infant’s head in the direction of the mother’s back in order to help the shoulders emerge – further, it is advised that you encourage the mother to push at this point. The baby’s body should come out relatively quickly after the shoulders have surfaced.

However, if the shoulders still do not come out, it is suggested that you ask the mother to lie on her back and then pull her knees towards her chest and push once more.

What you will learn about handling the new-born

1. Skin-to-skin contact

It is advised that once the baby has been born, it should be placed on the mother’s chest (bare) and then covered with dry blankets. The mother should also be covered with these blankets. There are many medical benefits to skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the infant directly after the birth. Namely, it is said to calm both the mother on the baby.

It also allegedly regulates the baby’s breathing and heartrate, and subsequently helps it to adapt suitably the life outside of the comfort of the womb. Further, it is said to help stimulate digestion and encourage an interest in breast-feeding. If there is a small hat nearby, it is advised to place it on the new-born’s head.

2. Breathing complications

Oftentimes, babies battle to adapt to breathing easily, and during your first aid training course, you will learn how to address this issue. If a baby is battling to breathe, it will not cry easily. In this case, it is advised that you turn the baby to make it look up to the ceiling.

Then, it is suggested that you tilt the infant’s head back in order to straighten its airway, while rubbing its back. You will know that the baby is likely to be improving if it turns pinkish in colour. However, be advised that its hands and feet may remain a bluish colour for a few hours after birth.

1. CPR

During your first aid training level 3 course, you will learn how to perform CPR on a baby. If the baby appears to be turning blue or gagging, should you have a bulb syringe on hand, it is advised that you use the syringe to clear any fluid from the nose and mouth cavities. If this is ineffective and the baby is still not breathing easily, medical experts recommend that this is the time to begin CPR on the infant.

2. The umbilical cord

If all is going well, it is recommended at this point (after the baby has been placed on the mother’s chest and it is breathing easily) that you tie the umbilical cord in 2 places, rather close together, and about 3 inches from the baby. This is what the white shoelaces are for. For each shoelace, it is advised that you utilise a double knot.

Then, experts suggest that you proceed to cut the cord between the2 tied-off segments that you have created. Do this using very sterile scissors.  According to professionals, there is no hurry to do this. Instead, rather take your time to ensure you do it as neatly as possible and to the best of your ability. Experts allege that once you can no longer feel a pulse in the umbilical cord (if you hold it between your fingers) it is the ideal time to make the cut.

Learning how to deal with the placenta

Any time between a few minutes and 30 minutes after the birth, the placenta  will be ready to come out. In preparation, it is suggested that you place a large bowl below the mother and ask her to push. After the placenta is out, place it in a plastic bag and place that bag within another bag. At this point, it is allegedly normal to see a considerable amount of bleeding from the mother.

Experts say that getting the baby to breastfeed after this will assist in slowing down the mother’s bleeding.

First aid training level 3 course

Now that you have an idea of what you will learn about emergency childbirth during Emcare’s first aid level 3 course, you should be able to understand the usefulness of the skill. For this course, you will receive a certificate that is valid for 3 years. The course’s duration is 4 days.