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The Stages of Labor
The stages of labor can be broken down into 3 parts; painful, extremely painful and what just happened. Or more technically known as stage 1: labor, stage 2: delivery of the baby, and stage 3: delivery of the placenta. Stage 1: LaborPhase 1: Latent or EarlyThis is where your cervix thins out or effaces, and dilates to 3 centimeters. Of the stages of labor this phase can take the longest, and can be reached over a period of days or weeks, but will be noticeably bothersome for 2-6 hours or rarely up to 24 hours. These will be labor contractions and will hurt, but you are not considered in actual full fledged labor until your cervix is 3 centimeters dilated. Relax, and if possible sleep during this time. Store up as much energy as you possibly can for the delivery. You will want to call your doctor when your contractions are close (each doctor has his or her own rule of thumb, usually 3-5 minutes apart for more than an hour, and getting stronger). This is where you will be spending your time walking the halls of the hospital, or pacing the floor at home. Either way try not to over do it, and remember to rest. You will need all the energy you can get very soon.Contractions in this stage of labor are about 30- 45 seconds for most, although some women have shorter contractions. In this early phase you may have regular or irregular contractions, between 5 and 20 minutes apart, but progressively they will get closer together. *Some women don’t really notice this phase at all. In fact it is possible for your cervix to dilate to 3 centimeters on your own without even knowing it. This is why going to your weekly doctor’s visits is so important. Phase 2: ActiveThis is the phase of labor where your cervix dilates to 7 centimeters. This phase in the stages of labor is usually shorter than the early, latent period, lasting on average between 2-3.5 hours, although some women are much quicker, others much, much longer. Your contractions are more concentrated now. They get the job done so to speak, in much less time because of their power. Their average length per contraction is 40-60 seconds, with a peak about 20-30 seconds. The peak is a good time to relax, breath and gear up as the contraction begins to come down. These labor contractions tend to be about 3-4 minutes apart, though some women have an irregular pattern. If you notice between phase 1 and phase 2, the distance and time between the contractions has gotten shorter. This means you will have less time to rest between contractions, so when you are able to relax, do so!The contractions in this phase of the stages of labor typically are too painful to talk through. That is generally the measure the hospital staff uses to see how much pain you are in. If you are still able to speak or have a conversation through a contraction, they aren’t that bad. Once the pain reaches your threshold and you can no longer speak through them, this is when an
What Do Contractions Feel Like?Throughout your pregnancy you probably noticed tightening of your uterus every so often. Some women experience this regularly, while others may not until the last trimester. The tightening during pregnancy is called a Braxton Hicks contraction, and is a warm-up contraction. During actual labor your contractions will be doing much of the same thing as the practice contractions, only they will be stronger, much stronger. Menstrual cramps are as close as you will get to feeling what labor is like before you ever experience it. Think of your period and the cramps you get before and during it and that is what it feels like, just much more intense.A contraction starts, and you feel it build as it tightens your uterus, pushing the baby lower and lower, and hopefully dilating your cervix a little each time. The contraction builds much like a wave. It gets bigger and bigger and stronger and stronger, and then it peaks. When a wave peaks it means it will be coming down soon, and will not get any bigger. This is like what a contraction does. It peaks, and sort of stops for several seconds, and then begins its decent down, or it lessens and lessens, and your muscles relax. There is no trick to get you through labor contractions, just breath, try to stay calm, and pray. You will get through this. Phase 3: Advanced Active or Transitional LaborThis is a phase in the stages of labor that is extremely challenging. The demand on your body is the most severe at this point because the intensity of the contractions pick up and are very strong, typically 2-3 minutes apart and 60-90 seconds in length. You may feel like you have no break between the contractions and that you simply keep peaking. Do not worry because you have only 3 little centimeters to go, and this is a very short phase, lasting about 15 minutes to an hour. You will need your husband or support person’s encouragement for this phase, as you will begin to get extremely exhausted.One of the most common, but often not talked about side effects of labor is the shakes. You will notice your body shaking, and sweating, and maybe chills. This is very common and not unusual. Many women will get diarrhea before they deliver. It is the body's way of making room, and cleaning out before the actual pushing. Be glad if you go to the bathroom a lot before you begin pushing. It will just save you the embarrassment of doing so on the table. Stage 2: Delivery of the BabyThis is the stage of labor that you have been dreaming of and dreading for 9 months. Pushing! If you have made it this far, you are probably out of the woods for needing a cesarean section. However you still may need an episiotomy in order to get the baby out, without ripping. This stage in the stages of labor can take several hours, or several minutes. For first time mom's it is typically hours. When your contraction begins typically you will have a nurse and your husband or support person hold each of your feet. You will take a deep breath and push and hold for a 10 count. Then you will breathe but hold the push as you are breathing, then you will push for another 10 count on top of the previous push. It is like going to the bathroom. You are pushing and then stopping, and then pushing on top of the push. It works in the bathroom, and it will work in labor.If you received an epidural you will most likely not know when you have a contraction so the nurse or your husband will have to keep an eye on the monitor to see when one begins. If your anesthesiologist is good, he or she will make the epidural so that you will not be in pain, but can still feel pressure. This way you will be able to feel enough to push, move your feet, and feel the tightening of a contraction. Once you are finally able to push the head out, the rest of the body should pretty much slide out. You will never forget this moment for as long as you live. The moment you see those tiny little hands, those scared beady eyes, the red goopy face, and get to hold him or her tightly against your body. You finally meet face to face, and it is awesome.
Stage 3: Delivery of the PlacentaThis is really not a difficult stage in the stages of labor, because you really don't have to do anything. Your midwife or doctor will probably push on your stomach to help expel the placenta. Of labor and delivery this is the stage you will most likely forget because your attention will be on your new baby. Once the placenta is low enough you may be asked to push and your doctor will then gently pull it out. You will be surprised at how large it is! Once that is out labor is officially over, and you are a proud new mama! Congratulations!
***Keep in mind, the advice we are giving here is instructional only, we are not medical professionals, and this is for healthy women with normal pregnancies. If you are a high risk pregnancy, or have medical problems, this would not apply to you.
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