The Stages Of Labor

A. Explain the three stages of labor

There are technically 4 stages of labor, but for ease we will just focus on the three main stages the dilation phase, expulsion phase and the placental phase.

B. Describe how each feels

The dilation phase consists of early and active labor and this is when you will start to feel the contractions, during early labor the contractions tend to be mild and may not have started to be consistent at this point, and it could take hours or days, some may not even feel this stage.

The expulsion phase consists of the delivery of your little one and can take as little as a few minutes to a few hours and this can be for a variety of reasons, position of your little one typically, or size of your little one, and if this is your first time or you have done it before, this is typically the most painful stage.

Then there is the placental stage and this stage is usually the shortest and your contractions, yes, your still having them! even after you gave birth to your little one, is the more mild and less painful of all the stages of labor.

C. First stage

i. Early

The first stage of labor starts happening when you start to feel contractions( though it was likely going long before you started to feel them, as time progresses they will get stronger and closer together, this is what causes your cervix to open, this is called dilation, and they also cause your cervix to soften, shorten and thin out, this is called effacement and this is what allows your little one to move into your birth canal, because this is the longest stage of labor it gets broken down into it's own 2 stages.

Early labor is also called latent labor and as stated your cervix is opening and softening and will open to less than 6cm, contractions are typically mild and inconsistent, though this is not not to say it will be that way for everyone.

ii. Active

For active labor the cervix continues to open from 6cm to 10 cm and your contractions will be getting stronger and closer together and they will be more consistent by now and follow something of a pattern, your legs might cramp, you might begin to feel nauseous and if it hasn't happened yet you may feel your water break, you may also start to feel more pressure in your back, if you haven't headed to where your going to give birth, you may want to go there now, ( this also depends on how far away you live from it.)

your excitement may be giving way as your get more uncomfortable and you may start to be feeling a little anxious, you can ask for pain management if you want it , your team is working for/with you to make the best choices for you and your little one. this will last between 4 and 8 hours or more, on average most birthing parents will dilate about 1 cm an hour though some can be much faster, first time birthing parents may take longer.

iii. Transitional

The last 2 centimeters of your dilation is called the transition stage as you are "transitioning" from the first stage of labor to the second stage, this can take 15 minutes to an hour, this is the most painful, contractions are close together and can last 60-90 seconds each, you may have a lot of pressure in your lower back or rectum and may feel the "urge to push" as soon as you feel this, tell your health care providers.

D. Second stage

during this stage you are fully dilated and ready for your little one to come, this stage is the most work for you as your team will help guide you in pushing out your little one, letting you know when to push and when to take a breath, this can be as short as 20 minutes or as long as a few hours, it is likely to take longer with first time parents, or if you have had an epidural, this stage ends when your little one is born.

contractions may slow to every 2-5 minutes and will still be 60-90 seconds, you might get an episiotomy, your little ones head will start to show, this is called crowning also called "the ring of fire"

i. Pushing

How long it takes to push your little one out can vary greatly from 20 minutes to two hours, If you're a first-time mom, pushing usually lasts longer. According to one large study of women with minimal intervention during labor and delivery, 90 percent of women having their first little one completed the second stage of labor (the pushing stage) in just over three hours, while 90 percent of women having their second (or later) little one completed the second stage in less than 45 minutes.

E. Third stage

In the third stage you will still be having contractions close together but not as painful as earlier, this time these contractions are helping the placenta to separate from your uterus and move into the birth canal, this begins 5-30 mins after birth, you might not even feel them as you will be focused on the joy of your little one and having them in your arms finally, or that they are here.

your provider will squeeze and press on your belly to fell your uterus and make sure everything is feeling right, if you had an episiotomy, your provider will repair it now.

you might also have chills or feel shaky, this is normal.

i. Delivery of the placenta

If you deliver your little one through your vagina, you'll also deliver the placenta that way shortly afterward. This is known as the third stage of labor.

After you give birth, you keep having mild contractions. Your healthcare professional might give you a shot of medicine called oxytocin (Pitocin). This helps you keep having contractions. It also lessens bleeding after you deliver your little one. Your healthcare professional also might massage your lower abdomen. This encourages the uterus to contract and release the placenta through the vagina. You might be asked to push to deliver the placenta.

If you have a C-section, your healthcare professional removes the placenta from your uterus during that procedure.

After it's delivered, your health care professional checks the placenta to make sure it's intact. Any pieces left behind need to be removed from the uterus to prevent bleeding and infection. If you're interested, ask to see the placenta. In some cultures, families bury the placenta in a special place.

If you have questions about the placenta during pregnancy, talk with a member of your healthcare team.