The Stages of Labor & Delivery

The labor and delivery process has three different stages and these stages are broken down into their own individual stages as well. The longest part of your labor is going to be the latent phase of the first stage.

Your contractions will start out somewhere around 20 minutes apart and will feel like light flutters. You may even wonder if this is the beginning of the real thing.

During this stage, act normal. Take a nap or lie down and relax for awhile. It is possible that your contractions may be closer together and a little stronger and you could possible see some discharge. Do not worry, as this is normal and called the “bloody show”. Most of the time, this can last up to 14 hours but can be shorter.

The active phase comes next and your contractions start to come closer together. They are also a lot stronger and last longer. This is where your breathing exercises will come in handy. You should be at the hospital by this time. Unless the doctor tells you otherwise, you can walk around if you feel up to it. You will find that this stage can last up to 6 or more hours.

You are now at the transition phase. Dilation is now complete and your body is ready to have this baby. It is possible that you may get irritable and angry at your partner. This is when you can use all of the support that you can get. This stage will last just a short time.

You are now at the second stage. This is when the birth actually happens. Even though you will want to push, it is important to follow the doctor’s instructions so the baby comes out slowly. You need to have the baby’s head crown, the shoulders and then the body.

The third stage is when you have the placenta. You will have some mild contractions so your body can separate it and expel it. You may have to push just a little to get the placenta out but it is nothing like having the baby.

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