HealthPartners - Your guide to pregnancy

WHAT HAPPENS DURING LABOR?

When your body sends the signal to begin labor, your uterine muscles react by tensing up. During labor, these muscles contract rhythmically — starting at the top of the uterus and moving downward toward the cervix. Eventually, the wavelike contractions cause the cervix to completely dilate. When this happens, the baby can be pushed down through the birth canal and delivered through the vaginal opening.

BABY’ S POSITION

FIRST STAGE

CHARACTERISTICS

Starts – Regular uterine contractions begin to dilate the cervix Ends – When the cervix dilates to 10 centimeters

• Can take a long time, especially with the first baby • It is not unusual for the first stage to last 12-14 hours • Contractions will be intermittent, not continuous • Tensing muscles during contractions can increase pain • Use focused breathing techniques during contractions • Concentrate on relaxing between contractions • You can have pain medication and/or epidural anesthesia

BABY’ S POSITION

SECOND STAGE

CHARACTERISTICS

Starts – Cervix is fully dilated (10 centimeters) Ends – Baby is born

• Shorter than the first stage; can last from 30 minutes to 3 hours • Cervix is dilated enough for the baby’s head to pass through • Time between contractions may be longer that at the end of first stage • The baby is being pushed further downward into the birth canal • You may feel the urge to push and respond by pushing • With your final push, the baby’s head begins to appear • Once the head emerges from the birth canal, the baby is born

BABY’ S POSITION

THIRD STAGE

CHARACTERISTICS

Starts – Baby is born Ends – Placenta (afterbirth) is delivered

• This usually takes just a few contractions • Generally completed in less than 20 minutes

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