Labor Progression 101
Naturally, there are three stages of labor. During the first stage, the cervix is dilating (opening), the second stage consists of the baby going through the birth canal (the birth), and the last stage is the delivery of the placenta.
There is a phase that occurs prior to the first stage , this phase is called Prelabor. Not all women will experience prelabor, they will go right into labor, but it’s important to understand this phase.
During prelabor, the women may have regular uterine contractions as the uterus begin to “tune-up”. Contractions may be regular and strong, and even close together, but they do not progress, and they may stop. The cervix softens, move forward, and thins, but does not dilate beyond 1-2 cm. Prelabor can last from a few hours to many hours, or it can come and go over several days.
Dilation Stage
Dilation begins when the prelabor contractions begin to progress and become longer, stronger, and closer together. Once the cervix dilate completely (to 10 cm.), the first stage has ended. The dilation stage can be quick, or progress slowly. This stage can last from 2-24 hours. The three phases of this stage is:
The Latent Phase (early labor) - this phase lasts until the cervix is dilated to 3-4 cm.
The Active Phase (active phase)- this phase begins when the cervix is dilated to 5 cm.
The Transition Phase (turning point)- the cervix dilates the last 1-2 cm and the baby begins to descend.
*Dilation usually doesn’t begin to speed up until 5 or 6 cm, so there is a “3 to 5 phase”. During this time, the intensity of contractions increase, but cervical dilation lags behind.
2. The Birthing Stage
Once the cervix is fully dilated, the birthing stage begins. During this stage, the baby rotates, descends through the vagina, and is born. This is the phase where the mother actively pushes to press the baby down and out. This stage has three phases:
The Resting Phase - This is a pause in labor, not all women will experience this.This time comes after the cervix is completely dilated, and the baby’s head has passed through the cervix into the birth canal. This usually lasts 10-30 minutes.
The Descent Phase- During this phase, the uterus continues to contract strongly, and the mother have an increasingly urge to push. The baby descends through the birth canal, and the top of the head is visible at the vaginal opening. This is the longest phase in the birthing stage, lasting from a few minutes to up to 4 hours. The average is 1 1/2 hours.
The Crowning and Birth Phase- This phase begins when the baby head is crowning (visible at the vaginal opening, even between contractions). The baby head stretches the mother’s vagina and perineum,and she feels burning and stinging. It is important for the caregiver to pay attention to the perineum to see if it tear. The baby will rotate to one side, and the rest of the baby slides out with a gush of water. This phase usually only last a few contractions.
3. The Placental Stage
This stage is begins after the baby is born, now the mother must birth the placenta. Many women are so in awe of their new baby, they barely notice their few contractions and the emergence of the placenta. When the placenta has separated from the uterine wall, the caregiver may ask gently to deliver the placenta. The caregiver will palpate the mothers abdomen to feel whether the uterus if firm. This is painful for the mother but it is very effective in contracting the uterus and protecting against excessive blood loss.
