If all goes well, your midwife will recommend that you stay home until you are in established labor. You are more likely to have more fluid labor and fewer procedures if you stay home until the contractions are stronger and your contractions are regular. Breathe. Try to relax between contractions with slow, deep, rhythmic breathing. Keep in mind that there may be slight variations in terms of dilation measurements and timing of contractions. What you may feel: In active labor, contractions will be more intense. They can become so intense that you probably won`t be able to relax or do things at home. Dealing with contractions will require your full attention. Every woman`s contractions are different, so it can be difficult to say how long the latent phase will last. This can take hours or, for some women, days. The latent phase tends to be longer during a first pregnancy. Increased pain and discomfort. You may not be able to speak during labor now.

(If you`ve had epidural anesthesia at this point and it has happened, you probably won`t feel any pain.) Very strong and painful contractions. Whether or not you have received epidural anesthesia, you will experience severe contractions that last from 60 to 90 seconds and intense spikes that will last most of the contraction. Since they are only separated by about two or three minutes, it may seem that you can barely relax before the next job starts. The first phase of labor is when your cervix expands and fades to prepare for childbirth. It starts when you feel regular contractions and ends when you are lying 10 centimeters. It has three phases: early labour, active work and the transition phase. Keep an eye on contractions. You don`t need to time them at the moment, but check regularly if they`re less than 10 minutes apart. Ask for an epidural if you wish. An epidural can be given as soon as you feel the need (and you`ll probably want to ask for it before things get too intense, as the procedure takes some time and can take about 30 minutes after it is inserted before it starts working). Your practitioner may suggest other tactics to relieve your discomfort first, such as sitting in the water before you start pushing, getting a massage, or changing position. If you want an epidural, your anesthesiologist will set an IV in motion.

You should change position frequently during this period. You may want to try walking or taking a warm bath. Continue to drink plenty of water and urinate regularly. How long it takes: Although the transition phase of the work is often the most intense, it is usually also the shortest, lasting between a few minutes and a few hours. In some situations, when your membranes rupture. If the amniotic fluid is green or brown, your baby may have had his first bowel movement. Also, tell your doctor immediately if your water breaks before the 37th week of pregnancy (you might be in preterm labor) or if you feel anything from your cervix slipping into your vagina (which could rarely be a sign of umbilical cord prolapse). Contractions may seem different from those in the first phase of labor – they slow down 2 to 5 minutes apart and last about 60 to 90 seconds. You will feel a strong urge to press with your contractions. Try to rest as much as possible between push intervals and only press when the health care provider tells you to.

What you may feel: For many women, contractions look like cramps in their lower back or abdomen. They each last about 30 to 45 seconds. You may not feel uncomfortable, but you will know that it is early labor because contractions will continue to come (unlike Braxton Hicks contractions that disappear). You might also lose your mucus plug and/or the bloody spectacle, which means the cervix changes to prepare for childbirth. Your water could also break. In the second stage of labor, your cervix is completely dilated and ready for delivery. This phase is most of the work for you because your provider wants you to start pushing your baby out. This phase can be as short as 20 minutes or as long as a few hours. It may be longer for new moms or if you have had epidural anesthesia.

And epidural anesthesia is an analgesic that you get through a tube in your lower back that helps numb your lower body during labor. This is the most common type of pain relief used during labor. The second phase ends with the birth of your baby. Delivery of the placenta. Once your baby is born, your doctor still has to deliver your placenta, a process that usually takes about 20 minutes. You will feel slight contractions when your uterus expels the placenta. Your doctor can help by pulling on the umbilical cord or pressing on your stomach while you are asked to press. The three phases of labour are the first part of a larger picture: the three phases of childbirth. Once you`ve successfully completed labor, the other two stages of labor include: It`s hard to predict how long your labor and delivery will last, as there is a wide range of “normals.” ACOG says labor typically lasts a total of about 12 to 18 hours for the first births and about eight to 10 hours from start to finish for subsequent births. Here`s what you can expect – from the first real contractions to the moment it`s time to start pushing.

Keep busy and save your energy at the same time. Drink plenty of water and eat small snacks. Keep track of the time of your contractions. If early labor begins during the night, it`s a good idea to try to get some sleep. If you can`t fall asleep, focus on light activities like emptying your closet, packing your bag, or packing lunches for the next day. Check at the hospital if you haven`t already done so. Your doctor will likely encourage you to go to the hospital or birth center when active labor begins or when your contractions are spaced about five minutes apart. Upon arrival, you will be asked to change your hospital gear and you will be transferred to your room or to a triage room (assessment room) if staff think you may not be in active labour. A nurse will ask you a few questions about your pregnancy and work so far, give you routine consent forms to sign, and perform an internal exam.

If you have not yet reached a dilation of 4-6 centimeters, you can be sent home so that the work can continue to progress. You may also want your partner, friend, or family member to be a support person to help you with your work. They can accompany you to childbirth preparation classes to learn how to help you, for example. B the time of your contractions, which will help you relax and move to find a comfortable position. Ask your provider for birth preparation classes in your area. During active labor, your contractions increase in frequency – they last about 45 to 60 seconds each, with about three to five minutes of break in between. Your cervix begins to dilate faster during active labor, from about three centimeters to about seven. Early labor may involve only two to six hours of very obvious contractions. Or it may progress over several weeks, during which you may not even notice (or be disturbed) your contractions. With stronger and more frequent contractions, you have fewer opportunities to rest. As your work efforts intensify, it can be harder to relax.

But how can you tell the difference between actual active employment contracts and Braxton Hicks? “Contractions are more intense and require more concentration. If you think you`re going to give birth, go for a walk, take a shower, and drink water. If they continue, it`s probably the beginning of the work,” says Biedebach. I remember these last points all too well. The day I went to labor, I woke up very early in the morning and felt cramps and discomfort. It wasn`t painful enough for me to take it too seriously, but I couldn`t fall asleep again, so I jumped into the shower and hoped it would help relieve the discomfort. It lasted for a while, but I noticed that the pain was gradually getting worse, and when I realized that I probably should time these things. You do not feel fetal activity. It can be hard to notice because you are distracted by contractions. If so, eat a snack or juice, take a walk for a bit, then lie down, relax, and try to count your kicks again. You should feel 10 movements within two hours. Start with the timing of your contractions so you know how far apart they are and how long each of them lasts.

Call your doctor for personal advice on when to go to the hospital. Factors can be how far away you are and whether or not you have ever given birth to a baby. The third phase of labor begins after the baby is born and ends when the placenta separates from the uterine wall and passes through the vagina. .

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