Contractions continue but also produce a strong urge to push. This urge might feel like an intense need to have a bowel movement. This stage can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.
It is often longer for those giving birth for the first time. Historically, doctors told women to push according to a schedule, to count to 10, and to remain on their backs. Pushing from a standing or squatting position may also help speed things along. Allowing people to push from a range of positions gives the medical staff better access to the woman and baby should they need to assist with the delivery for any reason.
As a woman delivers the baby, she may feel an intense burning and stretching as her vagina and perineum stretch to accommodate the baby. This sensation typically lasts just a few minutes, though some women tear during this process. A few minutes after the birth, a woman may experience weaker contractions. After a contraction or two, the body should expel the placenta.
If the body does not entirely expel the placenta, a doctor or midwife may have to help deliver it. Sometimes, they will give a woman an injection of synthetic oxytocin to speed up delivery and prevent excessive bleeding. Shortly after delivery, the cervix begins contracting back down to its previous size.
This process can take several days to several weeks. As the uterus and cervix shrink, many women will feel some contractions. Most women bleed for several weeks after giving birth. Labor is different for each woman. It typically lasts longer with a first birth, but the length and type of labor vary greatly between individuals. Some people experience labor that consists of a weaker type of contraction for days or weeks before giving birth.
Others give birth in a matter of minutes, while some labors take days. Most fall somewhere in the middle. Labor often starts slowly, becoming progressively more intense.
It may also start and stop, or slow during moments of stress or intrusion. Visualizing the cervix expanding might help some people understand the source of labor pain, offering a sense of control and deeper insight into the processes of labor.
Learn what to expect at each stage of labor, including the early signs, when to go to hospital, pain relief options, tips for managing labor, and…. Most deliveries happen safely, but sometime a complication can occur.
You should go to the hospital if your water breaks —no matter the stage—so your doctor can check the health of the pregnancy and proceed with assisted labor , if necessary. Bloody show, a thick mucus with some blood expelled from the vagina, may also be a sign that you're about to go into labor but going to the hospital is not necessary at this point.
Dilation of the cervix alone does not determine when you are in a labor. In some cases, a woman may only be dilated 1 cm but experience strong and frequent contractions.
Others may experience dilation even before labor begins. That's why, once you arrive at the hospital, you have a pelvic exam to determine how dilated your cervix is. In addition, the doctor, nurse, or midwife looks for the characteristic shortening and thinning of the cervix known as effacement. Along with dilation, effacement is the process that allows the baby to move into the birth canal. Your healthcare provider uses this and other information to recommend whether you stay at the hospital or return home.
Other considerations may include:. In the end, there are no hard and fast rules. For example, if you're less than 3 centimeters when you arrive, are not in a lot of pain, and are not planning to use an epidural , going home may be the most reasonable and comfortable option. However, if your water has broken, you're in a lot of pain, or have special medical needs, staying may be the better choice, even if you're less dilated. Generally speaking, once you are dilated past 5 or 6 centimeters and having regular contractions, most practitioners want you to you remain in the hospital or birth center until your baby is born.
Sometimes a contraction may not be the sign of true labor. If a contraction is erratic in frequency and strength, it may be something called a Braxton Hicks contraction , also known as false labor.
Here's how to spot the differences between the two:. While it's easy to mistake a Braxton Hicks contraction for a real one, always watch the pattern to decide whether you're experiencing true labor. Knowing the difference can save you an unneeded trip to the hospital. Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. How to tell when labor begins. Updated May Diagnosing onset of labor: A systematic review of definitions in the research literature. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. National Institutes of Health. What are the stages of labor?
Reviewed September 1, Penn Medicine. The three stages of labor. Updated August 20, Stanford Children's Health. During labor, your cervix will dilate to open up the birth canal. Visualize the process with our handy cervix dilation chart, which uses fruit for an easy-to-understand comparison. In preparation for delivery, your cervix effaces thins and stretches and dilates opens so your baby can fit through the birth canal. This cervical ripening can begin days or weeks before your due date.
Keep reading to learn more about how cervical dilation progresses throughout the stages of labor , and check out our handy chart that compares cervix dilation size to fruit. Stage 1: Dilation and Effacement of the Cervix : The cervix opens and thins, which allows for vaginal delivery. The first stage of labor is further broken down into three phases; learn more about these below. Stage 2: Pushing and Birth : At this stage, your cervix is fully dilated, and your baby descends down the birth canal.
Eventually, your health care provider will encourage you to start pushing and deliver your little one! Cervical effacement and dilation happens in the first stage of labor, which can be further broken down into three phases: the early phase, the active phase, and the transition phase. During this phase, the cervix dilates three or four centimeters. The time between contractions ranges from five minutes to 30 minutes, and they last around seconds each. The active phase is characterized by contractions that are more intense and frequent, coming every three to five minutes.
Labor pain may radiate around the abdomen, back, and thighs.
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