There are three main phases and stages of labor that you will hear referred to quite often when it comes time to deliver your baby. However, there is no reason to wait until you are in labor to learn about these phases and stages, what they involve, and what you should be doing during each one. The first stage consists of three phases, and the remaining two stages have just one phase each.

Stage One – Labor

Latent Phase
This first phase of the first stage of labor is called the latent phase, but can also be referred to as early labor, or just simply the first stage of labor. During this phase. your cervix will start dilating and you will be having contractions, and they are normally not painful and you are able to move around, talk, laugh and function through them as normal.

Some women, who want a more natural labor and delivery (and who choose to refrain from using pain relief), will choose to stay home during this first stage of labor where they are more comfortable and surrounded by familiar things. As long as their water has not broken, they may choose to take baths or showers, light candles, play music, or just sit and talk to their partner while they time contractions.

This phase of labor can last on average 8 hours, although it can also last much longer, or end much sooner. Your contractions will come between 5 and 20 minutes apart and generally last about 30-45 seconds. You should not be in a lot of pain during this first phase, or too uncomfortable. This phase ends about the time a woman reaches 3 centimeters dilated, which is when the contractions become more frequent and more intense.

Active Phase
This second phase of the first stage of labor results in your cervix dialating from 4-7 centimeters, and during this phase, your contractions will normally come between 2-5 minutes apart, and last up to a minute in duration. You will also start to feel much more discomfort and possibly more pain as the contractions become more intense as they help to push the baby down through your cervix. If they have not ruptured yet, this phase is the most common time for your membranes to finally rupture. The active phase can last an average of 3-4 hours, but can go on longer, or end sooner, depending on your body and your labor.

Transition Phase
The third and last phase of the first stage of labor results in your cervix dilating between 8 and 10 centimeters, and is the phase where your pain will be at its worst. During this time your contractions will seem to be coming one right on top of the other, and may last up to two minutes each in duration. During this stage the contractions are pushing your baby further down through the cervix, allowing his head to enter the vagina to prepare for birth. This stage normally lasts between 10 minutes and an hour.

Stage Two – The Birth of Your Baby
Stage two is the pushing of the baby out of your uterus through your vagina. Most women will find that they have a second round of strength as they begin pushing their baby. The contractions normally slow down giving a woman more time to catch her breath in between contractions. This stage can end relatively quickly, or can take several hours, depending on the position and size of the baby.

Stage Three – Delivery of the Placenta
This last stage of labor occurs after your baby has been born and normally lasts for a relatively short time. After the baby is born, the placenta should naturally detach from the uterine wall, following the baby out of the birth canal. The doctor will check the placenta for tears or problems that could lead to your uterus not contracting properly after the baby is born. It is important that your uterus contracts properly so that it can slow your bleeding and heal the area where the placenta was attached.

by Amy B. Tuteur, MD Ask Dr. Amy.comHas the baby dropped yet? Friends and complete strangers are asking the same question. What are they talking about? How will you know?

By the end of pregnancy, the baby is likely to take a position that will be favorable for the coming journey. Over 95% of all babies will be facing head down, with their chins tucked on to their chest. Some babies, particularly those of first time mothers, will literally drop into the pelvic opening. The cervix may not have dilated, and the baby is still totally within the uterus, but the head is now nestled within the pelvic opening instead of abovdrop, e it. Doctors and midwives refer to this process as engagement.

Engagement is also known as lightening, probably because it provides some relief from common pregnancy symptoms. When your baby drops, pressure on your stomach and diaphragm drops, too. You will probably have less heartburn and shortness of breath. Of course, these symptoms may merely be exchanged for new ones. You may feel increased pelvic pressure, and some women complain that it’s hard to walk because it feels like the baby’s head is between their legs. However, it’s important to remember that many women have no change in their symptoms and never even notice when the baby’s head engages. It is also possible that the baby will not drop until labor begins.

There are other signs that the time for labor may be drawing near. For example, the mucous plug, which has kept the inside of the uterus sealed off from the vagina, falls out as the cervix begins to to soften and thin in preparation for labor. The mucous plug may fall out hours or even days before labor begins. Sometimes the membranes of the amniotic sac rupture (”breaking your water”) minutes or hours before labor begins. If your membranes rupture, you should call your practitioner. Some doctors and midwives prefer that you come in for examination right away. Others will advise you to wait at home to see if labor begins spontaneously.

Many women have other physical symptoms that signal labor is approaching, including diarrhea, low backache, or abdominal cramping. It seems that impending labor may cause psychological changes as well. A few women are seized with the nesting instinct in the hours and days before labor begins. They are suddenly consumed by the urge to clean and arrange things, when just a few days before they were too exhausted to move.

Can you do anything to deliberately start your own labor? There are a lot of old (and new) wives’ tales that you can consider. Some women insist that spicy food started their labors, and others claim it was because they dosed themselves with castor oil. Then there are those who swear by sex, reasoning that even if it doesn’t work, at least they’ll have a good time. Unfortunately, it’s not likely that any of these home remedies are effective. Labor starts when the baby is ready and not one second before.

About the Author
This article was adapted from the book How Your Baby is Born, by Amy B. Tuteur, MD. Dr. Tuteur runs the website Ask Dr. Amy.com where you can ask her your questions.