Stages of labor
Ivy Murphy
First stage
- The longest stage and has three phases: Early labor phase, Active labor phase, and Transition phase.
- You start to get contractions, may get intense.
- Your water could break during this stage.
- Baby move into the pelvis, getting into birthing position.
- Your cervix will dilate and become thinner for the baby to pass though.
Second stage
- This stage involves pushing and the delivery of the baby.
- You will have the urge to push and feel a pressure on you stomach and lower area.
- The baby's head will lead its way out through the cervix.
- Once the head is crowing, the shoulders will be next one at a time.
- Relaxing is important for this stage.
Third stage
- The shortest stage, also the removal of the placenta.
- May still have small contractions while the placenta is still inside.
- You may also be monitored for the next few hours to make sure everything is going well after the birth and that you are not eternally bleeding too much.
- Breastfeeding your baby soon after birth may also help your placenta cerebrate from the womb.
- The other half of the umbilical cord will also pass through with the placenta.