STAGE 1: Latent phase of labor
Duration: about 6 hours for 1st baby, 2-4 hours for subsequent babies
Contractions: about 5-10 minutes apart, lasting about 30-60 seconds
Cervix: dilates to about 3-4 cm, begins to efface (thin)
What you might feel:
- Backache
- Nausea
- Diarrhea or constipation
- “Nesting” instinct
- Excitement, anticipation
- Abdominal cramps
- Bloody show
- Regular contractions
What you can do:
- Clear liquids; stay hydrated
- Controlled relaxation
- Slow deep breathing with contractlons—begin with any sign of tension
- Call the office when contractions are 4-5 min. apart or if water breaks
What your partner can do:
- Offer encouragement
- Help time contractions
- Help patient with breathing and relaxation
Active phase of labor
Duration: about 4 hours, or 1cm/hr. for 1st baby; 2-4 hours, 2 cm/hr. for subsequent babies
Contractions: about 2-4 min. apart, lasting 45-60 seconds; much stronger
Cervix: dilates to 8 cm., effacement 100%
What you might feel:
- Contractions are much stronger, more frequent, usually felt in lower abdomen
- Backache
- Significant mood change: less talkative, more focused on work, introverted
- Needs more support from partner/nurse
- May ask for pain medication/anesthesia (epidural)
What you can do:
- Continue slow deep breathing
- Concentrate on one contraction at a time
- Walk, if permitted, or sit in chair
- Empty bladder frequently
What your partner can do:
- Act as go-between you and nursing staff/midwives/doctors
- Verbally coach
- Watch for tension
- Help change positions
- Chapstick (your lips may feel dry from the breathing)
- Rub back
- Cool washcloth to face
- Encourage and praise!
For Back Labor:
- Pressure on, or massage, lower back Ice or heat to back
- Lie on Left side
- Hands and knees position every 20 minutes
Transition phase of labor
Duration: Shortest, most difficult phase; 1.5 min. to 3 hours
Contractions: May seem continuous, very intense, lasting up to 90 sec.
Cervix: Dilates to 10 cm (full dilatation)
What you might feel:
- Contractions feel almost continuous
- May feel Increasing pressure In a lower back and/or rectum
- May feel hot and sweaty one minute, then cold and chilled the next
- Usually, feel that you cannot continue anymore
- May feel an involuntary urge to push
What you can do:
- Keep your eyes open and focus on partner/nurse
- Change to pant/blow breathing to keep from pushing before it is time
- Remember, it’s almost over!
What your partner can do:
- Keep her attention and help her breathe through each contraction
- Verbal praise!!!!
- Remind her that labor is almost over
- Cool cloths to forehead
- Note: some women become almost “out of control” at this point, so partners should not take anything said or done personally!
STAGE 2: Delivery
Duration: may take up to 2-3 hours for 1.st baby, especially if you have an epidural; may be just a few minutes if you’ve had a child before
Contractions: expulsive in nature; may space out a bit
What you can do:
- Push!!
- Take deep, full breath then bear down as if having a bowel movement
- Release tension in your face
- Open your eyes when told to do so to see your baby being born!
What your partner can do:
- Help your partner maintain the most comfortable position for pushing
- Give verbal encouragement
- A cool washcloth to face
STAGE 3: Delivery of placenta
Duration: within about 5-10 minutes after birth, but may take up to 30 minutes
Contractions: you may notice some cramping as the uterus contracts to expel the placenta, but you do not have to push
How you might feel:
- Relieved!
- You might have “the shakes”
- Crampy
- Excited
- Sense of accomplishment!
What you can do:
- Relax!
- Focus on baby!
