Labor
From ChildWiki.com
Labor is the process the body goes through just before and after giving birth. Labor is divided into three stages, referred as the first, second, and third stages.
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[edit] First Stage
Labor begins when contractions start and there is a continual change of the cervix. This is the beginning of the first stage. The first stage is divided into two parts. The first part is called the early or latent phase, and the second part is called active labor. During the early phase the cervix thins and dilates. During active labor the cervix is already about 4 centimeters and dilates more quickly and contractions get longer, stronger, and closer together.
It may be very difficult to determine the precise beginning of labor. Early labor contractions are often difficult to tell apart from Braxton Hicks Contractions. The rule of thumb is that during early labor your contractions start coming about 10 minutes apart and lasting around 30 seconds. By the end of the early phase, contractions can happen every 5 minutes and last 40-60 seconds.
[edit] Second Stage
The second stage, also called the pushing stage, starts when the woman is fully dilated, and ends when she gives birth. The second stage starts with transition, which is when a woman is fully dilated and the baby drops. During this time contractions can be 2-3 minutes apart and last around 1 minute. This is the most intense portion of labor.
After transition, the second stage turns to pushing. As the baby drops, women feel a urge to push. If the woman has an epidural, this may be muted. Some doctors coach a woman to push before she feels the urge. This can speed up childbirth, but it can also cause the mother to become exhausted. When the widest part of the baby's head is visible, it is called crowning. Further pushing is necessary to get each shoulder of the baby out one at a time. Once the baby is born the doctor clamps and cuts the umbilical cord.
[edit] Third Stage
The third and final stage is delivering the placenta. This stage tends to be quick and easy. The uterus contracts several times, and then the placenta is expelled usually with one push. This stage usually lasts 5-10 minutes.
[edit] External links
animated movie showing the stages of labor and birth
