Labour – 7
Stages of Labour
Stage of Labour What you might feel/experience What you can do Late Pregnancy/Pre-Labour • Tired of pregnancy • Keep rested • Practice contractions and • Nesting urges • Cook extra meals and freeze them cramping. • Restlessness • Organize birth supplies • Possible dilation and • Increased Braxton Hicks Contractions effacement happening • Loss of mucous plug First Stage: Early Labour • Increased vaginal discharge • REST - Taking Gravol is safe for mom and baby • Dilation 0-4cm • Diarrhea and can help a woman rest (dose: 2x50mg every • Contractions irregular in • Cramping or tightening 6-8 hours) frequency, length and • Bloody show or loss of mucous plug • Eat and Drink intensity • Irregular contractions • Empty your bladder • Ruptured membranes (can happen at • Have a bath or shower any time throughout the process) • Get things ready • Call your midwife (if daytime) to give her an update First Stage: Active Labour • Intense frequent contractions • Vary positions, alternating between rest and • Dilation 4-8 cm • Increased need for support activity • Contractions 3-5 mins • Need to concentrate on contractions • Have a bath or shower apart, lasting 60-70 secs • Increased bloody show • Empty your bladder frequently • Scared • Stay in the moment • Page your midwife Transition: • Fear that you can’t go on • Change positions frequently • Dilation 8-10 cm • Increased need for emotional support • Stay in the moment • Contractions 2-3mins • Increased rectal pressure • Remember that your contractions are strong apart or less, lasting 60- • Shaky, cold, hot, nausea, vomiting because the baby is coming, and that you will 70 secs • Increased bloody show make it through Second Stage: • Pressure in rectum and perineum • Position changes can help with descent of the • Contractions 2-5 mins • Urge to push baby’s head apart, lasting 60-70 secs • Stretching or burning sensation • Listen to your midwife’s directions for pushing • Pushing 10 mins-3 hours • The baby’s head moving down • Try to relax your perineum and bum Third Stage: • Contractions (many women are so • Follow your midwife’s directions for when to push, • Birth of Placenta busy with their new baby that they to aid in the birth of the placenta. don’t feel contractions)