How long does giving birth have?

Every pregnancy is different, and in that location'south wide variation in the length of labor. For kickoff-time moms, labor often takes between 10 and 20 hours. For some women, though, information technology lasts much longer, while for others it'south over much sooner.

Labor more often than not progresses more than quickly for women who've already given nascency vaginally.

Start stage of labor

The showtime stage of labor has iii phases:

  • Early labor: Your cervix gradually effaces (thins out) and dilates (opens) to most half-dozen centimeters (cm)past the end of this stage.
  • Active labor: Your neck begins to amplify more than rapidly and opens up further to x cm. Contractions are longer, stronger, and closer together.
  • Transition: During the last function of agile labor, contractions are even longer, stronger, and closer together – this can exist the about hard role of your entire labor.

The get-go stage of labor is the longest stage, particularly if y'all are giving nascence for the first time, and can last anywhere from days to a few hours. Early on labor unremarkably takes the longest amount of fourth dimension and transition the shortest.

Phase 1: Early labor

What to expect

  • Contractions start. You lot'll start getting contractions at relatively regular intervals. Annotation that early labor contractions are sometimes hard to distinguish from irregular Braxton Hicks contractions, besides called false labor. True labor contractions get closer together every bit time goes on and are more regular than Braxton Hicks contractions. (If you aren't sure whether you are in true labor, meet whether yous tin concur a consummate chat with your labor partner or doula. If you lot take to stop, specially mid-sentence, to breathe through contractions, y'all're probably moving into active labor).
  • Contractions get longer, stronger and closer together. Eventually they'll be coming every iv to five minutes and lasting 40 to lx seconds each. (Some women accept much more frequent contractions during this phase, but the contractions will still tend to be relatively mild and concluding no more than than a minute.) Early labor ends when your cervix is about half-dozen cm dilated and your progress starts to advance.
  • Y'all may feel some pain. Sometimes early labor contractions are quite painful. If your labor is typical, nonetheless, your early contractions will be mild enough for you to talk through them and putter around the house, or even doze off betwixt them.
  • Yous may run across a mucousy vaginal discharge. This may be tinged with claret – the so-called bloody show. This is perfectly normal, but if you come across more than than a tinge of claret, be sure to call your caregiver.
  • Your water may break. Even if you're non having contractions still, call your provider if this happens.

medical illustration showing labor starting

Coping tips

  • Time contractions periodically. Don't become a slave to your stopwatch only yet – it'south stressful and exhausting to record every contraction over the many long hours of labor, and it isn't necessary. Instead, yous may want to fourth dimension them periodically to become a sense of what'south going on. In nearly cases, your contractions volition let you know in no uncertain terms when it's time to have them more seriously. You lot tin can also ask your labor partner to note when you are no longer able to relax completely between contractions, or unable to complete a sentence or limited a thought without having to stop and bargain with a contraction.
  • Residue. It's important to practise your all-time to stay rested, since yous may have a long day (or night) ahead of yous. If you're tired, endeavour to doze off between contractions.
  • Relax. If you lot're feeling broken-hearted, you may want to endeavour some relaxation exercises, take a warm bath, or practise something to distract yourself a scrap – like watching a moving-picture show or reading a volume.
  • Drink plenty of fluids to keep you well hydrated. And don't forget to urinate often, even if you don't feel the urge. A full bladder may make it more than difficult for your uterus to contract efficiently, and an empty float leaves more room for your baby to descend.

Stage 2: Active labor

What to await

medical illustration showing cervix dilating

  • Contractions get intense. Active labor is when thingsreally go rolling. Your contractions go increasingly intense – more than regular, longer, and stronger – and you'll no longer be able to talk through them.
  • Contractions become more frequent. In nearly cases, the contractions eventually happen every ii 1/2 to three minutes, although some women never take them more oft than every v minutes, even during transition.
  • Cervix opens wider. Your cervix dilates more quickly. (The last role of active labor, when the cervix dilates fully from eight to 10 cm, is chosen transition, which is described in the next department.)
  • Your babe may brainstorm to descend toward the terminate of agile labor, although he might have started to descend earlier, or might not start until the adjacent phase.
  • Nausea and vomiting. This is fairly common at this stage, sometimes from epidural anesthesia causing the blood pressure level to drib, and sometimes from stimulation of nerves that crusade vomiting.

What to practice

Equally a full general dominion, if you lot're a first-fourth dimension mom, once you've had regular, painful contractions (each lasting about 60 seconds) every four to five minutes for at least an 60 minutes, information technology's time to telephone call your midwife or doctor and maybe head to the hospital or birth middle. Some caregivers prefer a call sooner, so clarify this alee of fourth dimension. Some providers will advise you to stay home as long as possible, especially if you are hoping to have a low-intervention, unmedicated delivery.

How long active labor lasts

  • If this is your offset baby. Active labor will last between five and vii hours on average, although every woman is different. It tin can be even longer, or as brusque as an hour.
  • If you've had a baby before, expect the active phase to go more than quickly, betwixt two to four hours on boilerplate.
  • If y'all have an epidural  or a big baby, labor may last longer.

Coping tips

  • Go pain relief if you need information technology. Most women opt for hurting medication , such as an epidural, at some point during the active stage.
  • Endeavor relaxation techniques. Many pain-management and relaxation techniques used in natural childbirth – such as breathing exercises and visualization – can help y'all during labor, whether or not you lot're planning to receive medication.
  • Enlist a birth partner or hire a labor bus (doula). Your partner, a friend or family member, or a hired doula tin exist a huge assistance now. You'll probably appreciate lots of gentle encouragement.
  • Move. It may feel proficient to walk, but you'll probably desire to stop and lean confronting something (or someone) during each contraction. You should be able to motion around the room freely after your caregiver evaluates you, equally long equally there are no complications.
  • Sit or prevarication down on your side. If y'all're tired, try sitting in a rocking chair or lying in bed on your left side.
  • Get a massage. This might be a good fourth dimension to ask your birth partner or doula for a massage to help ease labor pain.
  • Take a warm shower or bath if you have admission to a tub and your water hasn't broken. Even if  your water has broken, a shower is probably okay, as the risk of infection is depression. Nonetheless, don't take a bath if your water has broken.

Phase 3: Transition

The last part of active labor is chosen the transition period because it marks the shift to the second phase of labor.

What to expect

medical illustration showing cervix dilated

  • Fully dilated cervix. Your neck dilates from 8 to a full 10 cm.
  • Very stiff contractions. This is the most intense part of labor. Contractions are ordinarily very strong, coming every two and a half to iii minutes or and so and lasting a minute or more. You lot may start shaking and shivering.
  • Pressure on your rectum. By the time your cervix is fully dilated and transition is over, your baby has normally descended somewhat into your pelvis. This is when you might begin to experience rectal pressure, as if you have to move your bowels.
  • An urge to push. Some women begin to bear downwardly spontaneously – to "push" – and may fifty-fifty get-go making deep grunting sounds. Some babies descend earlier and the mom feels the urge to push before she's fully dilated. Other babies descend afterward and the mom reaches full dilation without feeling force per unit area. (If y'all've had an epidural, the force per unit area yous'll feel will depend on the type and amount of medication y'all're getting and how low the baby is in your pelvis. If y'all'd like to be a more agile participant in the pushing stage, inquire to have your epidural dose lowered at the end of transition. Call up, though, that this volition make contractions more than painful).
  • Discharge. At that place's often a lot of bloody discharge.
  • Nausea. You may feel nauseated or fifty-fifty vomit.

How long transition lasts

Transition can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. It'due south much more than probable to be fast if you lot've already had a vaginal delivery.

Coping tips

If you lot're laboring without an epidural, this is when you may begin to lose organized religion in your power to handle the pain, so you'll demand lots of extra encouragement and support from those effectually you.

  • Consider a massage. Some women appreciate light bear upon (effleurage), some prefer a stronger affect, and others don't want to be touched at all.
  • Change positions. For example, if you're feeling a lot of pressure level in your lower back, getting on all fours may reduce the discomfort.
  • Common cold or warm compresses. A cool material on your forehead or a cold pack on your back may experience good, or you may find a warm compress more comforting.
  • Get rid of distractions. On the other hand, because transition can take all of your concentration, you may desire all distractions – music or conversation or even that cool cloth or your partner's loving touch – eliminated.
  • Visualize. It may be useful to focus on the fact that those hard contractions are helping your baby make the journey out into the world. Try visualizing her movement down with each wrinkle.
  • Accept a good birth partner or labor passenger vehicle. The good news is that if you've fabricated it this far without medication, you tin usually be coached through transition – one contraction at a time – with abiding reminders that yous're doing a cracking chore and that your baby'southward inflow is about.

2nd stage: Pushing

Once your cervix is fully dilated, the piece of work of the second stage of labor begins: the terminal descent and birth of your baby.

What it feels like

  • More spaced out contractions. At the beginning of the 2d phase, your contractions may be a little further apart, giving you the hazard for a much-needed rest betwixt them.
  • Less intensity equally pushing begins. Many women discover their contractions in the second stage easier to handle than the contractions in agile labor because bearing down offers some relief. Others don't like the sensation of pushing.
  • Urge to push. Equally your uterus contracts, it exerts force per unit area on your baby, moving him down the birth canal. If your baby is very low in your pelvis, you may experience an urge to push button early in the second stage (and sometimes fifty-fifty before). But if your baby'southward all the same relatively high, you lot probably won't accept this awareness right away.

Pushing: What to expect

  • You might want to take it slow. If everything's going well, you might desire to take it slowly and allow your uterus practise the work until you feel the urge to push. Waiting a while may get out you less exhausted and frustrated in the stop.
  • You may be instructed to push. In many hospitals it'due south withal routine practice to double-decker women to button with each contraction in an effort to speed up the baby'south descent. Let your caregiver know if you'd prefer to await until you experience a spontaneous urge to bear downward. This practice, known every bit "laboring down," has been shown to be as effective equally coached pushing, although delivery may have a petty longer.
  • Epidurals can reduce pushing feeling. If you lot take an epidural, the loss of sensation can edgeless the urge to push, so you may not feel it until your babe's head has descended quite a bit. Patience often works wonders. In some cases, though, y'all'll eventually demand explicit directions to aid you push effectively.

Your baby's descent: What to expect

With each contraction, the force of your uterus – combined with the force of your intestinal muscles if y'all're actively pushing – exerts pressure on your infant to continue to move down through the nascency canal.

  • Fast or slow. The descent may be rapid. Or, especially if this is your offset baby, the descent may be gradual.
  • Your infant'due south caput moves downward, and so back. When a contraction is over and your uterus is relaxed, your baby's caput will recede slightly in a "two steps forward, one footstep back" kind of progression.

The first glimpse of your baby: What to expect

medical illustration showing baby

  • Your babe'south scalp volition appear. After a time, your perineum (the tissue between your vagina and anus) will begin to bulge with each push, and soon your babe's scalp volition get visible – a very exciting moment and a sign that the end is in sight. You can ask for a mirror to get that first glimpse of your infant, or you may simply want to achieve down and bear upon the meridian of his head.
  • Stronger pushing urge. At present the urge to push becomes even more compelling. With each contraction, more and more of your infant's head becomes visible. The pressure of his head on your perineum feels very intense, and you may notice a potent called-for or stinging sensation every bit your tissue begins to stretch.
  • Instructions to slow down or pant. At some point, your caregiver may ask y'all to button more gently or to stop pushing altogether so your baby's head has a chance to gradually stretch out your vaginal opening and perineum. A deadening, controlled delivery can help keep your perineum from vehement. Past now, the urge to push may exist and then overwhelming that yous'll be coached to blow or pant during contractions to help counter it. Sometimes, gently coughing instead of pushing can issue in a slower, easier descent of the baby's head.

Crowning: How the caput emerges

medical illustration showing baby

  • The whole head appears. Your baby'due south head continues to advance with each button until it "crowns" – the time when the widest part of her head is finally visible. The excitement in the room will grow as your baby's face begins to appear: her forehead, her nose, her mouth, and, finally, her chin.
  • Provider removes whatever blockages. Subsequently your infant'due south head emerges, your doc or midwife may suction her oral cavity and nose and will feel around her neck for the umbilical cord. (If the cord is around your baby's neck, your caregiver will either slip information technology over her head or, if need be, clamp and cutting it.)
  • Baby's body gets fix to come out. Your babe's caput then turns to the side as her shoulders rotate within your pelvis to go into position for their exit. With the side by side contraction, y'all'll be coached to push as her shoulders emerge, one at a fourth dimension, followed by her trunk.

medical illustration showing baby

medical illustration showing uterus after delivery

Out at last! What to await.

Here's what happens once your baby hits the atmosphere:

  1. He needs to be dried off with a towel and kept warm..
  2. Your md or midwife may quickly suction your baby's oral fissure and nasal passages if he seems to have a lot of mucus.
  3. If there are no complications, he'll be lifted onto your bare belly so you tin can touch, osculation, and simply marvel at him. The pare-to-skin contact will keep your baby nice and toasty, and he'll exist covered with a warm blanket – and mayhap given his first chapeau – to prevent heat loss.
  4. Your caregiver will clamp the umbilical cord in two places and then cutting betwixt the two clamps – or your partner can do the honors.

You may experience a broad range of emotions at present: euphoria, awe, pride, disbelief, excitement (to proper name but a few), and, of grade, intense relief that it'south all over. Exhausted as you may exist, you'll too probably feel a burst of energy, and whatsoever thoughts of sleep will vanish for the time existence.

How long the second stage lasts

The entire 2d stage can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.

  • Without an epidural, the average duration is close to an 60 minutes for a first-timer and about 20 minutes if y'all've had a previous vaginal delivery.
  • If you've had an epidural, the second stage may terminal longer.

Coping tips

When pushing, try unlike positions until you find one that feels right and is effective for you. It's non unusual to use a variety of positions during the second stage.

Third phase: Delivering the placenta

What to look

Minutes subsequently giving nativity, your uterus begins to contract once again. The starting time few contractions usually separate the placenta from your uterine wall.

When your caregiver sees signs of separation, she may ask you lot to gently button to help expel the placenta. This is usually ane short push that'southward not at all difficult or painful.

medical illustration showing placenta detaching

How long the tertiary phase lasts

On boilerplate, the third stage of labor takes virtually five to ten minutes.

What happens after you give birth

  • Your uterus contracts. After you deliver the placenta, your uterus should contract and get very firm. You lot'll be able to feel the tiptop of it in your abdomen, around the level of your navel. Your caregiver, and later your nurse, will periodically check to see that your uterus remains firm, and massage it if information technology isn't. This is of import considering the contraction of the uterus helps cut off and collapse the open claret vessels at the site where the placenta was attached. If your uterus doesn't contract properly, y'all'll continue to bleed profusely from those vessels

medical illustration showing uterus contracting

  • Yous tin try breastfeeding. If you're planning to breastfeed, do so now if you lot and your baby are both willing. Not all babies are eager to nurse in the minutes after nascency, but endeavour holding your baby'southward lips shut to your breast for a lilliputian while. Virtually babies will eventually begin to nurse in the first hour or so after birth if given the gamble. Early on nursing is proficient for your infant and can exist deeply satisfying for you lot. What'southward more, nursing triggers the release of oxytocin, the same hormone that causes contractions, which helps your uterus stay firm and contracted.
  • Y'all may receive oxytocin or other treatments. If yous're not going to nurse or your uterus isn't house, you'll exist given oxytocin to help information technology contract. (Many providers routinely give it to all women at this point). If you're haemorrhage excessively, y'all'll exist treated for that too.
  • Contractions will subside. Your contractions at this point are relatively mild. By now your focus has shifted to your babe, and you may be oblivious to everything else going on around y'all. If this is your first babe, yous may feel only a few contractions after y'all've delivered the placenta. If you've had a baby before, you may proceed to experience occasional contractions for the next day or 2. These then-called afterbirth pains can feel like strong menstrual cramps. If they bother you, ask for pain medication such as Ibuprofen, which is very effective against this crampy hurting.
  • You may as well take the chills or feel very shaky. This is perfectly normal and won't last long. Don't hesitate to inquire for a warm coating if yous need ane.
  • Your caregiver will examine the placenta to make sure it's all there. Then she'll bank check you lot thoroughly to spot any tears in your perineum that need to exist stitched.
  • If you tore or had an episiotomy, y'all'll get an injection of a local anesthetic before existence sutured. You may want to hold your newborn while you're getting stitches – it can be a cracking distraction. If you lot're feeling too shaky, ask your partner to sit down by your side and hold your new arrival while yous look at him.
  • If you had an epidural, an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist will come up past and remove the catheter from your dorsum. This takes merely a 2d and doesn't injure.

Coping tips

Unless your baby needs special care, be sure to insist on some quiet fourth dimension together. The eyedrops and vitamin K tin expect a trivial while. Yous and your partner volition want to share this special time with each other as yous become acquainted with your new baby and revel in the miracle of birth.

Learn more

  • Read what others moms say about what labor feels like
  • Get 10 tips for labor coaches
  • Find out what other women fear near childbirth