What Stage of the Birth Process Is the Longest and Most Taxing to the Mother?

4 stages of labor

Learn more about what to expect during each of the 4 stages of labor

Whether this is your first pregnancy or not, y'all may not be enlightened of everything that happens to your body during labor. Labor happens in four stages:

  • First stage: Dilation of the cervix (oral fissure of the uterus)
  • Second stage: Delivery of the baby
  • Tertiary stage: Afterbirth where you push out the placenta
  • 4th stage: Recovery

Stage 1: Dilation

During the offset stage of labor, the neck begins to thin and amplify (open) due to the hormones that are released during labor. For a vaginal delivery, the cervix must be fully dilated (virtually ten centimeters) for the baby to pass through.

The first stage of labor begins from the time the contractions kickoff until the fourth dimension the cervix is fully dilated. Information technology's the longest of the iv stages and divided into three phases:

1. Early phase

The early stage is also called the latent phase. Information technology's the longest and can last up to 20 hours, particularly for first-time mothers. A typical early phase of labor starts with contractions coming every 5 to 20 minutes and lasting for 30 to 60 seconds each. Contraction pains are non as severe as the active phase.

  • At the start of the early phase, the contractions are milder, shorter and irregular.
  • As labor progresses, contractions go stronger, regular and more frequent.
  • When the contractions come up every 5 minutes, information technology is time to visit the hospital.

During the early phase, the neck opens to nearly three centimeters (1 inch). As the cervix begins to open, a gluey, jelly-similar, pink or slightly encarmine discharge called "bear witness" may come up out of the vagina. This is the fungus plug that blocks the cervical opening during pregnancy.

The fetal membranes often rupture in the early stage of labor and the amniotic fluid leaks or gushes out. This is chosen "water breaking" and is painless. If your h2o breaks or if you experience significant vaginal haemorrhage, you need to contact your medico.

ii. Active stage

Later on the cervix dilates to around 3 centimeters (1 inch), the active phase of labor begins.

  • Contractions get stronger, more than painful, and occur every two-3 minutes, without much time to relax in between contractions.
  • The cervix starts dilating faster and will proceed to open till about 8 centimeters (three inches). The baby'due south caput will descend farther and farther into the pelvis.
  • If it hasn't already, your water breaks and you may experience force per unit area in your lower back.

3. Transitional phase

During the transitional phase, the cervix will open up to about 8-ten centimeters (3-iv inches), which is the diameter needed for the babe to laissez passer through.

  • Contractions become intense, occurring about every two-3 minutes and lasting for 60 seconds or more.
  • At this point, the legs may balk and you may feel shaky or nauseated. Some women choose to receive pain medication such every bit tranquilizers and regional blocks similar epidurals.
  • The baby's head continues to descend more into the pelvis.
  • By the stop of the transitional phase, a birth canal volition have formed. This is a single passage of the open up womb, cervix and vagina for the babe to pass through.

Phase two: Delivery

The second phase of labor begins when the cervix is fully dilated to 10 centimeters and ends with the delivery of the baby. This stage may last betwixt 20 minutes to two hours. It may take longer for first-time mothers and for those who have an epidural.

  • Strong and regular contractions come every 1-iii minutes and concluding for 45-75 seconds. Equally each contraction increases, you may feel the urge to behave downwards and push button.
  • Your doctor may inquire you to push to help the baby move through the nascence culvert. With each contraction and push button, the infant moves farther down into the pelvis, through the birth culvert.
  • At the stop of stage two, the top of the baby's head emerges at the opening of the vagina. This is called "crowning." The baby's caput will work to stretch out the vagina. An episiotomy may be administered at this stage.
  • Your doctor may enquire you to finish pushing to prevent or minimize tears in the perineal area and ease out the babe's head slowly.
  • Later the babe's head is delivered, the shoulders and the rest of the baby's body will follow. The airway of the baby will be cleared to assistance the baby take their kickoff breath. The umbilical string would exist clamped and the cord is cut.

Stage 3: Afterbirth

The third stage of labor begins after the baby is born and ends with pushing out the placenta through the vagina. Typically, this occurs betwixt five-30 minutes after childbirth.

  • Contractions brainstorm again, helping the placenta to separate from the wall of the uterus. Your doctor may ask yous to push while they pull gently on the umbilical cord and massage the uterus to help the placenta come up out.
  • The placenta is examined to ensure that it is intact. Fragments, if any, are likewise removed to foreclose bleeding and infection.
  • The uterus will proceed to contract later the delivery of the placenta to help it return to its normal size.
  • Medication may exist given earlier or after the placenta is pushed out to encourage uterine contractions and minimize bleeding.
  • If stitches are required because of a tear or an episiotomy, your dr. will perform the suturing under local anesthesia.

SLIDESHOW

Conception: The Amazing Journey from Egg to Embryo Run into Slideshow

Phase 4: Recovery

Recovery begins during the get-go ii-3 hours later on delivery. During this fourth dimension, the uterus contracts here and at that place, pushing out what's left inside and reestablishing musculus tone.

These contractions are hastened by breastfeeding, which stimulates the product of the hormone oxytocin. During this time, you may experience:

  • Tremors and chills
  • Discomfort from pain, episiotomy, tears, or hemorrhoids
  • Weakness and dizziness, especially while standing upwardly
  • Difficulty urinating due to swelling in the genital surface area

When you tin, yous may take a warm shower and then rest while recovering from the stress of labor and childbirth. Y'all can besides start breastfeeding as needed. Keeping skin-to-peel contact with the baby is the all-time mode to help the baby learn to breastfeed and keep them warm and calm.

Your partner tin also use pare-to-skin contact to assistance go on the baby warm if you don't feel up to it. Your baby will besides be cared for or monitored during this time by a neonatologist.

Daily Wellness News

Trending on MedicineNet

Medically Reviewed on 6/x/2021

References

Milton SH. Normal Labor and Delivery. Medscape. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/260036-overview

Hutchison J, Mahdy H, Hutchison J. Stages of Labor. In: StatPearls [Net]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544290/

National Wellness Service. The Stages of Labour and Nativity. https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/what-happens/the-stages-of-labour-and-birth/

MedicineNet. Medical Definition of Fourth Stage of Labor. https://www.medicinenet.com/fourth_stage_of_labor/definition.htm

Kaiser Permanente. The Four Stages of Labor. https://wa.kaiserpermanente.org/healthAndWellness/index.jhtml?item=/common/healthAndWellness/pregnancy/birth/laborStages.html

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Source: https://www.medicinenet.com/what_are_the_4_stages_of_labor/article.htm

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