- Early labor
- Active Labor
- Transition
The benchmark for the transition from one stage to the next is based upon how dilated the cervix is. Early labor ends when the cervix has dilated to three centimeters. The contractions are not terribly intense during this early phase. Active labor is more active. The contractions become more regular and intense. Typically, doctors advise that they should be called when contractions are coming about every 5 minutes. This phase ends when the cervix has dilated to seven centimeters.
The transition phase is the one typically shown in movies, where the woman is screaming. The contractions are incredibly intense and there is little break between each one. This phase ends when the cervix has dilated to ten centimeters. At this point, the woman is ready to begin pushing, which takes us to the next stage.
The second stage begins with full dilation and ends with the birth of the newborn (American Pregnancy Association, 2017). It can take from twenty minutes to a couple of hours, although in most cases it’s between 10-40 minutes. Usually, the first pregnancy takes the longest, because with subsequent pregnancies, the woman has experience pushing. Contractions usually come about every 2-3 minutes. Typically, the woman feels the urge to push. Normally the head is delivered first. When the head finally appears, it is referred to as crowning (Pregnancy Association, 2017). The baby is then rotated so that one shoulder can come through and then the other shoulder. The rest of the baby quickly passes through. The baby’s mouth and nose are suctioned out. The umbilical cord is clamped and cut.
The third stage is relatively painless in comparison to the other stages. During this stage, the placenta or afterbirth is delivered. This typically occurs within 20 minutes after the delivery of the baby. If tearing of the vagina occurred during birth, the tear may be stitched at this time.(33)
Cesarean Birth
Cesarean delivery, also called c-section, is surgery to deliver a baby. The baby is taken out through the mother’s abdomen. Most cesarean births result in healthy babies and mothers. But c-section is major surgery and carries risks. Healing also takes longer than with vaginal birth.
Most healthy pregnant women with no risk factors for problems during labor or delivery have their babies vaginally. Still, the cesarean birth rate in the United States has risen greatly in recent decades. Today, nearly 1 in 3 women have babies by c-section in this country. The rate was 1 in 5 in 1995. Public heath experts think that many c-sections are unnecessary and The World Health Organization recommends that cesarean section be performed only when medically necessary.
Reasons for C-sections
Doctors may recommend a c-section if she or he thinks it is safer for mother or baby than vaginal birth. Some c-sections are planned. But most c-sections are done when unexpected problems happen during delivery. Even so, there are risks of delivering by c-section. Limited studies show that the benefits of having a c-section may outweigh the risks when:
- The mother is carrying more than one baby (twins, triplets, etc.)
- The mother has health problems, including HIV infection, herpes infection, and heart disease
- The mother has dangerously high blood pressure
- The mother has problems with the shape of her pelvis
- There are problems with the placenta
- There are problems with the umbilical cord
- There are problems with the position of the baby, such as breech
- The baby shows signs of distress, such as a slowed heart rate
- The mother has had a previous c-section (note: it is possible in some cases to have a vaginal birth after having a prior c-section)
Attributions
“Approaches to Birth, Birth, and Complications” by Troianne T. Grayson, Mary Wuergler, and Michael Konrad, Child and Adolescent Psychology is licensed under CC BY 4.0
“The Process of Delivery” by Nicole Arduini-Van Hoose, Child Psychology is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
