Labour & birth: what to expect | Raising Children Network

Once labour starts, it has 3 stages. ... In this stage of labour, your contractions get stronger, longer, more frequent and often more painful. Skiptocontent Skiptonavigation VaginalbirthandcaesareanbirthAvaginalbirthisusuallythesafestwayforyourbabytobeborn.Butsometimeshealthproblemsorpregnancycomplicationsmightmakeacaesareanthesafestoptionforgivingbirth.Evenifyou’replanningavaginalbirth,it’sgoodtofindoutaboutgivingbirthviacaesarean.Youmightneedaplannedcaesareanformedicalreasonslikeplacentapraevia.Unplanned(emergency)caesareanscanhappenwhenthereareproblemsinpregnancyorduringlabour.It’salsoworthknowingthatbirthingmotherswho’vehadacaesareanbirthareusuallyphysicallyabletotryavaginalbirthaftercaesarean(VBAC)nexttimearound.Ifyou’rewonderingaboutyouroptionsforgivingbirth,it’salwaysgoodtotalkwithyourmidwifeordoctoraboutyourhealth,yourbaby’shealthandthebestoptionsforyou.YourduedateAbabybornafter37weeksisdescribedas‘term’.Aprematurebabyisonebornbeforethis–thatis,at36weeksand6daysorearlier.Ifyou’reworriedthatyoumightbeinlabourbutyou’renotyetduetohaveyourbaby,callyourmidwife,doctororhospitalassoonaspossible.Ifyou’vereachedyourduedateandhaven’tgoneintolabouryet,don’tworry.Veryfewbabiesarebornontheiractualduedates.Ifyouhaven’thadyourbabyby41weeks,you’llhavemorefrequentcheckstomakesureyourbabyishealthy.Yourdoctorormidwifewilltalkaboutoptionsforwhenyourbabyisoverdue.LaboursignsBeforelabourstarts,youmightexperience:ashowmorepressureinyourpelvisasbaby’sheadshiftslowerinyouruterusandintothepelviscrampinginyourlowerpelvis,abitlikeperiodpainmoreBraxtonHickscontractionsyourwatersbreakingeitherinaslowleakorabiggush–phonethehospitalorletyourmidwifeknow.Youmightbeinlabourifyou:feellabourcontractionsthatlastforaminuteormorehavecontractionsthatarecomingatregularintervalshavecontractionsthataregettingstronger,longerandmorefrequent.Ifyouhaveoneormoreoftheselaboursigns,callyourmidwife,doctororhospitalstraightaway.Ifyou’rehavingyourbabyinahospitalorbirthcentre,themidwiveswillletyouknowwhentocomein.Ifyou’rehavingahomebirth,yourmidwifewillcometoyourhome.Theprofessionalsthathelpyouduringbirthwilldependonyourbirthsetting.Youcanreadmoreaboutgivingbirthatapublichospital,privatehospital,birthcentreorhomebirth.StagesoflabourOncelabourstarts,ithas3stages.FirststageoflabourInthisstageoflabour,yourcontractionsgetstronger,longer,morefrequentandoftenmorepainful.Thesecontractionshelptosoftenyourcervixsothatitstartstodilate.Whenyourcervixisdilatedtoabout4-5cm,you’reinestablishedlabour.Yourmidwifemightdointernalexaminationstoseewhetheryourcervixisdilating.Onceyou’reinestablishedlabour,thesecondstageoflabourwillprobablystartwithinabout12hours.Butthiscanvary,anditcanoftentakelongerinafirstpregnancy.SecondstageoflabourThisstagestartswhenyourcervixisfullydilatedatabout10cm.Yourmidwifemightdoaninternalexaminationtocheck.Thisstageoflabourgenerallyinvolvespushingtohelpwithbirthingyourbaby.Inthisstage,yourcontractionswillusuallybelongerandfurtherapart.You’llfeeltheurgetopush.Themidwiveswillencourageyoutogowithyourbody’surgetopushwitheachcontractionandrestinbetween.Eachpushhelpsmoveyourbabydownthebirthcanal.Towardstheend,you’llbeabletofeelyourbaby’sheadattheopeningofyourvagina.Youmightneedtoeaseoffonyourpushing,soyourbaby’sheadandbodycancomeoutgently.Ifallgoeswell,youoryourmidwifecanliftbabyupontoyourchestassoonasyourbabyisborn.Youcanmeetyourbaby,haveskin-to-skincontact,andstartbreastfeeding.Thisstageusuallytakesupto2hours.Itcanbetiringandintense,sodowhatyouneedtodotogetthroughthisstageandstayascomfortableasyoucan.Yourmidwifeordoctorwillbewithyouconstantlyduringthisstage.Andyoucanalsodrawonthesupportofyourbirthpartnerandothersupportpeople.ThirdstageoflabourThisisafteryourbabyisborn.It’swhentheplacentacomesout.Youmighthaveaninjectiontohelpwithdeliveringtheplacenta.You’llstillfeelsomecontractions,buttheywon’tbeasintenseastheearliercontractions.Thisstageusuallytakes20-30minutes,butitcantakeuptoanhour.Skin-to-skincontactisgreatforyouandyourbaby.Itcalmsandsoothesyourbaby,andhelpsthemtobreastfeedwell.Italsohelpsyoubondwithyourbaby.Ifyouandyourbabyarebothwell,it'sgoodtohaveskin-to-skincontactforanhourormoresoonafterbirth.AfterbirthAfterbirth,adoctorormidwifewillcheckthatyouandyourbabyarebothwell.YourbabywillbegivenanApgarscore,andtheirumbilicalcordwillbecutwhenappropriate.Onceyourbabyhasfedandyou’rereadyforashower,themidwifewillweigh,measureandcarefullyexaminebabyandgivebabyvitaminKandhepatitisBinjections(withyourpermission).Ifyougivebirthatahospitalorbirthcentre,you’llmostlikelybetransferredtothepostnatalwardafewhoursafterthebirth.Ifyouandyourbabygohomewithin24hoursofbirthorsooner,yourbabywillhavenewbornscreeningtestsathomeoratthehospital.Ifyouhaveahomebirth,yourmidwiveswillstayatyourhomeforseveralhoursafterthebirththencomebackagaintocheckonyouandyourbabywithin12-24hours.Iftherearehealthconcernsforyouoryourbaby,themidwiveswillarrangetotransferyouandyourbabytoahospital.