Stages of Labor

- there are 3 Stages of Labor
- the length and duration of these 3 stages may vary slightly for each individual.

- the first stage of labor is when you are actively having contractions & officially diagnosed as being in labor.
- this can last a few hours or from to 8-14 hrs.

- the first stage of labor is divided into 2 phases.
- the latent phase is the first portion of the first stage.
- this is the slow, drawn out portion that everybody hates (and they're told, "no, you're not in labor, go home.")

- active phase is the second portion of the first stage of labor, and this is when the delivery process occurs at a faster rate.
- as labor is more predictable at this point and the progress is steady, patients are typically admitted to the hospital once they reach this point.

- the second stage of labor occurs when the cervix is maximally dilated (10 cm).
- this is usually when the mother is told she can push.
- for a first-time mother if she doesn't have an epidural, this second stage of labor can last 1-2 hrs
- with an epidural 2-3 hrs (an epidural can slow labor down).

- the third stage of labor begins after the baby is delivered until the placenta comes out.
- this stage can last up to 30 min