What are the 3 stages of childbirth? What can you do during early labour? When do you admit yourself to the hospital for delivery?

The first stage of childbirth is labour, which is in turn broken down into three phases: Early, active, and transitional.

Phase 1: Early (Latent) Labour
You'll experience mild to moderate contractions that last 30 to 45 seconds and are spaced 5 to 20 minutes apart.

It's important to try to relax as much as you can during the early phases of labour — you'll need to save your strength for later on.

If it's nighttime, do what you can to get some sleep (when your contractions become more insistent, you won't be able to).

If it's daytime, keep yourself busy. Cook a few more dishes to add to your freezer stash, fold some baby clothes, and do the rest of the laundry so you can come home to an empty hamper. You can also try taking a walk, which might even kick up the contractions a notch (don't go anywhere without a mobile phone and make sure the battery is charged). Eat a light snack if you're hungry, but avoid fatty foods and don't overeat.

Don't worry about obsessively timing contractions at this point, but do check periodically to see whether they're getting closer together. Lastly, make sure you use the bathroom often — a full bladder can get in the way of labour (or get a quick shower to make yourself comfortable). Most women will head to the hospital between the first two phases of labour — as the early phase ends and the active phase begins.