The First Stage of Labor

The first stage of labor starts from the beginning of true labor work until the neck of the uterus is completely dilated. This is the longest stage of all and lasts around eleven hours when it is a first baby and around seven when it is a posterior labor. It is also divided into three phases, which are the early stage, the active, and the phase of transition. Each phase has unique characteristics.

The Early Stage
During the early phase of the first stage of labor, the contractions happen each five to twenty minutes and they last from thirty to forty five seconds at the beginning, but as the phase continues, they last sixty to ninety seconds. In this phase the cervix expands gradually from three to four centimeters and erases completely.

The whole early phase of the first stage of the labor lasts six to seven hours in average in the first childbirth and around four to five hours in posterior labors. But the duration of the delivery is actually unpredictable because it is difficult to know exactly when it begins.

At the beginning of the early phase the contractions feel like menstrual cramps, with or without back pain. The membranes might break and a slight discharge is presented with blood. If you have been admitted into the hospital, the doctor will use a small plastic hook to break the water bag and this way help the process.

Towards the beginning of this phase it is possible that you might feel more comfortable in the warmth of your own house. You could try to rest or to sleep, or maybe prefer to be active. Some women feel the powerful impulse of cleaning their house. If you are hungry, don't eat heavy things, something light for example could be soup, bread or juice just in case you should need to receive anesthesia if complications come up later on. It is a good idea to measure the time between the contractions, but don't become obsessed with that.

If you are in your home and you start to feel more uncomfortable and your contractions start to become more frequent and intense, or if your water bag breaks, make sure to call your doctor.

There are a lot of women that also enjoy walking in their early stages of labor, as it is a way to find relief and to distract themselves, while there are other women that prefer to wait in bed. There are some hospitals that have restrictions on allowing women to walk during labor so you should ask your doctor about this.