Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

4-25-2025

Keywords

active labor, amniotic sac, childbirth, contractions, early labor, first stage of labor, labor, rest, transition stage

Disciplines

Developmental Psychology

Abstract

Labor, or the process through which a baby is born, is separated into three primary stages. The first stage begins at the onset of labor and ends when the cervix reaches a 10-centimeter dilation. This first stage is comprised of three sub-stages: early labor, active labor, and transition. The early labor phase begins at the onset of labor and ends when the women’s cervix is 3 centimeters dilated. This phase generally takes place over 8-12 hours at which point the cervix begins to open up (i.e., dilate) and thin out.  During this phase, contractions, which are the uterine muscles tightening and releasing, begin to occur and take place in intervals. The contractions in this phase are approximately 30-45 seconds with anywhere between a few minutes to half of an hour in between. At this point, the contractions are generally mild and variable, but will become increasingly frequent and intense.

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