a. The Stages of Labour and Delivery
During the nine months of your pregnancy, your baby has been growing in your uterus. The uterus is a pocket made of very strong muscles which stretch as your baby grows. The neck of the uterus, called the cervix, opens into the vagina. During your pregnancy the cervix is thick and is closed with a mucous plug.
During labour, the muscles of the uterus tighten and relax to open up the cervix and help the baby move out of the uterus. This tightening is called a contraction
Labour is divided into three stages. By learning about and practicing breathing, relaxation, and other comfort measures, you can prepare yourself for all stages of labour.
1. First Stage
The cervix thins out (effaces) and opens up (dilates). During the first stage of labour, which lasts between 12 and 18 hours, your cervix gradually dilates from 1 to 10 cm and becomes 100% effaced.
The following animation allows you to visualize the dilatation of the cervix.
2. Second Stage
When your cervix has opened to 10cm, it is fully dilated and large enough for the baby to pass through. The second stage, which takes between 2 to 3 hours ends with the delivery.
This is what happens during delivery.
3. Third Stage
The third stage, which takes about 5 to 30 minutes, involves the expulsion of the placenta. The placenta that fed your baby in the uterus comes out in the same way as the baby.