There is no birth that is "normal". We are all going to have very different experiences when bringing our babies into the world, but gaining a basic understanding of the normal progression of labor may be beneficial in navigating your child birth journey. You may have learned all these things in your childbirth education class or never before, but here's a useful resource for all expecting parents.
Labor is broken down into 3 stages: early labor, active labor, and transition
Early Labor
What are the first signs of early labor?
At this point, you may be experiencing mild, inconsistent contractions that could be similar to that of menstrual cramps. You may have loose stool, mucousy discharge, and flu like symptoms. You may be experiencing a wide range of emotions from excitement to fear to anticipation. Labor can start at all times of day, but many women go into labor in the middle of the night. This is a great time to sleep! You can save up your energy for when your labor gets more intense. The cervix is beginning to soften, efface, and dilate. Go about your normal routine. Your labor doula will not be needed yet, but you may want to call her to give an update on your status or ask any questions that you may have. Early labor typically lasts 12-24 hours.
Active Labor
How is active labor different?
Once you are in active labor the cervix has dilated to 4cm. At this stage, you may find it much more difficult to carry on with your normal activities and will have to stop during contractions. Contractions will be occurring at regular intervals lasting about 1 minute and coming every 3-5 minutes. If this is your first baby, this stage typically lasts 6-10 hours. You will want to gather your support people and head to your desired birthing location. Focus on relaxing between contractions. Most physicians wait until you are in active labor to give an epidural.
Transition
This is the stage of labor that is depicted most often in movies. As the media has been SO great at showing, this is the most intense and often the shortest stage of labor. The cervix will be dilated 7-10 cm. Contractions can be expected to last 90 seconds and come every 2 minutes. It is time to start pushing once the cervix is completely dilated. The duration of pushing will vary from person to person and will be dependent upon factors such as whether or not this is your first baby. First time moms can expect to push anywhere from 30 mins- 3 hours and second time moms can expect a shorter span of 30-60 minutes. Even if you change your plan at this point and decide you want an epidural, it is not too late.
Having a better understanding of what to expect can help to dissipate fears associated with labor.