Active first stage of labour. Active labour is traditionally defined as commencing between 4cm and 5cm of cervical dilatation, although increasing evidence suggests that some women may not be in active labour before 6cm dilation.
Active labor
This is when you head to the hospital! Active labor usually lasts about 4 to 8 hours. It starts when your contractions are regular and your cervix has dilated to 6 centimeters.
If this is your first baby, active labour may take around eight hours. Active labour starts when your cervix dilates to 4cm and you're having regular contractions, and ends with the third stage when the placenta is delivered. If you've had a baby before, active labour is more likely to take about five hours.
Established labour is where your cervix has dilated to about 4cm and your contractions are stronger and more regular.
But just being dilated doesn't mean labor is definitely around the corner. You could be four centimeters dilated, and stay that way for weeks—or your cervix could be completely closed and you could find yourself in active labor hours later. Again, it's just a measure of progress.
When you arrive, we will evaluate you and your baby to check for labor progression. If you're less than 4 cm dilated: You might be sent home because your labor isn't active enough for hospital admission.
Compare the signs on the following page to know when true labor starts. When you arrive at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns, we will evaluate you, your baby and your labor progression. If you are less than 4 cm dilated and your labor isn't active enough for hospital admission, you might be sent home.
The active phase
Your cervix is also dilated around 4 to 7 centimeters. Someone who has never given birth before may be in active labor for around three to six hours; a person who's done it before might take one to three hours.
How can people speed up dilation? Medical interventions can speed up labor, but there are other ways to encourage dilation. They include moving around, rocking on an exercise ball, using relaxation techniques, and laughing. Dilation is a term that describes the widening of the cervical opening.
Realistically, how long does it take to dilate from 4cm to 10cm? According to the UK's NICE guidance, active labour with a first baby is likely to last from 8-12 hours, and is unlikely to last more than 18 hours.
With my third baby, I was 4 cm dilated for at least three weeks before giving birth. This is why 2nd-time births can go quickly – once you're in labour, a lot of the work has already taken place!
During early labor, your cervix will dilate up to 4-6 centimeters. You will experience mild, irregular contractions that feel similar to period cramps.
Dilation: Your Cervix Opens
Dilation is checked during a pelvic exam and measured in centimeters (cm), from 0 cm (no dilation) to 10 cm (fully dilated). Typically, if you're 4 cm dilated, you're in the active stage of labor; if you're fully dilated, you're ready to start pushing.
You can walk around with dilation of four or even five centimeters, but without regular contractions, you're not in labor.
Active labor. During active labor, your cervix will dilate from 6 centimeters (cm) to 10 cm. Your contractions will become stronger, closer together and regular. Your legs might cramp, and you might feel nauseated.
Try being upright
One of your biggest allies is gravity. When you are upright—standing, sitting or kneeling—the weight of your baby presses on the cervix, encouraging it to open. An upright position may also help get your baby into the best position for birth.
Typically, when we sit on the toilet, we are using the bathroom; so, naturally, we are accustomed to relaxing our pelvic floor while sitting on the toilet. A relaxed pelvic floor in combination with a supported squat can really help put that needed pressure on your cervix to help encourage dilation.
In simple terms, 1 cm is about one finger's width, and 3 cm is the width of two fingers. 4 cm dilated is when the two fingers are approximately 1 cm apart. The widest stretch of the two fingers is about 7 to 8 cm.
Stage one: active labor
During the active stage of labor, the cervix dilates to the following sizes: 4 cm, the size of a small cookie, such as an Oreo.
While a joint statement from medical organizations like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM) says that active labor should not be defined until the cervix is at least six centimeters dilated to avoid potential added risks to the parent and ...
Check for dilation.
Try to insert the tips of your fingers into your cervix. If one fingertip fits through your cervix, you're considered one centimeter dilated. If two fit, you're two centimeters dilated. If there's additional space in the opening, try to estimate how many fingertips would fit to determine dilation.
The cervix generally needs to be dilated to 10 centimeters before it's ready for the baby to pass through. Your cervix can be dilated to a couple of centimeters for a few weeks before delivery. This softening can cause the mucus plug to be dislodged and come out.
Generally, doctors are looking to admit individuals who have dilated to 3-4cm with consistent contractions that are five minutes apart and about a minute long.
When can you get an epidural? Typically, you can receive an epidural as early as when you are 4 to 5 centimeters dilated and in active labor. Normally, it takes about 15 minutes to place the epidural catheter and for the pain to start subsiding and another 20 minutes to go into full effect.