First-time labours are usually slow and even a little boring at times! Early labour can take hours, even days. But there is plenty you can do to help yourself. And don't forget that a midwife is only a phone call away if you need reassurance.
Labor contractions usually cause discomfort or a dull ache in your back and lower abdomen, along with pressure in the pelvis. Contractions move in a wave-like motion from the top of the uterus to the bottom. Some women describe contractions as strong menstrual cramps.
Early labor
You'll likely feel mild, irregular contractions. As your cervix begins to open, you might notice a clear pink or slightly bloody discharge from your vagina. This is likely the mucus plug that blocks the cervical opening during pregnancy. How long it lasts: Early labor is unpredictable.
Early labor will last approximately 8-12 hours. Your cervix will efface and dilate to 4 centimeters. Contractions will last about 30-45 seconds, giving you 5-30 minutes of rest between contractions. Contractions are typically mild and somewhat irregular but become progressively stronger and more frequent.
Many women stay at home during early labour. This is often the longest part of the birthing process. It may last up to 2 to 3 days. Contractions are mild to moderate and shorter (about 30 to 45 seconds).
Problems with the uterus or placenta. Smoking cigarettes or using illicit drugs. Certain infections, particularly of the amniotic fluid and lower genital tract. Some chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, autoimmune disease and depression.
The other tricky part of early labour is that it can start and stop. Even contractions that are under 5 minutes apart can slow down again. This is why there are so many stories of parents being sent home from the hospital because they were not in 'active' labour yet.
Labour often takes time before it becomes established and the latent phase can be the longest part of your labour. This phase lasts on average 12-24 hours, but it can stop and start over several days or weeks. Every labour is different.
If your baby is not born after approximately 20 hours of regular contractions, you are likely to be in prolonged labor. Some health experts may say it occurs after 18 to 24 hours. If you are carrying twins or more, prolonged labor is labor that lasts more than 16 hours.
During the 1st stage of labour, contractions make your cervix gradually open (dilate). This is usually the longest stage of labour. At the start of labour, your cervix starts to soften so it can open. This is called the latent phase and you may feel irregular contractions.
For you, early contractions may feel quite painless or mild, or they may feel very strong and intense. The pain you feel can also differ from one pregnancy to the next, so if you've been in labor before you might experience something quite different this time around.
Second Stage or Active Labor
The second stage is the most painful stage of labor. The baby passes through the cervix, through the pelvis and birth canal, and out through the vaginal opening. On average, it takes one to three hours from the time that the cervix becomes fully dilated to the birth of the baby.
For most women, labor begins sometime between week 37 and week 42 of pregnancy. Labor that occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy is considered premature, or preterm.
This is when your cervix becomes soft and thin as it gets ready to open up (dilate) for your baby to be born. For this to happen, you'll start having contractions, which may be irregular and vary in frequency, strength and length. You may get lots of regular contractions and then they may slow down or stop completely.
During early labor, you may feel mild, irregular contractions. It's helpful during this stage to stay home where you're comfortable. When you have regular, painful contractions lasting one minute each and occurring at least every five minutes for more than two hours, it's time to go to the hospital.
If the pains you are having are real labor, walking will make the contractions come closer together and they will be stronger, but you will be able to cope with them better if you are standing or moving around.
First babies are less likely to be “on time” at 39 weeks, and more likely to be a little late, between 41 and 43 weeks. Among full-term pregnancies, first babies are born about 1.3 days later on average.
As the countdown to birth begins, some signs that labor is 24 to 48 hours away can include low back pain, weight loss, diarrhea — and of course, your water breaking.
The cervix can be dilated to 1 centimeter for weeks before the beginning of labor. This extent of dilation only signals that the cervix is starting to prepare for labor. Most pregnant women spend some time wondering when they will go into labor, especially as the due date draws near.
Checking for dilation does not induce labor unless the exam is used in conjunction with one or more common labor induction methods. A common intervention that may be offered during a cervical exam is called a “membrane sweep,” which is a procedure that can be performed if you are at least one centimeter dilated.