Birth has distinctive characteristics.
Stages Of Childbirth
- Early Labour
- Active Labour
- Giving Birth
- Directly After Birth
- A Little While After Birth
Early Labour
| Dilation / Contractions | Mama | Baby |
| • ~1-4 cm dilated • ~ 4-10 minutes apart • ~ 20-45 seconds long | • Talking normally • Fully dressed • Strong desire to prepare her space • Awareness of others • Short & light contractions • Contractions regular or irregular • Aware, present, excited, uncertain, chatty, sharing feelings • May need to poop • Mucus plug or bloody show in undies • Prefers to rock back-to-front (not side-to-side) • Rest/ sleep | • Baby is engaged in the top of the pelvis or is trying to engage. • Try this deep supported squat to help baby engage. |
Active Labour
| Dilation / Contractions | Mama | Baby |
| • ~5-7cm dilated • 3-6 minutes apart • 60-75 seconds long | • No longer chatty • Seeks to cocoon w/ partner or alone • Surges frequent, longer & more intense • Labour requires full focus • Eyes closed • Removes clothing • Enjoys leaning forward position • Rocks side-to-side • Less responsive to questions—one word replies • Mucus plug or bloody show in undies • May make deep sounds (e.g. moaning) to focus energy • Noises are lower & lower in tone | • Baby is turning into position for birth. |
| • ~8-9cm dilated • 2 to 3 minutes apart • 60-75 seconds long | • Fully “within herself” and focused • May sleep between contractions • Buries face, grabs hands for support, changes positions to seek comfort • Membranes often rupture (if not probably rupture pushing) • Lots of pressure in bum • Feels like “needs to poop” • May say or think “I can’t do this anymore” • Seeks stability/ encouragement from doula, midwife, partner • May make “primal” sounds • Sounds lower in tone as she begins involuntarily pushing |
Giving Birth
| Dilation / Contractions | Mama | Baby |
| • ~10cm dilated • 2 to 3 minutes apart • 60-75 seconds long | • Body involuntarily “pushing” • Adrenaline boost, suddenly more aware & awake • Naked (or just a bra) • Head down, eyes closed, knees bent • “Purple line” between buttocks • “I need to push” or “baby is coming” • Seeks hands to hold / “reassurance of the room” • Guttural sounds (deep, rough, loud) • Births in kneeling, standing, side-lying position • May want birth pool • Reaches to feel baby’s head (instinctual pacing) • Relief (resting, catching up to the moment), peace (silent, smile, content), ecstatic | • Urge to push is initiated by the position of the baby’s head in the pelvis • Baby comes through the birth canal, and out. • Baby is usually eyes closed. • Fluid is expelled through the baby’s nose, preparing the baby to breath. • Involuntarily, the baby’s head rotates ninety degrees (restitution). • The body usually follows in the next few surges. • Baby may be ‘caught’ by the mother and taken to her chest or by the partner or midwife and then passed to the mother. |
Directly After Birth
| Contractions | Mama | Baby |
| • Few more contractions bring placenta out | • The first embrace • May feel relief, shock, etc. • Breastfeed bub • Placenta comes out ~5 to 20 mins after | • Baby is in mama’s arms and on her chest • The first eye-to-eye contact • Baby is alert, may or may not cry • Warmth of chest and sound of heartbeat comforts baby • Crawls to breast to feed |
A Little While After Birth
| Mama | Baby |
| • Washes off and pees • Wants food and/or drink • Tired • Jumps into bed to sleep with bub • May feel relief, shock, etc. | • Baby is in mama’s arms • Baby is alert, eyes open • May or may not cry |
Much love,
Stephanie Renee Cluff
