Childbirth: Signs of Labor, the Three Stages, and Pain Relief Options

What it is

Childbirth is the process of giving birth: labor and the delivery of the baby and the placenta — the organ that feeds the fetus food and oxygen through the umbilical cord.

A full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks, and labor — the body's preparation for birth — usually begins between 37 and 42 weeks. Preterm labor starts before 37 completed weeks and can lead to a premature birth, which can bring serious health risks for the baby.

Signs of labor

• regular contractions coming closer together;
• fluid leaking or bleeding from the vagina;
• a low, dull backache;
• cramps in the belly.

The signs, when labor starts and how long it takes can differ with each pregnancy. Call your health care provider if you have any signs of labor — even before your due date.

The three stages

1. Contractions to full dilation. This stage can last hours or days, until the cervix has thinned and opened (dilated) to about 4 inches — wide enough for the baby to pass.
2. Pushing and birth. You push downward; crowning is when the baby's scalp comes into view, and the baby is born soon after.
3. The placenta. You deliver the placenta, and your provider cuts the umbilical cord.

Induced labor: sometimes medicines or other methods are used to start labor — usually only when the due date has passed or a problem puts the mother's or baby's health at risk.

Delivery: mother and baby are closely monitored throughout. Birth is usually vaginal, through the birth canal; if there are complications, it may be a cesarean section, delivering the baby surgically through the abdomen and uterus.

Pain relief

How much pain there is depends on the baby's size and position, how comfortable you are with the process, and the strength of your contractions. Options include:

• medicines, which reduce pain without stopping it completely;
• natural methods that ease pain without medicine — relaxation techniques, a birthing ball, massage, or a bath or shower;
• a combination of both.

Talk with your provider about your options, risks and benefits before your due date.

Sources

Based on "Childbirth," MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, drawing on the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; a work of the United States government in the public domain.