First stage of labour

The first stage of labour
The first signs
After days or weeks of impatiently waiting for labour to start, it can be difficult to tell just when labour begins.

First stage of labour
Contractions open up the cervix. In the very early part of the first stage you may have short contractions every 20 minutes or so.

First stage of labour

During pregnancy your cervix is closed and plugged with mucus, to keep out infection. Your cervix is long from top to bottom and firm, giving a strong base to your uterus (womb).

First stage of labour information sources


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The first stage of labour results in the opening of the cervix, the neck of the uterus. The second stage starts when your cervix has dilated 10cm and you start pushing your baby out.

The first stage of labour is the slow opening of your cervix (neck of the womb), which happens with regular contractions of your uterus.
When your cervix is fully opened (dilated) the delivery (birth) of your baby follows.

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A typical human childbirth will begin the onset of the first stage of labour: contractions of the uterus, at first every 10-30 minutes and lasting about 40 seconds each.

The objective of this RCT was to address an identified knowledge gap by determining the effect of routine enemas used during the first stage of labour on puerperal and neonatal infection rates.

The first stage of labour is also called the stage of dilatation. The second stage lasts from the full dilatation of the cervix until the baby is completely out of the birth canal and has been born.

The jury's still out: some studies suggest the first stage of labour may be shortened through labouring in water but that the second stage can take longer.

Most women's waters break at the end of the first stage of labour, when the cervix (neck of the womb) is almost fully dilated. But for around 15% of pregnancies, breaking waters is the first sign of labour.It can be a gush of up to a litre or just a ...

ambermiracle- Ive been like that with all my labours even being induced I just dont feel first stage of labour by the time i get to the hospital with pain u can gaurantee its really bad an I'm 6-7cm dilated my longest labour with pain i actually felt ...

Cluett ER, et al. (2004). Randomised controlled trial of labouring in water compared with standard of augmentation for management of dystocia in first stage of labour. BMJ, 328(7435): 314-320.
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The membranes which make up the sac may occasionally rupture naturally as labour begins, but usually remain intact until the end of the first stage of labour. The membranes may also be broken by a midwife or doctor to speed up labour.

Pethidine: in both early labour and a little later on, as it's action is shorter and less likely to affect the baby.
Meptazinol: up to late in the first stage of labour because of it's minimal effects on the baby.

See also: Pregnancy, Contractions, Contraction, Due date, Midwife