You will need to have an intravenous catheter, better known as an IV, in your hand or forearm. As the levels of oxytocin rise, your contractions will begin. Your nurse will continue to increase the amount of oxytocin infusing until your contractions are strong, two to three minutes apart, and lasting about sixty seconds. This combination will help dilate your cervix. Patience, perseverance, and pleasant thoughts will be a blessing right now.
Labor is divided into three stages.
The first stage begins with the onset of contractions and the dilation of your cervix and ends with complete cervical dilation. In early labor, your contractions are regular but still quite far apart. Cervical dilation in early labor is from 0 to 4 centimeters. During the active phase of labor, your cervix will dilate from 4 to 8 centimeters. Transition is the shortest phase of labor, beginning when your cervix is about 8 centimeters.