Sound Advice Expert answers to your questions. The stages of labour Although pregnancy books and childbirth classes divide labour neatly into three stages, every woman's experience is different. For first-time mothers, labour and delivery averages 14 hours, although for plenty of women the process lasts more than 20, and for a few it's much quicker.
Subsequent deliveries average around eight hours.
The first stage of labour results in the cervix dilating to a full 10 centimetres and consists of early, active, and transitional phases. What happens During the early phase, or latency period, when the cervix is warming up for labour, effacing and dilating up to five cms, you'll probably be able to potter around the house, take a walk, watch a video, take a warm bath, or maybe even take a nap. How long it lasts This phase can take from 12 to 14 hours, although it is often considerably shorter for second and subsequent babies. What it feels like Usually, these contractions are regular and intense and much more painful than Braxton Hicks contractions. Sometimes the contractions in latent labour can be quite painful and still progress slowly.