Question: what are the four stages of labor in their proper order?
Answer: First stage of labor. Thinning (effacement) and opening (dilation) of the cervix. During the first stage of labor, contractions help your cervix to thin and begin to open. ... 
Second stage of labor. Your baby moves through the birth canal. ... 
Third stage of labor. Afterbirth. ... 
Fourth stage of labor. Recovery.