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Ask A Doula
Questions and Answer

Q. I want to know how many stages there are in childbirth. I need the information as soon as possible because I need to prepare a seven to nine minute speech.

A. There are three stages of labor. First stage includes dilation and effacement of the cervix to 10 centimeters. The laboring mother's best ally is relaxation, as the more she gets out of the way of her uterus, the easier it is for the uterus to do its job of opening up the cervix.

Second stage involves the birth of the baby. The laboring mother often times feels an urge to 'push' and she follows that urge to help her baby descend, rotate and emerge.

Third stage involves the birth of the placenta. If the baby suckles at the breast, the placenta usually delivers within 20 minutes.

Hope this helps, and good luck with your presentation. If you need more help, please ask, I could talk for hours about the stages of labor!

Ilana Stein has been working professionally with pregnant women since 1983 as a childbirth educator, labor assistant and breastfeeding consultant. She was originally certified by the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth (The Bradley Method), The Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators (ALACE), and Doulas of North America (DONA). She teachs the ALACE Labor Assistant training workshop nationwide. She has spoken at conferences and at the New York University Graduate Program in Midwifery about labor support. She is a Positive Pregnancy and Parenting Fitness (PPPF) instructor and La Leche League Leader. She is also a certified personal trainer and fitness instructor at the local YMCA. She volunteers as the coordinator of the annual New York Area YM-YWCA Women’s Wellness Weekend.