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Ask A Doula
Questions and Answer

Q. Hi! I am student in the high school level and I need to know the three stages of childbirth for a Health project.

A.

First stage

• Prodromal (not everyone has this, but its fairly common, can last a few days, contractions come and go and never get stronger longer and closer together)
• early or latent - up to 3-4cms (can last anywhere from 20 minutes to 20 hours)
• active - up to 7-8cms (can last anywhere from 20 minutes to many many hours but is usually shorter than latent)
• transition - up to 10cms or completely dilated (lasts the shortest and is the most intense)

Second stage

• early or resting phase (sometimes accompanied by an urge to push, sometimes not- can last up to 4 hours if only it was allowed!)
• active or pushing (irresistible urge to push usually lasts about two hours)
• crowning - when baby's head is being born

Third stage

Delivery of the placenta - can take anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour or so

Hope this helps and I am very encouraged to hear that you are working on this in high school.

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.