How can I tell what stage of labour I am in?
There are three main stages of labour: the first, second and third stages. The first stage of labour is when the cervix is dilating up to 10cm (fully dilated). You will know how many centimetres you are dilated when the midwife does a vaginal examination. The second stage is when you are fully dilated and now actually pushing your baby out. This can require a lot of energy and inner strength so prepare yourself for some hard work! The third stage is after the baby is born and involves delivering the placenta or afterbirth. You may also hear some midwives mention the ‘transition phase’ – this is the time when you are changing to fully dilated. It is thought by some that this period of time is when women gather the strength for all the pushing. Some women (and partners) find that the woman’s voice and facial expressions change and they may even say some funny things. I even had one woman get up, put her coat on and say: ‘I’ve changed my mind, I think I’ll do this another day!
