Waiting for your new baby to arrive is a period of joy and excitement--however, the time it takes to deliver your baby can't be estimated right down to the hour. If this is your first pregnancy, labor generally lasts between 12 to 18 hours on average, says the Merck Manuals Online Medical Dictionary, with subsequent labor and delivery taking less time--typically between six and eight hours. Labor and delivery has three phases, each characterized by certain indicators that tell you that your newborn is on her way.
Signs of Labor
Labor is about to begin when you feel as though your baby is lower in your belly, states the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, or ACOG. Also known as "lightening," this occurs when your baby's head moves deeper into your pelvis. You may also notice increased vaginal discharge that's clear, pink or tinged with blood as the mucus plug around your cervix is pushed into your vagina. The sac that surrounds your baby ruptures. When your water breaks, you may experience a gush or trickle of water from your vagina either several hours before labor begins or at some point during labor. A regular pattern of cramps that feel like a bad backache or menstrual cramps marks the onset of labor, says the ACOG.
Stage One
Labor itself is divided into two phases, early labor and active labor, says MayoClinic.com. During early labor, your cervix begins to dilate. Contractions begin every five to 20 minutes, lasting between 30 seconds to a full minute. Because early labor is unpredictable, this phase can last hours--but it can also last for days, especially if this is your first baby. During active labor, your cervix dilates even more and contractions become longer and stronger; sometimes one contraction bleeds into the next. If you're not at the hospital, this is the time to go, stresses Mayo.Clinic.com. Active labor usually lasts around eight hours, but some women have longer periods of active labor than others. If you've given birth before, active labor typically doesn't last as long.
Stage Two
The second stage of labor is when your newborn is delivered, says MayoClinic.com. This can take only a few minutes, but it can also take hours--this is generally the case if you're a first-time mother or if you've had an epidural. The Merck Manuals Online Medical Dictionary indicates that delivery can take an additional hour if you have an epidural or use sedation. MayoClinic.com states that your doctor may encourage you to push with each contraction to hasten along delivery. After your baby's head emerges, his airway is cleared and the umbilical cord freed before the rest of his body follows.
Stage Three
The last stage of childbirth is the delivery of the placenta, which MayoClinic.com states can take around five or 10 minutes, but sometimes up to a half-hour. You'll still have mild contractions. Your doctor may massage your belly to aid this process along, and you might be encouraged to push a final time to deliver the placenta. If you require stitches, a local anesthetic is injected before the doctor sutures the wounded area. Medication may also be offered to provide relief from residual contractions and pain. However, once delivery is complete, it's time to bond with your newborn. You may want to breastfeed within the first hour of birth.
Problems With Delivery
A normal vaginal delivery may be pre-empted by problems during labor, says MayoClinic.com. If your labor doesn't progress or if your baby is too large, in an unwieldy position or either you or your baby's health is compromised, you may require a cesarean delivery, or c-section, a surgical procedure in which your baby is removed through an incision in your abdomen. Some c-sections are planned, says MayoClinic.com, but sometimes, the need for this procedure isn't evident until you're well into labor.
