Labor Stages Part 2

Welcome back! For last week’s blog, we talked about navigating the first labor stage, which is classified from the onset of labor until pushing. This week we will continue with the seconds and third stage, pushing and the birth of the placenta! Let’s dive into this week’s blog; Labor stages part 2!

A recap of last week

For those who are starting here, we encourage you to go back and read last week’s blog, “Navigating early labor stages”! In last week’s blog, we explained that early labor is broken down into three subcategories, early labor, transitional labor, and active labor. Early labor is considered to start at the onset of labor and usually is experienced at home; active labor is when labor intensifies. During active labor, all of the laboring person’s energy is typically used to focus on contractions. Transitional labor is the last stage before pushing begins.

Pushing

The next stage of labor is pushing; you have made it through early labor, you’ve come so far, and are so close! Now it is time to push. Pushing is the stage that comes after transitional labor once the cervix is fully dilated. Pushing can take anywhere from thirty minutes to three hours. There are two different methods commonly used, coached pushing and passive descent. Let’s go over them!

Coached pushing– Coached pushing is when the medical provider or nurse coaches the birthing person on when and how to push. The person coaching will direct to take a deep breath and hold it in and then push. Coached pushing is done during each contraction until the baby is born.

Passive decent– Passive decent is when the birthing person takes cues from their own body and waits to push until it feels like it is no longer possible to stay. This technique focuses on bringing the baby down into the vaginal canal entirely before beginning to push.

Frequently a mixture of the two methods can be very beneficial! Want to learn more about this? Ask our doulas!

Helpful comfort measures

Pushing is considered to be the most intense part of labor for many. Switching labor positions can be extremely helpful. During this time, it is important that your support team is focused. Many different comfort measures can help. A cool washcloth on the nape of your neck, Counter pressure on your hips or having someone to breathe with you through your contractions can all be helpful. We recommend going over different comfort measures while pregnant and familiarizing yourself with options.

Birth of the Placenta

Congratulations! Your baby has arrived. Now it is time for the birth of the placenta! This is considered to be the final stage of labor. The delivery of the placenta typically takes anywhere from five to thirty minutes. Birth of the placenta can be done naturally or with an administration of Pitocin.

Tying it all together

Labor is a process! There are many phases, and with each comes struggle, reward, and movement closer to meeting your baby! Please remember that each birth is different; today, we spoke about natural labor progression, but there are many different ways to birth your baby! If you feel like you would benefit from additional support and information, please contact us at Bay City Doulas. Our team is here to help!

Thank you for reading this weeks’ blog, ” Labor Stages part 2″. For more information and inside tips on all things pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and parenthood, please visit our other weekly blogs.