PregnancyStages of Labor — What Happens from First Contraction to Birth
Labor unfolds in three distinct stages: the opening of the cervix, the birth of the baby, and the delivery of the placenta. Honestly, when you know what happens in each stage, and what your body is doing and why, fear can turn into confidence. It can also help you get ready for one of the most physically demanding experiences of your life.
Overview of the Three Stages of Labor
Medical professionals divide labor into three stages. Each serves a specific physiological purpose, and each feels different.
Stage 1 is the longest. It begins when regular contractions start causing the cervix to dilate and ends when the cervix reaches 10 centimeters — full dilation. This stage has three phases: early labor, active labor, and transition. Most of your labor time will be spent here.
Stage 2 begins at full dilation and ends with the birth of the baby. This is the pushing stage. Your body shifts from opening the cervix to moving the baby down through the birth canal and out into the world.
Stage 3 begins immediately after the baby is born and ends with the delivery of the placenta. It’s the shortest stage, usually 5 to 30 minutes. In most cases, it happens with little effort while you’re focused on meeting your baby.
These stages aren’t arbitrary categories. They reflect real changes in what your uterus is doing. They reflect which hormones are dominant. These stages also reflect what you need from your support team. Knowing where you are in the process helps you pace yourself. It helps you choose coping techniques that fit what you're feeling. It helps you communicate with your care providers.
Stage 1 — Cervical Dilation
Stage 1 is about one thing: getting the cervix from closed to fully dilated at 10 centimeters. Your uterus does this with coordinated muscle contractions. These contractions pull the cervix open. These contractions also thin it out (a process called effacement). This stage can take hours or, for some first-time mothers, more than a day. It’s divided into three phases. The phases tend to feel more intense as you go.
Early Labor (Latent Phase)
Early labor begins when contractions become regular and the cervix starts to dilate, typically from 0 to about 6 centimeters. Contractions during this phase are usually mild to moderate, lasting 30 to 45 seconds and coming every 5 to 20 minutes apart. Many women describe them as strong period cramps. Many women also describe them as a tightening across the lower abdomen.
This is the longest phase of labor and the one most often spent at home. You might be in early labor for 6 to 12 hours. Sometimes it lasts longer. Honestly, the best strategy is to rest when you can, eat light meals, stay hydrated, and save your energy. Walk if it feels good. Take a warm shower. Time a few contractions so you can see the pattern. But don't fixate on the clock.
It can be difficult to know whether what you're feeling is the start of true labor or Braxton Hicks contractions. The key difference is that true labor contractions get longer over time. True labor contractions get stronger over time. True labor contractions get closer together over time. Braxton Hicks contractions are usually irregular. Braxton Hicks contractions often ease up if you change positions or lie down to rest.
Active Labor
Active labor is when things pick up. The cervix dilates from about 6 to 8 centimeters. Contractions get stronger. Contractions last 45 to 60 seconds. Contractions come every 3 to 5 minutes. The intensity increases noticeably. These contractions usually take all your attention, at least they did for me.
This is usually when you’ll head to the hospital or birth center, if you’re not there already. The 5-1-1 rule is a common guideline: go when contractions are 5 minutes apart, last 1 minute each, and have been consistent for 1 hour.
During active labor, coping strategies become essential. Breathing exercises — slow, rhythmic breathing during and between contractions — help activate the parasympathetic nervous system and keep your muscles from tensing against the contractions. Movement, position changes, counter-pressure on the lower back, warm water, and hypnobirthing techniques are all effective tools. This is often the point when some women decide to get an epidural or use other pain relief.
Transition
Transition is the final phase of Stage 1, taking the cervix from 8 to 10 centimeters. It's the shortest phase, usually 30 minutes to 2 hours. But it’s usually the most intense part by far. Contractions come every 2 to 3 minutes, last 60 to 90 seconds, and peak at their maximum strength. There’s often very little rest between contractions.
Transition often comes with nausea. REWRITTEN: Transition often comes with vomiting. REWRITTEN: Transition often comes with shaking. REWRITTEN: Transition often comes with swinging between feeling hot and cold. Emotionally, many women hit a wall. Thoughts like "I can't do this" or "I need this to stop" are extremely common and are actually a reliable sign that transition is almost over. Your support team should know this pattern and reassure you. When you feel like you can’t keep going, you’re usually close to the end of transition.
Transition is usually where all that prep pays off the most, at least in my experience. The breathing techniques you practiced, the relaxation cues your partner learned, the mental resilience you built through hypnobirthing — this is the moment they're designed for. Stay present. Take it one contraction at a time.
Stage 2 — Pushing and Birth
Once the cervix is fully dilated, your body shifts from opening to expelling. Stage 2 is the pushing stage. For first-time mothers, Stage 2 typically lasts 1 to 3 hours. For women who have given birth before, it can be as short as 15 to 30 minutes.
Many women experience a natural urge to push — a powerful, involuntary bearing-down sensation triggered by the baby's head pressing on the pelvic floor. This is called the Ferguson reflex. Other providers use directed pushing, and they coach you through each contraction. Research increasingly supports letting your body guide the pushing when possible.
As the baby moves down through the birth canal, you’ll feel intense pressure in your pelvis and rectum. When the baby’s head reaches the vaginal opening, it crowns. Crowning often feels like burning or stretching. People sometimes call it the "ring of fire." It tends to be intense, but it's usually brief. Your provider may ask you to slow down or pant right then, so your perineum has time to stretch gradually. This can reduce tearing.
After the head is delivered, the shoulders rotate and slide out. The rest of the body usually follows quickly. In most cases, the baby is placed immediately on your chest for skin-to-skin contact. The umbilical cord is clamped and cut — either immediately or after delayed cord clamping, which allows additional blood to transfer to the baby and is now recommended by ACOG and the WHO for most births.
Pushing positions matter. Upright positions like squatting, kneeling, or side-lying use gravity to help the baby descend. These positions can shorten this stage. Lying flat on your back is not always the most effective position. Talk to your provider about your options.
Stage 3 — Delivery of the Placenta
Stage 3 begins after the baby is born and ends when the placenta is delivered. This part usually takes 5 to 30 minutes. Your uterus continues to contract after birth, which separates the placenta from the uterine wall. Your provider may ask you to give a gentle push. They may also apply light traction on the cord to help the placenta deliver.
Most hospitals and birth centers use "active management" for the third stage. Active management includes giving a uterotonic medication (typically oxytocin) immediately after birth. This medication helps the uterus contract firmly. This reduces the risk of postpartum hemorrhage. Postpartum hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. Strong evidence supports active management. The WHO recommends active management.
After the placenta is delivered, your provider will check it to make sure it's complete. Retained placental tissue can cause heavy bleeding. Retained placental tissue can also cause an infection. They'll also check for any perineal tears. If you need stitches, they usually do the repair under local anesthesia.
For most women, Stage 3 passes quickly and without much awareness — you're holding your baby, processing the enormity of what just happened, and riding a wave of oxytocin and relief. This is the start of the postpartum period.
The Golden Hour
The golden hour refers to the first 60 minutes after birth, when uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby is prioritized. This isn't a marketing term — it's based on physiological evidence about what happens in the immediate postpartum period.
For the baby, skin-to-skin contact helps regulate body temperature. Skin-to-skin contact can help stabilize heart rate and breathing. Skin-to-skin contact helps colonize the baby’s skin with the mother's protective bacteria. Skin-to-skin contact can kick off the baby's instinctive crawl toward the breast for the first feeding. Babies placed skin-to-skin tend to cry less. Babies placed skin-to-skin usually transition more smoothly to life outside the womb.
For the mother, holding the baby can trigger a surge of oxytocin. Oxytocin helps the uterus contract, which can reduce bleeding. Oxytocin helps start the hormonal cascade for milk production. Oxytocin also supports bonding and maternal behavior in the brain. This isn't optional wellness advice. It's how the human body is designed to transition from labor to motherhood.
Most hospitals now protect the golden hour by delaying routine procedures like weighing, measuring, and bathing unless the baby needs immediate medical attention. If you have a cesarean birth, many facilities can do skin-to-skin in the operating room. Include your preferences in your birth plan and discuss them with your provider beforehand.
How long does each stage last?
Every labor is different. These are general ranges, not guarantees. First labors tend to be longer than subsequent ones.
- Early labor (latent phase): 6 to 12 hours for first-time mothers, often shorter for subsequent births. Early labor can last much longer. Some women have prodromal labor that stretches over days, with irregular contractions before active labor establishes.
- Active labor: 4 to 8 hours for first births, 2 to 5 hours for subsequent births. This phase has become the primary benchmark. ACOG defines "prolonged" active labor as slower than 1 cm per hour for first-time mothers, though individual variation is wide.
- Transition: 30 minutes to 2 hours. Transition is intense precisely because it is concentrated — a lot of dilation happens in a short window.
- Stage 2 (pushing): 1 to 3 hours for first births, 15 minutes to 1 hour for subsequent births. An epidural may lengthen this stage. It can reduce the sensation of the urge to push.
- Stage 3 (placenta): 5 to 30 minutes. If the placenta hasn't delivered within 30 to 60 minutes, your provider will intervene to prevent complications.
Total labor for first-time mothers averages 12 to 18 hours. It can range from under 6 hours (precipitous labor) to over 24 hours. Using a contraction timer during early and active labor helps you track patterns, share accurate data with your provider, and decide when to head to the hospital.
How Pregnancy App Helps Through Each Stage
Pregnancy App was designed to support you before, during, and after labor with tools that match each stage:
- Before labor: The hypnobirthing audio library prepares you mentally with relaxation sessions, fear release exercises, and birth visualization tracks. Daily practice in the weeks before your due date builds coping skills you’ll probably lean on during labor.
- During early labor: The contraction timer tracks duration, frequency, and intervals so you know when contractions are establishing a real pattern — and when it's time to call your provider or head to the hospital.
- During active labor and transition: Breathing exercise guides provide real-time audio cues for slow breathing, surge breathing, and transition breathing. Honestly, a calm voice guiding your rhythm can make a big difference when the intensity peaks.
- Pushing stage: J-breathing audio tracks guide the slow, directed exhalation technique used during the pushing phase. This supports controlled, effective pushes and helps you work with your body's instincts.
- After birth: The app includes postpartum recovery tracking to monitor your physical recovery in the weeks following delivery.
TL;DR
- Labor has three stages: cervical dilation, pushing and birth, and delivery of the placenta.
- Stage 1 is the longest and includes early labor (0–6 cm), active labor (6–8 cm), and transition (8–10 cm).
- Transition is the shortest but most intense phase — nausea, shaking, and "I can't do this" feelings are normal and signal you're close to pushing.
- Stage 2 (pushing) lasts 1–3 hours for first births. Upright positions and spontaneous pushing may help.
- Stage 3 (placenta) usually takes 5–30 minutes and is managed with oxytocin to prevent hemorrhage.
- The golden hour of skin-to-skin contact after birth supports temperature regulation, breastfeeding, and bonding.
- Total labor for first-time mothers averages 12–18 hours but varies widely.
- A contraction timer and breathing exercises are practical tools for managing labor at home and in the hospital.
Limitations & Safety
This article is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and it does not replace the guidance of your obstetrician, midwife, or other qualified healthcare provider. Every labor is different. The timelines and descriptions above are general ranges, not predictions for your specific experience.
The stages and durations described here apply to spontaneous vaginal labor. Induced labors, augmented labors, and cesarean births follow different patterns and timelines. If your labor is induced or you need an intervention, your provider will guide you through the process.
Complications can happen at any stage of labor. Prolonged labor, fetal distress, cord prolapse, placental abruption, and postpartum hemorrhage are medical emergencies that require immediate professional intervention. No app, breathing technique, or prep method replaces trained medical care in these situations.
If you have heavy bleeding during pregnancy or labor, contact your healthcare provider or go to the hospital immediately. If you have sudden severe pain during pregnancy or labor, contact your healthcare provider or go to the hospital immediately. If you notice reduced or absent fetal movement during pregnancy or labor, contact your healthcare provider or go to the hospital immediately. If you have fluid leakage before 37 weeks, contact your healthcare provider or go to the hospital immediately. If you have a fever during pregnancy or labor, contact your healthcare provider or go to the hospital immediately. If you have vision changes during pregnancy or labor, contact your healthcare provider or go to the hospital immediately. Know when to go to the hospital and do not delay seeking care.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the three stages of labor?
Labor has three stages. Stage 1 covers cervical dilation from early labor through transition (0 to 10 cm). Stage 2 is the pushing phase and ends with the birth of the baby. Stage 3 is the delivery of the placenta. Stage 1 is usually the longest stage. Stage 1 is split into early labor, active labor, and transition.
How long does labor usually last for first-time moms?
For first-time mothers, labor typically lasts between 12 and 18 hours total, though it can be shorter or significantly longer. Early labor (Stage 1, latent phase) accounts for most of that time and can last 6 to 12 hours or more. Active labor usually lasts 4 to 8 hours. Pushing (Stage 2) averages 1 to 3 hours in a first birth. These are averages — every labor is different.
What does transition feel like?
Transition is the most intense phase of labor. Contractions often come every 2 to 3 minutes. They last 60 to 90 seconds. They peak in intensity. Many women feel nausea, shaking, hot and cold flashes, and a strong sense that they can't keep going. This phase typically lasts 30 minutes to 2 hours. It is the shortest phase of Stage 1 and signals that full dilation is close.
When should I go to the hospital during labor?
Most providers recommend the 5-1-1 rule. Go to the hospital when your contractions are 5 minutes apart, last 1 minute each, and have stayed that way for at least 1 hour. But go in right away if your water breaks. Go in right away if you have heavy bleeding. Go in right away if you notice reduced fetal movement. And go in right away if something feels wrong. If you’re unsure, call your provider. Learn more about when to go to the hospital.
What actually happens during the pushing stage?
During Stage 2, your cervix is fully dilated at 10 cm. You begin actively pushing the baby through the birth canal. Contractions continue but may space out slightly. Many women feel an involuntary urge to bear down. The baby's head descends and crowns — the point where it becomes visible at the vaginal opening. With continued pushing, the head delivers followed by the shoulders and body.
What is the golden hour after birth?
The golden hour is the first 60 minutes after birth. During this time, providers usually encourage uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact between mom and baby. This time helps the newborn regulate body temperature. This time can help get breastfeeding started. This time promotes oxytocin release in the mother. Oxytocin helps the uterus contract. Oxytocin reduces bleeding. This time also supports bonding. Most hospitals now prioritize keeping mother and baby together during this time unless medical intervention is needed.
Is back labor a separate stage?
No. Back labor is not a separate stage — it is a variation of how labor pain is experienced, most commonly caused by the baby being in an occiput posterior position (facing the mother's abdomen). This causes intense pressure and pain in the lower back during contractions. Back labor can happen in any phase of Stage 1 or Stage 2. From what I’ve seen, switching positions may help ease the discomfort. Using counter-pressure may help ease the discomfort. Sitting on a birth ball may help ease the discomfort.
Can I eat or drink during labor, or is that a no?
Policies vary by hospital and provider. Current evidence supports light eating and clear fluids during early labor for low-risk pregnancies. Guidelines from the American College of Nurse-Midwives support this. Some ACOG recommendations also support this. Many hospitals now allow clear liquids throughout labor. Energy demands during labor are significant, and restricting intake entirely can lead to dehydration and fatigue. Discuss your facility's policy with your provider in advance.