Stage One labor: There’s no telling how long it will last

Labor is simply the process of how contractions cause birth. The first stage consists of two components: early labor and active labor. The second stage is the birth itself, and the third stage is the delivery of the placenta.

Every woman labors differently. Even women who have had several children may find big differences in labor for each. Women may labor differently from their mothers.

Early labor: Your body prepares

On average, early labor lasts from 6 to 12 hours for first-time mothers. But it can just as easily last only a few hours or, for some women, feel like a marathon that won't end.

A lot of what your body is doing in early labor is preparing you for the more active phase of labor. During early labor:

Your cervix thins out. This is called effacement, and the degree to which you are effaced is expressed as a percentage from 0 to 100 percent.
Your cervix opens. This is called dilation. The degree of dilation is expressed in centimeters. In early labor your cervix dilates from 0 to 4 centimeters.
You may see some blood-tinged mucus referred to as "the show." It's actually the mucous plug that's been protecting your fetus by keeping the cervix closed during your pregnancy.
Your water may break. This means the water from the amniotic sac will drip or gush with no warning.
Mild contractions begin. They are about 15 to 20 minutes apart and last from 60 to 90 seconds. They will become more regular and, toward the end of early labor, be less than 5 minutes apart.

During early labor you can:

Go for a walk.
Take a shower or bath (if your water has broken, talk with your doctor or midwife first).
Try to rest.
Meditate or practice relaxation exercises.
Sleep, if you can.

You may be excited that labor has started, but remember, you'll be working very hard during active labor. So try not to clean house or cook. You need to call the doctor or midwife when your contractions have been coming 5 minutes apart for an hour. You should also call anytime if:

You have fever or chills.
The baby seems to move less.
Your water breaks and you don't have contractions.
You have labor symptoms before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
You have vaginal bleeding.
You have constant, severe pain with no relief between contractions.
You have been given specific instructions by your health care provider.

Active labor: The real work begins

Active labor usually lasts about 4 to 8 hours. During active labor:

Your cervix will dilate to 10 centimeters.
Your water may break (if it hasn't already) and your contractions will become more intense.
As your cervix opens, you will pass bloody mucus (bloody show) from the vagina.
You may tremble, vomit or feel anxious and tired.
Your legs may cramp.

During active labor you can:

Walk if your doctor or midwife allows you to.
Work with your labor partner through the contractions. Concentrate on your breathing and relax between contractions.
Use pain management techniques you practiced in childbirth class.
Ask for pain medication if you want it.
Tell your nurse or health care provider when you feel the urge to push. You can pant or blow to keep yourself from pushing. Pushing before you are ready can cause damage to your cervix and can exhaust you.