Labor Stages and Positions
THE BABBLE TAKE
Birthing professionals divide labor into three stages. The first is the longest and runs from labor's onset until the cervix is ten centimeters dilated. The second stage runs from the time your cervix is completely dilated to the birth of your baby. The third stage is comparatively brief and involves delivering the placenta after the baby has been born. Most experts recommend taking a walk or engaging in another relaxing and distracting activity during the bulk of the first stage. Even once the birthing process has begun in earnest it is not necessary, or even good, to lie on your back in the classical birthing position. It cuts off blood circulation and increases the chance that you'll need an episiotomy. Experts recommend working in tandem with your birthing attendant; standing, walking, squatting or kneeling on hands and knees during the various stages of delivery. Midwives and perinatal-fitness experts often recommend coordinated pushing. This is a combination of breath techniques to relax or mobilize specific muscle groups at critical times during labor. Judicious use of these various techniques, along with the assistance of a good birthing attendant, midwives say, can relieve stress, speed up labor and reduce the risk of tearing.
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BabyCenter ®
"The process you'll go through during labor and childbirth can be divided into three stages. The first stage begins with the onset of contractions and the gradual effacement (thinning out) and dilation (opening) of the cervix. [·] The second stage of labor begins once you're fully dilated and ends with the birth of your baby. This is often referred to as the pushing stage. The third and final stage begins right after the birth of your baby and involves the separation and delivery of the placenta."
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iVillage
"Today women can learn how to use their bodies to minimize discomfort and speed the progress of labor. Trying a variety of positions during labor and birth can help you to find what works best for you. Here is what you need to know about the various labor and birth positions."
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American Pregnancy Association
"Going through the birth of your child is a wonderful and unique experience. No two deliveries are alike and there is no way to tell how your delivery is going to be. What we can tell you is the stages you will go through during this process and what you can generally expect. Childbirth can be broken into three stages."
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Pregnancy Today
"You can train your body to work efficiently with your contractions if you coordinate your breathing and abdominal muscles while relaxing the pelvic floor muscles. The result, called coordinated pushing, is a safe and practical alternative to traditional pushing methods that are often less efficient."
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About.com
"The positions that you choose for labor and birth are important. They will help you be more comfortable during the labor process. Some positions will also help speed the process of labor. Many of these positions can be done with or without the help of your partner, husband, doula or nurse. Practicing them prior to labor will also make them seem familiar and more comfortable and natural."
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