How many cm giving birth

In preparation for delivery, your cervix effaces thins and stretches and dilates opens so your baby can fit through the birth canal. This cervical ripening can begin days or weeks before your due date.

Keep reading to learn more about how cervical dilation progresses throughout the stages of labor , and check out our handy chart that compares cervix dilation size to fruit.

Stage 1: Dilation and Effacement of the Cervix : The cervix opens and thins, which allows for vaginal delivery. The first stage of labor is further broken down into three phases; learn more about these below. Stage 2: Pushing and Birth : At this stage, your cervix is fully dilated, and your baby descends down the birth canal. Eventually, your health care provider will encourage you to start pushing and deliver your little one! Cervical effacement and dilation happens in the first stage of labor, which can be further broken down into three phases: the early phase, the active phase, and the transition phase.

During this phase, the cervix dilates three or four centimeters. The time between contractions ranges from five minutes to 30 minutes, and they last around seconds each. This is the most challenging phase, but it is also the shortest.

Remember how far you have already come, and when you feel an urge to push, tell your health care provider.

Cunningham, F. Gary, et al, Ch. Simkin, Penny, P. It features meal recommendations, kicks counter, blood glucose tracking, and more.

First Stage of Labor. The first stage of labor is the longest and involves three phases: Early Labor: The onset of labor until the cervix is dilated to centimeters Active Labor Phase: Continues from 3 cm until the cervix is dilated to 7 centimeters Transition Phase — Continues from 7 cm until the cervix is fully dilated to 10 centimeters Each phase is characterized by different emotions and physical challenges.

Early Labor Phase What to do: During this phase, you should just try to relax. This is known as bloody show as is normal. Your water might break — this is known as amniotic sac rupture and can happen anytime within the first stage of labor When experiencing contractions, notice if they are: Growing more intense Following a regular pattern Lasting longer Becoming closer together When your water breaks amniotic sac rupture , note the following: Color of fluid Odor of fluid Time rupture occurred Tips for the support person: Periodically time the contractions Be a calming influence Offer comfort, reassurance, and support Suggest simple activities that draw her focus from the labor Keep up your own strength.

You will need it! If you go into hospital or your midwifery unit before your labour has become established, they may suggest you go home again for a while. Once labour is established, your midwife will check on you from time to time to see how you're progressing and offer you support, including pain relief if you need it. Your midwife will offer you regular vaginal examinations to see how your labour is progressing. If you do not want to have these, you do not have to — your midwife can discuss with you why she's offering them.

Your cervix needs to open about 10cm for your baby to pass through it. This is what's called being fully dilated. In a 1st labour, the time from the start of established labour to being fully dilated is usually 8 to 12 hours. It's often quicker around 5 hours , in a 2nd or 3rd pregnancy. Your midwife will monitor you and your baby during labour to make sure you're both coping well. This will include using a small handheld device to listen to your baby's heart every 15 minutes.

You'll be free to move around as much as you want. Your midwife may suggest electronic monitoring if there are any concerns about you or your baby, or if you choose to have an epidural. Electronic monitoring involves strapping 2 pads to your bump.

One pad is used to monitor your contractions and the other is used to monitor your baby's heartbeat. These pads are attached to a monitor that shows your baby's heartbeat and your contractions. Sometimes a clip called a foetal heart monitor can be attached to the baby's head instead.

This can give a more accurate measurement of your baby's heartbeat. You can ask to be monitored electronically even if there are no concerns. Having electronic monitoring can sometimes restrict how much you can move around. If you have electronic monitoring with pads on your bump because there are concerns about your baby's heartbeat, you can take the monitor off if your baby's heartbeat is shown to be normal.

Labour can sometimes be slower than expected. This can happen if your contractions are not coming often enough, are not strong enough, or if your baby is in an awkward position. If this is the case, your doctor or midwife may talk to you about 2 ways to speed up your labour: breaking your waters or an oxytocin drip. Breaking the membrane that contains the fluid around your baby your waters is often enough to make contractions stronger and more regular.

This is also known as artificial rupture of the membranes ARM. Your midwife or doctor can do this by making a small break in the membrane during a vaginal examination. This may make your contractions feel stronger and more painful, so your midwife will talk to you about pain relief. If breaking your waters does not work, your doctor or midwife may suggest using a drug called oxytocin also known as syntocinon to make your contractions stronger. This is given through a drip that goes into a vein, usually in your wrist or arm.

Dilation is measured in centimeters, one to In general, early labor moves to active labor by about six centimeters cm. During active labor, contractions are more regular and intense, and cervical change is more regular. Active labor, however, requires more coping skills. When contractions become longer, stronger, and closer together, the key to coping is to relax between the contractions. During the contractions do whatever technique helps you deal with them.

The last two centimeters of dilation are called transition because it is the transition between the first and second stage of labor. This is the time that contractions are the most intense. The first stage of labor ends when the cervix is fully dilated and your baby's head slips through your cervix. It is more difficult than the distance suggests because your baby must turn to fit through your pelvis. Cervix thins and dilates during labor. As your baby moves through your pelvis, her head usually rotates to face your spine.

After most of your baby's head is born, her shoulders move through your pelvis and she begins to rotate again. Each phase feels different.

Contractions are mild to strong.