Labour how long does it take

Ask for pain medication or anesthesia if you want it. Your health care team will partner with you to make the best choice for you and your baby. Remember, you're the only one who can judge your need for pain relief. How long it lasts: Active labor often lasts four to eight hours or more. On average, your cervix will dilate at approximately one centimeter per hour. What you can do: Look to your labor coach and health care team for encouragement and support. Try breathing and relaxation techniques to combat your growing discomfort.

Use what you learned in childbirth class or ask your health care team for suggestions. Unless you need to be in a specific position to allow for close monitoring of you and your baby, consider these ways to promote comfort during active labor:. If you need to have a C-section, having food in your stomach can lead to complications. If your health care provider thinks you might need a C-section, he or she might recommend small amounts of clear liquids, such as water, ice chips, popsicles and juice, instead of a large, solid meal.

The last part of active labor — often referred to as transition — can be particularly intense and painful. Contractions will come close together and can last 60 to 90 seconds. You'll experience pressure in your lower back and rectum.

Tell your health care provider if you feel the urge to push. If you want to push but you're not fully dilated, your health care provider might ask you to hold back. Pushing too soon could make you tired and cause your cervix to swell, which might delay delivery. Pant or blow your way through the contractions. Transition usually lasts 15 to 60 minutes.

How long it lasts: It can take from a few minutes up to a few hours or more to push your baby into the world. It might take longer for first-time moms and women who've had an epidural. What you can do: Push!

Your health care provider will ask you to bear down during each contraction or tell you when to push. Or you might be asked to push when you feel the need. When you push, don't hold tension in your face. Bear down and concentrate on pushing where it counts. If possible, experiment with different positions until you find one that feels best.

You can push while squatting, sitting, kneeling — even on your hands and knees. At some point, you might be asked to push more gently — or not at all.

Slowing down gives your vaginal tissues time to stretch rather than tear. To stay motivated, you might ask to feel the baby's head between your legs or see it in a mirror. After your baby's head is delivered, the rest of the baby's body will follow shortly.

His or her airway will be cleared if necessary. Your health care provider or labor coach will then cut the umbilical cord. After your baby is born, you'll likely feel a great sense of relief.

Speak up. Ask for an epidural, if you want one. Your birth team will tell you when it's no longer possible to have one. Be prepared to wait some more. Keep your eye on the prize. That bundle of joy will soon be in your arms! Some moms may begin to experience early labor symptoms such as dilation and effacement days or even weeks before labor starts in earnest, while others may only have noticeable early labor contractions for two to six hours.

Active labor may last anywhere from about two to 24 hours though the average is two to three-and-a-half hours , while transitional labor can last anywhere from 15 minutes to about three hours. At a certain point, your practitioner may rely on interventions to get things going or speed things up.

How many times you've given birth. The position of your baby. Having certain complications or other issues. The three phases of labor are the first part of a larger picture: The three stages of childbirth. Pushing and delivering your baby. Most women push for 30 minutes to an hour, although the pushing stage may last for a few hours — at which point your practitioner will reassess whether other interventions are necessary.

Delivering the placenta. Once your baby is delivered, your practitioner will still need to deliver your placenta , a process that usually takes about 20 minutes. Your doctor may help things along by pulling on the umbilical cord or pressing on your abdomen while asking you to push. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations.

Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy. The educational health content on What To Expect is reviewed by our medical review board and team of experts to be up-to-date and in line with the latest evidence-based medical information and accepted health guidelines, including the medically reviewed What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff. This educational content is not medical or diagnostic advice.

Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy. Registry Builder New. Medically Reviewed by James Greenberg, M. Medical Review Policy All What to Expect content that addresses health or safety is medically reviewed by a team of vetted health professionals. Here's more about what to expect during the different stages of labor and childbirth, plus how long it will take until you get to meet your baby.

Back to Top. In This Article. Continue Reading Below. Recommended Reading. How to Push During Labor. Delivering the Placenta. Signs of Labor. How to Tell if You're in Labor. View Sources. Your doctor will discuss all of these options with you.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content. Induced labour can be started in several ways. Your doctor will discuss with you what your options are as well as any possible risks to you or your baby.

Inducing labour allows women to deliver their baby normally by stimulating labour contractions. There are several medical and surgical techniques which can be used. Read more on Parenthub website. Read more on Better Health Channel website. A stretch and sweep or membrane sweep is a relatively gentle way of trying to start labour.

Pregnancy normally lasts about 40 weeks or around days from the first day of your last period, however some women go overdue. Read about the different types of intervention.

Learn more about labour complications. It is a medical emergency that requires immediate intervention. Find out why here. Every labour and birth is unique and unpredictable, making it difficult to plan. It is common for women to feel some level of anxiety during pregnancy; perhaps about their changing body, the health of their baby or concerns about the birth. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is not responsible for the content and advertising on the external website you are now entering.

Video call. This information is for your general information and use only and is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes. The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional health care. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional.

On average for your first baby, the: first stage of labour can last from 10 to 14 hours second stage of labour can take one to two hours to push your baby out third stage can last five to 45 minutes fourth stage is the first two hours after birth. If you have had a baby before, the: first stage of labour can last from five to eight hours second stage can last from five minutes to an hour.

In this guide: When does labour start? When will my waters break? How long does labour last? What is pre-labour?