If you’re a pregnant woman chances are it can be an anxiety-ridden journey and experience to induce labor on your upcoming child or children, however, Science cannot really predict what exact time or even how long labor lasts. But through experience, we can assure you good details of what you should know during childbirth.
Every pregnant woman is different and that means active labor is different and can vary for everyone however, active labor usually takes about 8 hours! That is roughly an average though and some might exceed or recede the expected 8 hours of labor.
It is important to consider that once the dilated cervix supersedes, it will roughly take two or sometimes even three hours of heavy sweating pushing before the baby is released in the canal. This is especially true for first-time moms who are undergoing through the labor but it might be an entirely different scenario for 2nd-time moms or moms who’ve had a baby before.
This is usually because their labor will be far quicker and easier than first-time moms and it would take about an average of 5 hours.
It is also important to know that there are factors affecting the length of your labor. This includes:
- The strength of cervical muscle contractions or how strong you push
- The Dilation of the cervix or how open the cervix is
- How early someone goes into labor
- How big or small the baby is
- The position of the baby during releasing
- Emotional and Psychological Capacity of the mother
This is important to consider because there have been numerous cases of cervix contractions that lead to premature births. And in today’s age, premature births tend to happen at an increasing rate.
It is also important to take note that if your baby is in a head-down position facing the back. The labor tends to go easier and quicker also making sure that the woman is relaxed as possible free from any anxieties could help shorten down the length of the labor.
When does labor start?
The timeline of labor usually starts when a pregnant woman is at her due around 37-41 weeks of pregnancy. During this point, the labor usually starts when the waters break accompanied by cramps and backache.
Other trigger warnings of labor include upset tummy, loose bowels and the losing of mucus plug in the cervix. These are usually the signs 5hat indicates the body is getting ready for labor. However, your doctor or midwife doesn’t consider this a start of the labor only signs that is is about to happen.
Doctors will only consider the time active labor if the cervix is about 4cm dilated and contractions are at its full intensity and strength. If the cervix is dilated at 10cm then the baby is ready to be pushed down.
This is usually considered active labor that can take hours to be finished, although it is important to consider that labor is unpredictable and it may be abrupt or may suddenly start or stop.
Usually, the best sign that your baby will come out into the world is through the body’s signal of sending you very strong and frequent contractions resembling menstrual cramps.
It is also important to take note that every labor is different. Always remember to follow the guiding directions of your doctor or midwife when handling the motor of the placenta.
There can also be some instances where labor can happen really fast. So remember to calm down and have a positive mind during labor and always trust your gut instincts because your body is a smart mechanism of its own and it is telling you something through the sensations you feel and also be accompanied by the midwife or doctors aid to make sure that the delivery is safe.
Read also:
- Heavy Lifting at First Trimester
- Is it not normal to feel pregnant at 5 weeks?
- Complete Fetal Development Timeline Every Pregnant Women should know!
