This is perfectly normal, but if you see more than a tinge of blood, be sure to call your caregiver. This may be tinged with blood вЂ“ the so-called bloody show. You may see a mucousy vaginal discharge.If your labor is typical, however, your early contractions will be mild enough for you to talk through them and putter around the house, or even doze off between them.

Sometimes early labor contractions are quite painful. (Some women have much more frequent contractions during this phase, but the contractions will still tend to be relatively mild and last no more than a minute.) Early labor ends when your cervix is about 6 cmВ dilated and your progress starts to accelerate. Eventually they'll be coming every four to five minutes and lasting 40 to 60 seconds each. Contractions get longer, stronger and closer together.If you have to stop, especially mid-sentence, to breathe through contractions, youвЂ™re probably moving into active labor). (If you arenвЂ™t sure whether you are in true labor, see whether you can hold a complete conversation with your labor partner or doula. True labor contractions get closer together as time goes on and are more regular than Braxton Hicks contractions. Note that early labor contractions are sometimes hard to distinguish from irregular Braxton Hicks contractions, also calledВ false labor. You'll start getting contractions at relatively regular intervals. Early labor usually takes the longest amount of time and transition the shortest. The first stage of labor is the longest stage, especially if you are giving birth for the first time, and can last anywhere from days to a few hours. Transition: During the last part of active labor, contractions are even longer, stronger, and closer together вЂ“ this can be the most difficult part of your entire labor.Contractions are longer, stronger, and closer together. Active labor:В Your cervix begins to dilate more rapidly and opens up further to 10 cm.Early labor:В Your cervix gradually effaces (thins out) and dilates (opens) to about 6 centimeters (cm) by the end of this phase.The first stage of labor has three phases: Labor generally progresses more quickly for women who've already given birthВ vaginally. For some women, though, it lasts much longer, while for others it's over much sooner. For first-time moms, labor often takes between ten and 20 hours. Every pregnancy is different, and there's wide variation in the length of labor.

Labor relations process 3 key stages