Childbirth Labor - What Really Happens?

Reportedly, Britney Spears' younger sister, teen superstar Jaime Lynn Spears has expressed some fears about the painfulness of childbirth labor. Jaime Lynn is said to have become ill when watching footage of a live birth. Now she wants to know if a C-Section is the best choice, so she can be put to sleep and wake up when it's all over. Jaime Lynn is reportedly due the end June.

Jamie Lynn is not the first celebrity to express fear and concern. There were reports earlier this year that famed actress Nicole Richie feared the pain of childbirth so much that she sought the help of a hypnotist. Later, she commented that "I don't even remember what life was like before her." Nicole, 26, says of daughter Harlow Winter Kate, born on January 11, "She gives life a whole new meaning and a whole new purpose."

The fact is that most women, if not all, are concerned about the pain of labor and childbirth. One of the best ways to cope with these concerns is to understand what to expect, and prepare yourself mentally. We have outlined for you what actually happens during labor, which consists of rhythmic uterine contractions that open the cervix and push the baby down through the birth canal and out of your body.

There are three stages of labor:

First Stage of Labor: Active Labor
The first stage of labor is called active labor. Active labor will take place for about half of your delivery. Active labor can for some women last ten or more hours. During active labor you will experience several things.

Physically the cervix will thin out, this is called effacement. The cervix will also dilate to about 4 to 5 centimeters. You will also experience loose or liquid bowel movements. This is when you will loose your mucous plug and you might notice a bit of blood called the bloody show. Your contractions will get closer and closer together, lasting for longer periods of time as you progress through your labor.

Emotionally you might be torn between excitement and nervousness, don’t worry this is normal. This is the time to contact those who are needed at the hospital or birthing place such as your Lamaze partner, your doctor and anyone else you desire to have with you. Once you are in very active labor it will be difficult to contact the people you want to get in touch with, so the earlier the better.

As you progress towards child birth you will notice that you contractions become closer, stronger and longer. This is when your cervix will dilate from 4 to 5 centimeters up to 9 or 10 centimeters. You may find it increasing difficult to get comfortable so experiment with several different positions to find one that works best for you.

Once you have reached 9 to 10 centimeters your water might break or it could require a doctor to break it. You should relax as much as possible during the first part of your labor because once you reach 9 to 10 centimeters your time to rest will be about over.

Second Stage of Labor: Delivery
The second stage of labor begins when the time comes to start pushing the baby down the birthing canal and into the world. Although prior to this you might have felt the urge to push you should wait until your doctor gives the go ahead. Inform your doctor of your urges so he is well aware of what is happening with your body.

During this stage of labor you might notice that your contractions slow down, become less intense and less frequent. This is perfectly normal since the cervix has completely dilated the contractions are not useful any longer. During the time when the contractions slow down and pushing begins you should try to rest if at all possible. Pushing the baby out involves a lot of strain and physical activity.

Once your doctor or midwife has given you the consent to push, your baby could be born in as little as five minutes or it could take several hours. The contractions that come when it is time to push can be anywhere from three to up to nine or ten minutes apart and will come on with an intense urge to push the baby out. You might notice a loss of control over your urine and bowels but don’t be concerned this is normal.

During this final stage of labor many women will feel exhausted and like they can no longer perform the act of delivering their baby. For some women if they reach down and have the ability to touch the head of their baby they will be filled with enough excitement to get them through the rest of the birth.

Third Stage of Labor: Delivering the Placenta
Once the baby is out you still need to get the placenta out of your body. This usually happens quickly in less than thirty minutes; many times it only takes five to ten minutes. You will experience a little cramping but this could go unnoticed due to the excitement of the delivery of your new baby. Once the placenta is out the birth is completely over and now the time has come to get to know your new bundle of joy.