Chapter 3: Physiology of Labor and Birth
Start by watching this video first!
This is a great portion to read through with your partner since it will give them a good idea of how you may respond during each phase.
The process of birth as we know it has 3 main Stages:
Labor, which is split into three- Early Labor, Active Labor and Transition. Expulsion, also known as the birth of your baby, and the third stage, birth of the placenta.
It’s important to look into each of these stages in order to dispel any fears that we have around the process of labor and birth.
In this next section we will jump right into each phase and stage, helping you feel confident in the process of birth. In each portion we will discuss what is happening during the stage, what dilation and effacement typically looks like, how we typically see women respond during that time of labor and coping mechanisms.
This is a great portion to read through with your partner since it will give them a good idea of how you may respond during each phase.
“When you change the way you view birth, the way you birth will change.”