Three Stages of Birth

By Heidi Will

  • Labor Begins

    Labor Begins
    The cervix is its normal size and shape.
  • Period: to

    Three Stages of Birth

  • First Stage of Labor

    First Stage of Labor
    Contractions make the cervix dilate, or widen. The cervix also becomes thinner, changing from its usual thickness of about 3/4 inchto become as thin as a cheet of paper. This thinning is call effacement

  • Transition

    Transition completes the work of the first stage. The cervix becomes fully dilated to a size of 4 inches and the baby's head slips out of the uterus into the birth canal.

  • Second Stage of Labor: Crowning

    Second Stage of Labor: Crowning
    When the top of the head appears at the opening of the birh canal, it is called crowning.

  • Second Stage of Labor: Head Emerges

    Second Stage of Labor: Head Emerges
    The baby's head emerges. The head has changed its shape to ease the passage through the birth canal. It will later return to normal. After the head, the shoulders follow. Then the rest of the baby slips out easily.

  • Third Stage of Labor

    Third Stage of Labor
    The women gives birth to the placenta, no longer needed by the baby.