The stages of childbirth

Throughout labour your body undergoes changes to allow your baby to make their way into the world outside. Childbirth is divided into these three main stages:

  • First stage: Thinning and opening of the cervix (also called dilation)
  • Second stage: Descent and birth of your baby
  • Third stage: Delivery of the placenta It isn’t possible to predict the length of each stage because it varies from one delivery to the next.

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