Labor
Labor varies form woman to woman; even in the same woman labor each is different. Some labors are very fast, lasting only a few hours; some are average in length [about fifteen or sixteen hours for first time mothers and seven or eight hours for women who have had babies before]; some are very long, lasting a day or two. Some start slowly and then speed up unexpectedly; others start rapidly and then slow down. The amount of pain and fatigue varies also. It is best not to have definite expectations, but to prepare yourself for the wide range of possibilities.
Many factors play a part on how long and hard; labor will be. You can influence some of these factors but not others.
Factors Influencing Labor
Factors you cannot control
- Size and shape of your pelvis
- Size and shape of baby’s head and shoulders
- Baby’s station, presentation, and position*
- The condition of your cervix when contractions begin
- The power of your contractions
- The amount of rest you have between contractions
- Some aspects of your general health and your baby’s well-being
Factors you control, to some extent
- Your emotional state and attitude toward birth [anxiety, fear, and tension versus optimism, confidence, and relaxation]
- Presence of helpful, caring partner[s]
- Knowledge of what to expect
- An environment and professional staff that help you feel secure and well cared for
- Good care of yourself [including good nourishment and health habits]
* Station refers to how low the baby is in the pelvis.
Presentation refers to which part of the baby’s body will come first [usually it is the head, but on occasion it may be the buttocks, feet, or even a shoulder]
Position refers to location-on the right or left side of the mother-and the orientation-anterior [towards the mother's front], posterior [toward the mother's back], or transverse [lying crosswise]-of a given part of the baby, specifically, the occiput [back of the head], brow, chin, shoulder, or sacrum [the bone at the end of the spinal column]. For example, if the baby’s position is left occipitoanterior, the back of the head is on the left , pointing toward his mother’s front.