How can you start labor going if you're 2 cm dilated. In this article we will talk about …
Labor & Birth
Labor starts with a contraction, and ends with birth. Your trip into labor and delivery will end with birth (unless you get sent home (which is a fine thing too if you are having irregular contractions and aren’t dilating).
Of course, packing that hospital bag is important too:
The definition of active labor is that your cervix is dilating (usually due to uterine contractions). However, there are a lot of signs of labor that signal that you are going to give birth. Things like losing your mucus plug, or when your amniotic fluid starts to come out
These posts talk about the stages of labor:
- Latent labor
- Active labor (those two make up the first stage of labor)
- Pushing
- Delivery of baby and placenta
Of course, childbirth never really goes according to one plan and many women think they can PLAN their labor. But labor and birth are difficult to plan. You CAN however make wishes or ideas of what you would like in a birth plan. Sadly, your uterus isn’t always on board with that.
Pain relief is a big part of learning about labor. Before you are fully dilated, you may have options like IV pain medication, an epidural, possibly nitrous oxide or natural pain management.
Yes, vaginal delivery is what a lot of people plan on, but sometimes a cesarean section is necessary. Sometimes your pelvis won’t let the baby fit through, or there is something else preventing the baby coming through your vagina.
And, there might be a reason to induce labor, and these posts below talk a LOT about induction. it’s important to know about that too as labor can be unpredictable.
I hope these posts help make you feel more at ease for your labor:
When Will the Hospital Admit You For Labor?
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Increased Baby Movements Before Labor
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Light Pink Spotting Discharge at 38 Weeks Pregnant
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Pitocin Induction of Labor: What to expect
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C-Section Scar Pain During Early Pregnancy
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Why Do Doctors Push Inductions of Labor?
Later in pregnancy your doctor may start discussing an induction of labor with you. Many people …
Bleeding at 20 Weeks of Pregnancy
Vaginal bleeding at any point during pregnancy can make you really worried. But, the worries change …
When Will a Doctor Induce Labor? Will my doctor induce me at 40 weeks if I ask?
A labor induction for pregnant women is an important choice to make with your healthcare …
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Can I Get an Epidural Before My Induction of Labor?
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What Happens if You’re Sent Home From the Hospital in Early Labor?
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Can Labor Start While Sleeping?
Can labor start while you're sleeping? Can you sleep through early labor? How can you sleep …
Can I Refuse Cervical Checks in Labor? Declining cervix exams in pregnancy.
Cervical checks or vaginal exams can be painful and sometimes unnecessary. Today I want to talk …
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How to Avoid Pooping While Giving Birth: The 411 on this dirty secret
This is a real fear for a lot of people (in my study on birth fears 61.2% of respondents were …
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36 Weeks Pregnant and Feeling Pressure “Down Below” — What’s wrong?
As your pregnancy progresses, you may start to feel more pressure down below. This is normal and is …
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Where do You Feel Contractions?
Are you feeling contractions? If so, it's important to know where they feel strongest. Contractions …
36 weeks Pregnant – Cervix is 1 cm dilated: When will labor start?
At your 36 week check-up your doctor might ask you if you want a vaginal exam to check how dilated …
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How Can You Increase Oxytocin to Induce Labor? The natural ways to induce labor
Are you overdue and anxious to give birth? You may be considering inducing labor yourself. While …
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Create a Natural Birth Plan From My Free Birth Plan Template!
Creating a birth plan is a good beginning to starting good communication between the patient and …
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34 Weeks Pregnant: What are the symptoms of preterm labor?
At around the 34th week of pregnancy, you might be wondering when labor will start. It's normal to …
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Is a Headache an Early Sign of Labor at 38 Weeks: Is something wrong?
If you're 38 weeks pregnant, you're in the home stretch! You're probably feeling eager and impatient …
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Your Guide on What to Wear in Labor & Delivery and Your Hospital Stay
Today, we're going to chat about a few things: What to wear during labor and delivery, what not to …
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The Complete Guide to Labor Induction: How they induce labor
A labor induction is meant to start contractions to induce labor. However, a lot of it depends on …
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Labor and Delivery Nurse Gift Basket Ideas: Nurse thank you gift ideas
Tell your nurse thank you is plenty of gift for them, but if you want to give your labor and …
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Do You Have to Give Birth on Your Back in the Hospital?
Being in the hospital can be scary, you can feel like you "have" to do a lot of things because …
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16 C-Section Facts For a Better Birth!
There's a lot of information out there about c-sections - some good, some bad. In this blog post, …
When to Pack Your Hospital Bag: Get prepared with The Pregnancy Nurse
When should you pack that hospital bag? Certainly you don't want it packed at 20 weeks, but when is …
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Do You Lose Weight Before Labor?
One question that often comes up during pregnancy is whether or not you lose weight before labor. …
5 Myths about Induction
Today I want to share five myths about induction. Things everyone thinks is true, but isn't always …
Hard Belly During Your Third Trimester of Pregnancy: Is it OK?
If you're pregnant and feeling a hard stomach, you may be wondering if something is wrong. In most …
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How Long Does Cervidil Take to Induce Labor? What to expect at a Dinoprostone induction
Your labor induction could happen with Cervidil. It’s a vaginal insert that includes hormones …
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What to Do the Day Before a Labor Induction
There is a lot to get done as you head to your due date or before an induction. Some of it is …
What to Do If You Don’t Like Your Labor Nurse
Google, Tiktok, Pinterest is full of people saying you can "just ask for a new one" if you don't …
10 Common Questions About Inductions
Having an induction can bring up a lot of questions. At least I hope it does. Inducing labor …
How Long Does it Take to Push Out A Baby?: The 3rd stage of labor
The third stage of labor (the pushing stage) can be brutal, because expectations are that it will be …
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Contractions on The Monitor But You’re Not Feeling Them: What does that mean?
When it comes to labor, there are a few different ways that contractions can be felt. For some …
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Stages of Labor Duration: How long does labor last?
How long will your labor last? Labor has four phases (or stages) of labor that you body will move …
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37 Weeks Pregnant & Having Period Pains? What it means from a labor nurse
Are you experiencing any period-like pains at 37 weeks pregnant? You're definitely not alone! In …
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How Bad Does the Epidural Hurt? What to expect during placement.
Women who plan on vaginal birth may wonder how painful the placement and infusion of epidural …
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Can an Epidural Cause Back Problems?
There is a lot of discussion about whether or not epidurals cause back problems for pregnant women. …
The Benefits of a Midwife
Midwives offer pregnant women a wealth of benefits that traditional obstetricians cannot match. From …
9 Reasons TO Get an Epidural: Valid reasons to get the “happy-dural”
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Why Not to Get an Epidural: 10 Reasons to consider other pain management in labor
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Does Labor Still Hurt With an Epidural?
How much labor pain should you expect during labor when you have an epidural? Should you expect to …
IV Fluids During Labor — Do You Need Them?
It is a standard practice in most US Hospitals to order an intravenous line (mostly referred to as …
Cytotec (Misoprostil) Induction
There are a few medication options in the United States when you are planning an induction. Cytotec …
Things You Can Refuse During Labor
You may wonder if there are things you can refuse during labor. You might have preferences about …
How to Get Admitted to Labor and Delivery
Women who are pregnant often have many questions about labor and delivery. One question that comes …
Best Time to Get Epidural During Labor
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Cesarean Section Anesthesia
Your choice of cesarean section anesthsia is not too broad. There are mainly two humane choices for …
Epidural vs Spinal: Which is best for you?
What are the differences between an epidural or spinal anesthesia? Today we're going to give into …
Midwife Pro’s and Con’s
Becoming a mom is one of the most rewarding experiences in life, but it can also be overwhelming. …
37 Weeks Pregnant Lots of Movement and Pressure
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Period Pains and Backache On and Off at 36 Weeks of Pregnancy — Is it Labor?
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Is Midwive’s Brew Safe?
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Induction at 37 Weeks: The Why’s and How’s
Having a labor induction before or at 37 weeks is something each pregnant woman and her partner …
Latent Labor: Early Labor to Active Labor
What is latent labor, how long does it last and is there anything you can do to speed it up? How …
What to Do When Your Epidural Doesn’t Work
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Who Administers an Epidural
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How is a Foley Catheter Used in Labor?
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5 Things NOT to do Before Your Induction
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Pitocin to Induce Labor
Pitocin or Oxytocin is a hormone your body produces to start things like labor, breastfeeding, and …
Different “Types of Childbirth”
People define different types of childbirth in many ways. Today I wanted to define the basic types …
When Can an Epidural Be Given?
Many people wonder WHEN in their labor they can be given the epidural. Today we'll discuss that, as …
Can You Feel the Baby Coming Out With the Epidural?
The baby coming out is normally the most painful part of the birthing process. Will you feel the …
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How Long Does an Induction of Labor Take? ~ From a labor pro!
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Tips to Saying No to Your Provider
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5 Reasons to NOT Get Induced
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5 Mistakes People Make Preparing to go to the Hospital to Have Their Baby
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When is it Too Late to Get an Epidural: Can I Get An Epidural at 7 Centimeters?
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5 Mistakes Families Make Preparing for Delivery
There is a lot to keep in your head as you head into your delivery, but lots of families make pretty …
Epidurals During Pregnancy & Labor
Getting an epidural during labor is a very common form of pain mangement in the US. Today I want to …