Labor & Delivery Overview

Every labor is different – it varies from woman to woman, and from one baby to the next. There’s no way to predict when labor will start, and limited means to control how it unfolds. But understanding what’s going on in your body during labor can help you roll with it – so here’s our guide to labor basics.

Generally, labor is longer the first time around, averaging 10 to 20 hours for first-time mothers, and is often shorter in women who have already had a vaginal birth. Doctors divide labor into three stages: dilation, delivery and delivery of the placenta. Dilation, the longest stage of labor, itself has three phases: early or latent labor, active labor and transition.