What is happening during active labour?

Active Labour – What’s going on and what can you do to help yourself
Prepared by: Childbirth Education Curriculum Project Ad Hoc Committee
Approved by: BC Women’s Family Education Advisory Committee

Labour is progressing faster now and contractions are occurring in definite patterns. This is the time to go the place where you are giving birth.

What’s happening?
The baby descends farther in the pelvis
The cervix completes thinning and dilates to 7 cm
At the beginning of this phase 2-3 contractions come in ten minutes with each contraction lasting 45-60 seconds. By the end of this phase often 3-4 contractions come in ten minutes with each contraction lasting 60-90 seconds.

Physically, you may feel some or all of these:
Contractions have a definite rhythm
Less or no appetite
Unwilling to talk during contractions
Unwilling to change positions during contractions
Times of feeling tired…MORE INFORMATION