For many moms-to-be, especially first-time moms, labor can be a somewhat frightening prospect. Fortunately, you can ease your anxieties about labor by understanding exactly what occurs during labor and what to expect.

Labor is divided up into four stages. Because every woman is different, you may or may not be able to identify the stages as they are happening; or, a stage may last much longer than the average. Below are the four stages:

- First stage. This is typically the longest part of labor. For most first-time moms, the first stage of labor will last for around ten to fourteen hours. The First stage is broken up further into three phases. During the early phase, contractions are very light and are 20 minutes or more apart, becoming closer to 5 minutes apart. The active phase is next. During the active phase, contractions are about four to five minutes apart, and may last for a minute each time. During the transition phase, your contractions will narrow to 2 or 3 minutes between them, and will last for about a minute and a half.

- Second stage. This is the stage where you push. The pushing stage can last as long as three hours or more, but for most women it is shorter. A variety of factors, such as the position of tme mom, the position of the baby, and medications used can affect the duration of the second stage. Contractions space out somewhat, and will be about 4 minutes apart. The second stage ends when your baby is born.

- Third Stage. The third stage of labor is when it is time to deliver the placenta. You will be asked to push again, and the placenta will come out much easier than the baby. This usually comes a few minutes after birth, and usually within no more than an hour.

The postpartum stage is considered a fourth stage of labor. This is the time that yoru body sort of snaps back into place, and you recover so that you are able to take up your new duty of parenting.

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