When you arrive at the hospital, the midwife will prepare you for the birth. There are certain routine examinations that you will have to undergo.

While consulting your notes, the midwife will ask you questions about your labours progress — whether your waters have broken and how often your contractions are coming.

You will be asked to undress and put on a hospital gown or your own T-shirt or nightdress.

You will then be examined; the midwife will palpate your abdomen to feel the baby’s position; she will listen to the fetal heartbeat, take your blood pressure, pulse and temperature and give you an internal examination to see how jar your cervix has dilated.

You will be asked to give a urine sample to test for the presence of protein and sugar.

You 11 be asked when you last had a bowel movement and it may be suggested that you have an enema or a suppository (although this is no longer routine in many hospital).

You then have a shower or bath and are shown to the first stage labour room. If you have any questions or you want to make your feelings known to the staff, now is the time to remind them of your birth plan.

Every woman’s experience of labour is unique, and the time span can’t be predicted. However, an average labour lasts about 12—14 hours for first-time mothers, and about seven hours for subsequent labours. If your first labour lasts longer than 12 hours, or in subsequent labours nine hours, your obstetrician may intervene.

The first stage of labour can be regarded as having three separate phases. The early, or latent, phase is the longest, lasting about eight hours for first babies, during which the cervix is softening and you will feel contractions occurring with increasing frequency and length. Try to conserve your energy during this time.

The next, active phase when the cervix is dilating, is shorter, lasting from three to five hours, and this is when your contractions become more painful, and you may want pain relief. The final phase of dilatation (sometimes called transitional) is the shortest and most intense, usually lasting under an hour, and comes just before you begin to push.

Your Cervix Dilates

The normally tough cervix must be stretched thin and opened wide before your baby`s head can pass through. The contractions of the first stage of labour achieve this.

Before labour

Your cervix is normally thick and closed, but has been softened by hormones during pregnancy.

Early (Latent) phase

Your cervix begins to thin (efface) before it can stretch and dilate.

Active dilatation

When your cervix is about 5cm (2in) wide, it is halfway to full dilatation and delivery.

End of the first stage

Your cervix is fully dilated when it is about 10cm (4in) wide. Now the head can descend.