The second stage follows on from the first stage, and is when your baby will be born. The second stage of labour starts once the cervix is fully dilated. Often contractions might stop at this point for a few minutes. You may feel exhaustion and that you can't go on anymore - or you might just have an overwhelming urge to push!

What to expect

It is now that your contractions will get stronger again, and last for longer, but you won't have as many. If your waters haven't already broken or been broken it will probably happen now. You may feel the difference in the contractions now - like they are trying to get something out of you.

Transition stage

The transition stage occurs when the woman is between 7 and 10 cms dilated. The body automatically releases more adrenaline at this time, to prepare for the pushing stage, and making you alert. Often this affects the woman quite a lot, and they become tearful, say they don't want a baby, and feel like they can't go on with it. When this happens it is a good sign that the pushing isn't far off.

 Pushing

 Most people are overwhelmed by the feeling of needing to push, yet others don't feel this and need to be guided as to when to start the push. Pushing should take place with every contraction. As the woman pushes, the contraction also tries to expel the baby. Most people also say pushing is involuntary, and if it doesn't come naturally, the body takes over the push anyway, so that it couldn't be stopped mid-contraction.  It is important that the woman listens to her own body at this stage, if she doesn't need to push, then she should wait for a while. It can take quite a while for a baby to be in the right position to be born after dilation. Pushing can take from 5 mins to 2 hours, and often depends on whether it is a first baby.

  Descent into the birth canal

During you pushing, the baby is going further and further down the birth canal and is closer to being born. The tissues in your vagina and surrounding areas have been gently stretching from the pressure the baby's head is putting on it, until eventually the baby's head will be at the vaginal opening and ready to be born.

  Positions for birth.

  The best positions for birth are kneeling, squatting or standing, as all of these use gravity to help the baby out. Lying on your back isn't a good position as the woman will be pushing the baby up hill, and it makes the pelvis smaller.  This will also suppress one of the major blood vessels from the baby, making fetal distress more likely. 

Delivery

  Once the head of the baby is visible at the opening of the vagina it is called crowning. As the baby comes through the opening a stinging or burning will be felt, until the vagina has stretched so much that the nerves will be blocked, and this wont hurt anymore. During this, the woman must stop pushing, and just breathe her way through to minimise tearing the skin or muscle of the vagina or perinium. The midwife, if they feel it is needed, supports the babys head as it is delivered, and gently rotates it so that the shoulders may be born. After this, the rest of the baby arrives! It is possible for the woman to deliver her baby herself. She will need to talk to her midwives about this in plenty of time! To see a graphic picture of birth please click here .