Once you are in labour, a normal labour means that you do not have any interventions or complications, the birth takes place spontaneously and the baby is born in good condition, and neither you nor your baby have any health problems afterwards.
The following indicate a normal labour:
- labour which starts on its own (even if this is before
37 weeks) - regular contractions that begin on their own
- your waters breaking naturally
- the dilation of your cervix without the need for
stimulating drugs - your baby`s head can be felt to move slowly through
the pelvic bones until a small part of the head can be
seen which does not disappear again without a
contraction (this is called `crowning`) - your baby is born vaginally, without the need of
assistance from forceps or a ventouse cap.
It is usual for a labour to last approximately 18 hours for first time mothers and 12 hours for other mothers, but if it lasts for longer than this, without any signs of complications, this can still be normal for you.
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Contributors include:
Mr. Peter Young, MB; ChB; MRCOG;
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
Prof. Moira Plant, RN; RMN; PhD;
Professor of Alcohol Studies
Anne Viccars, MA; BSc (Hons); PGDipEd; RM; RN;
Senior Lecturer in Midwifery
Dr. AP Madden, MA; BM; BCh; FRCA;
Consultant Anaesthetist
Dr. Julie Dallison, MSc; DPhil
Dr. Jenny Ingram, PhD; BSc (Hons)
Dr. Mary Stewart, PhD; RN; RM; ADM; BSc (Hons);
MSc; PGDipHE
Prof. Christine MacArthur, PhD;
Professor of Maternal and Child Epidemiology
Dr. Sally Marchant, PhD; RN; RM; ADM; DipEd
Prof. JG Thornton, MD; FRCOG;
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Rona McCandlish, RM; RMN; RN; MSc (Epid);
Sarah Beake, MSc; RM; RN; Research Midwife
Prof. Alison Macfarlane, BA; Dip Stat; C Stat; FFPH;
Professor of Perinatal Health
April Bolding, DPT; Childbirth Educator; Doula, USA
Dr. Helen Churchill, PhD; BA (Hons); Senior Lecturer
Dr. Louise Howard, PhD; MSc; MRCP; MRC Psych;
Senior Lecturer in Women's Mental Health
Sharon Hodgkiss, RN; RM; DipHE; BSc (Hons); MPH;
West Midlands Regional NSC Antenatal & Child Health
Screening Coordinator
Vicky Carne, MSc; BA (Hons); ADM; RM; RN;
Head of Midwifery, MIDIRS
Glenda Augustine, MPH; BSc (Hons); RM; DipHV, RGN
Debra Kroll, MSc; PGCEA; ADM; RM; RN;
Midwifery Lecturer in Practice
Michelle Lynn, BEd (Hons); ADM; RM; RN;
Midwifery Advisor, Nursing and Midwifery Council
Chrissie Hammonds, MSc; RM; RN;
Midwife Ultrasonographer
Sara Wickham, MA; BA (Hons); RM; PGCE (A);
Midwife & Author
Dr. Sandy Oliver, PhD; BA; Reader in Public Policy
Sally Cottrell, RM; BSc; MSc; MICG; NNEB; Consultant
Midwife Public Health, Women & Family
Dr. Gillian Flett, FRCOG; FFSRH; MIPM; Consultant in
Sexual and Reproductive Health Clinical Lead, NHS Grampian
Amanda Mansfield, BSc (Hons); MSc; RM;
Consultant Midwife
Dr. Joyshri Sarangi, MBBS (Lond.); MBA; MRCP (UK);
MRCGP; FFPH; Consultant in Communicable Disease Control
