delivery
labor day
The day you deliver your baby will be one of the , most days of your life.
unpredictable
stage 1 labor (aka holy crap, this kid is coming!)
Labor, the first stage of the birth process, lasts from the first signs baby’s coming (see “Signs of Labor” on the opposite page) until your cervix is fully dilated and ready to deliver.
the kickoff
Some moms-to-be know when their body starts prepping for delivery by one of those mucusy, watery events. For others, the
craziest
process happens gradually: Your cervix thins out and begins to dilate.
contractions: the real deal
You’ll definitely know you’re in labor when you start to have regular contractions, which will feel like a strong tightening in your belly and could be super-painful or just a little uncomfortable (it all depends on the mom-