July 2022 - Tina Gibbs

Posted on July 30, 2022November 6, 2026 by Tina G — Leave a comment

How long does labour last?

How long does labour last? What is the average length of labour and birth?

In medical terms, labour is divided into three stages:

First stage – your uterus and body are getting ready. Your cervix softens and begins to open until it is fully open (dilated). This is sometimes called the “up stage”, because the sensations pull upwards.
Second stage – this begins when you feel the urge to push. It’s sometimes called the “pushing stage” or “down stage”, because the sensations push downwards. At the end of this stage, your baby is born!
Third stage – the birth of the placenta, the final stage of labour.

So, how long does labour last? According to the NHS, a first labour lasts on average 8–12 hours, and later labours are usually much quicker (around 5 hours). However, midwives only start timing from when you are in established labour – when your cervix is around 4cm dilated. The contractions and sensations you experience before then aren’t officially counted, although birthing people usually include that time when they describe their experience. From your baby dropping (lightening) to the start of established labour can take hours, or sometimes days with a first baby. Use this time to rest when you can, stay hydrated and keep your positive energy up!

Although the NHS and other healthcare providers divide labour into three stages, it isn’t always that simple. Each stage can be broken down into smaller steps, and people who have given birth or attended births often describe many more stages. Milli Hill, for example, divides birth into 15 steps in The Positive Birth Book (affiliate link).

Here is a graphic showing a timeline of childbirth:

Posted on July 27, 2022November 6, 2026 by Tina G — Leave a comment

What to wear during childbirth?

“What should I wear during childbirth?” is a question expectant parents ask a lot.

The answer is: whatever feels comfortable for you! Here are a few things you may wish to consider when deciding what to wear:

The birth environment. At home you control the temperature, but hospital birth rooms tend to be very warm!
Are you giving birth in water? If you’re planning to use a birth pool, you may prefer not to wear anything on your bottom half once you get in. Clothes are much harder to take off when they’re wet!
Are you planning a caesarean birth? Think about easy access for skin-to-skin after the birth, and ask your care provider about your options. Most NHS trusts in the UK support skin-to-skin after a planned caesarean, and many are happy for you to wear your own clothes instead of a hospital gown. See also 7 ways to personalise your caesarean birth.
Skin-to-skin straight after birth is important for you and your baby. It helps with breastfeeding and bonding, and helps pass good bacteria to your baby. Check that skin-to-skin will be easy in the clothes you choose.
Feeding your baby. If you’re planning to breastfeed or chestfeed, wear clothes that give easy access to your breasts or chest.
Personal comfort and body confidence matter too. In the end, it’s your choice – pick clothes that make you feel comfortable, or choose not to wear any at all!

In short: wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes that give easy access to your chest for the golden hour. And don’t forget to pack them in your hospital bag!

Posted on July 15, 2022November 6, 2026 by Tina G — Leave a comment

Positions for Childbirth

Which positions do women and birthing people use during labour and birth? Let’s look at positions that support the birth process and can help your baby’s birth go more smoothly.

Changing position and staying active during labour can help the birth process and reduce the need for interventions. Choose positions that feel comfortable for you.

Positions for childbirth explained

Walking sideways up and down the stairs can help if your labour has slowed down or you’d like to speed it up a little.

The lunge opens up your pelvis and may help bring back or speed up contractions when they’ve slowed down. Lunge during contractions, between them, or both.

Rest. If you need a rest, try sitting backwards on a chair or sitting on a birth ball. Keeping your feet lower than your bottom helps keep your pelvis open. Massage may help you relax and rest, too.

Physical contact and massage. Close contact with your partner and/or massage can help you relax and help your body release oxytocin.

A rebozo has many uses during labour and birth, for example:
– to help realign your body and encourage your baby to rotate into a more favourable position
– to lift your bump and relieve back pressure
– to wrap around your whole body like a hug, for comfort and to ease anxiety

Side-lying. Lie on one side, preferably your left – a great position for resting. To open your pelvis a little more, keep your lower leg straight and bend your upper knee as much as you can, resting it on a pillow. With a birth partner holding up your upper leg, you can even give birth in this position, making full use of the space in your pelvis.

Double hip squeeze. Your birth partner presses firmly into your buttocks with the palms of their hands, fingers pointing towards your spine. You could also try this with a warm or cold compress. It’s great for relieving pressure on your back during labour.

Stay upright and use gravity! Gravity is one of your best friends in labour. When you’re upright – standing, sitting or kneeling – the weight of your baby presses on your cervix, encouraging it to open. Being upright may also help your baby get into the best position for birth.

Sitting on the ball takes the weight off your legs and helps relax your lower back. Your birth partner can sit behind you to offer massage, warmth or support. Also try sitting cross-legged on the floor or bed.

The birth pool is great for pain relief and can help you relax. You can sit in the pool, or kneel and rest your upper body on the side.

Leaning on the birth ball lets you rest your weight on the ball instead of your hands, and encourages movement, which opens your pelvis and helps your baby rotate. Also try sitting backwards on a chair or the toilet, leaning into a pillow. Being monitored doesn’t mean you have to stay in bed or lie down – you can still use upright positions and movement!

The squat is a great position for giving birth. It opens up your pelvis and maximises the room for your baby to rotate and move through the birth canal. You can use a ball, rebozo, chair or your birth partner for support.

If you’re a birth worker, such as a doula or antenatal teacher, these positions are available as a set of 30 individual positions for childbirth cards, or as a poster, in my shop.

Posted on July 5, 2022November 6, 2026 by Tina G — Leave a comment

Pregnancy and new baby timeline – What to expect

You’re pregnant – congratulations! Now you may be wondering what to expect before and after your baby arrives. Here is a rough guide to what happens during pregnancy, on the day your baby is born, and in your first few weeks as a new parent. This guide is for expectant and new parents in the UK.

During pregnancy

Start pelvic floor exercises – the NHS has a guide to pelvic floor and other exercises during pregnancy. See also my post on pelvic floor exercises for labour and birth.
Antenatal appointments with your midwife (and consultant, if needed) – the NHS website explains what happens at each one.
Antenatal tests and scans
A home visit from your health visitor and/or midwife
Book and attend childbirth preparation classes (optional), such as hypnobirthing
Consider hiring a birth and/or postnatal doula
Research your birth options and rights – Birthrights is a great place to find out about your rights in childbirth

Day one – the day your baby is born

Apgar score for your baby
Vitamin K offered for your baby
A midwife or member of the paediatric team checks your baby over before you leave the hospital or midwife-led unit
Newborn hearing screening – before you leave hospital or within the first few weeks
Going home: after a straightforward birth, if you and your baby are well, you can often leave the same day. After a caesarean birth, you can usually go home after about two days.
You’ll receive the red book for your baby’s growth charts, vaccinations and more – some areas also offer an online red book.

Once you’re home

Please note that timings vary across the UK.

Midwife home visits for you and your baby, usually on days 1, 3 and 5 (more often if needed)
Emotional high for mum: days 1–3
Baby may develop jaundice: days 2–3, usually clearing by week 2
Milk comes in: days 3–5
Baby blues: days 3–5
Newborn blood spot (heel prick) test: day 5
Umbilical cord stump falls off: around day 7
Lochia (postnatal bleeding) stops: 2–6 weeks
Discharged from midwifery care: between 10 and 28 days
Postnatal check for mum and baby with your GP: 6–8 weeks
Light exercise and sex can usually resume after your postnatal check, from 6–8 weeks

These timings are a rough average only, and this list does not replace medical advice. If you’re worried about yourself, your partner or your baby, please contact your healthcare professional.

References and further reading:

Posted on July 2, 2022November 6, 2026 by Tina G — 2 Comments

Informed decision-making for birth

Why is informed decision-making for birth so important?

Pregnancy is often a woman’s or pregnant person’s first significant experience of the healthcare system. Suddenly, you have to make all sorts of decisions for yourself, your baby and your family, and some of those choices about your care during pregnancy and birth can be difficult. You’ll be influenced by healthcare professionals, family and friends, the media, social media, books, memories and more – all claiming to know what’s best for you and your baby, and often leaving you feeling torn…

Whatever choices you’re considering, you can help yourself make informed decisions that you’ll be happy with and feel empowered by.

One acronym often used in childbirth education and hypnobirthing classes is BRAIN (sometimes BRAINS or BRIAN). It’s a simple way to gather all the information you need to make informed decisions about your own and your baby’s care:

Benefits:
What are the benefits of the treatment or procedure? Is this what is usually done? How do the usual benefits apply to your own individual care?

Risks:
Are there any risks with the treatment or procedure? How do they apply to your own individual care?

Alternatives:
What are the alternatives? Where can you get a second (or third) opinion?

Intuition:
How do you feel about what’s being offered? What does your gut tell you?

Nothing:
What would happen if you did nothing? Is it an emergency? How much time do you have to think about it? Do you need to decide now?

With this simple, memorable acronym, you can make informed decisions without having to memorise all the statistics and research. You’re likely to feel more in control and empowered, and happier with your birth experience – and that’s why informed decision-making for childbirth is so important.

Read more in my post The BRAIN Acronym for Childbirth. If you’d like to prepare at your own pace, my self-paced online childbirth preparation course includes all my antenatal mp3 recordings, the scripts and a 20-page printable workbook.