How do you differentiate between the three phases of labour?

First is the latent phase which comprise the first little contraction up until having 3-4 60 to 90 second contractions every 10 minutes. Over hours, the cervix will soften and begin to dilate up to 3-6 cm open. For first babies, latent labour takes anywhere between a few hours to quite a few nights. The active phase whereby from 3–6 cm dilated, it stretches further toto 8–9 cm dilated. Contractions are long, strong and frequent, which the woman cannot talk through and can take from a few hours to half a day. Advanced active or transition phase is the hardest part as the mum experiences four or five unfathomably strong 90-second contractions every 10 minutes and the pressure in your rectum is increasing. For first babies the advanced active transitional phase takes anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or two.