As with 1
st stage of the labour, the 2nd stage may also have time limits. The length of time will depend on your caregiver and the policies at your place of birth. We have described the 2nd stage as having 'phases' to illustrate their different characteristics, however, most caregivers define the 2nd stage from the time you are 10 cms (or fully dilated) to the time the baby is fully born.
As a guide, the whole of 2nd stage can take as long as an hour or two for first babies, and anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes for women having their second or subsequent baby. Some women will take longer than this and others will birth their babies in a considerably shorter time (and do!).
There are some caregivers who place strict time limits on women to push their babies out before suggesting interventions (either
forceps or a
ventouse). First time mothers are often given an hour from the time they are fully dilated (or 10cms), whether they feel ready to push or not. This is often an unrealistic expectation, even more so if you have an epidural in place, as this will usually slow the 2nd stage. (Caregivers are less likely to intervene with women having their second or subsequent baby, unless there are obvious complications).
Issues that need to be considered are a possible resting phase, whether you have had pain relief, your psychological readiness for birth, the health of you and your baby and the progress the baby is making down the vagina during the active pushing phase. If your baby is progressing slowly, but surely, and you and your baby are well, then there is no need to intervene to shorten the 2nd stage of labour.