Possible variations in the 1st stage of labour
Occasional variations in the 1st stage of labour
Rare variations in the 1st stage of labour
Other variations
There are no guarantees in life, including the way you give birth. No matter how much preparation we do, we cannot be reassured that the labour will actually unfold the way in which we dream, fantalise, visualise or subconsciously hope. A woman's labour may deviate from the 'textbook norm' at any time, and we have no advance knowledge as to what degree these variations can play in the outcome of the birth, and how a woman will ultimately feel about her labour.
Ironically, this is part of the beauty of being human! We are all unique. We experience different values, fears, joys, expectations, cultural beliefs and (especially for first pregnancies, labours and births) - the huge unknown. It is this unknown, that women need to work with during their labour. They need to be able to adjust and make choices (and informed decisions), as the labour unfolds. Part of this process is understanding how a labour can move outside the definitions of 'normal'.
In most cases, the 1
st stage of labour will be uncomplicated (for up to 85% of women). In some circumstances having some knowledge of the variations can prepare the woman for what may happen and help her to make informed decisions about her care. Occasionally, if the caregiver needs to act quickly, her choices (and decision making) will be limited. Presenting these possible variations is not designed to scare you, but simply to prepare you for the 'unknown', in case you need to confront them. Some people may even decide to come back to this class after they have had their baby to read about certain unexpected outcomes that occurred during their labour.
Possible variations of the 1st stage of labour
There are many possible variations that can occur during the 1
st stage of labour.