In preparation for the birth of your baby, your cervix effaces (thins and stretches) and dilates (opens) so your baby can fit through the birth canal. This cervical ripening can begin days or even ...

Cervical dilation means the cervix opens up to allow the baby to move from the uterus into the birth canal. Signs that your cervix is dilating include losing your mucus plug, a bloody show, and ...

Cervical dilation sounds pretty intense, but if you are in labor, it's going to happen. The question is, how do you know if you're dilated and ready to deliver your baby? The cervix is a magical ...

Here's what happens during each stage of labor – from how long each stage lasts to what you might feel. Labor happens in three stages — early labor and dilation, pushing and delivery, and finally, ...

You've made it through nine(ish) months of pregnancy, and now the big day has arrived: Your baby's birthday! You might be eager to take on the stages of labor, or you may be nervous about what's to ...

Tricia Brockway, a labor and delivery nurse whose mission is to empower women through information, recently drummed up a dilation chart that's easy to understand. In an enlightening Instagram post, ...

The early stages of labor can be filled with a range of emotions for expecting mothers including pain and uncertainty. Preparing yourself for the unexpected — to the best of your ability — and ...

If labor doesn’t start on its own, doctors and midwives can use different techniques to get it started so you can give birth. This is called inducing labor, and there are different reasons for doing ...