Early Labor Contractions are about 20 minutes apart, and last 30—40 seconds. They are uncomfortable at the peak, but you’re relaxed between contractions.	Early Labor Contractions are 8 minutes apart, and last 30-45 seconds. They’re uncomfortable, and you have a hard time sitting still during them.	Early Labor It’s the middle of the night. Contractions are 15-20 minutes apart, and last 30-45 seconds. They’re uncomfortable, and wake you up, but you took a warm bath, and now try to sleep in between contractions.
Active Labor Contractions are about 5 minutes apart, and last for about 50 seconds. They are painful at the peak. In between contractions, mom can relax her muscles, but wants to focus only on labor: she doesn’t want any distractions.	Active Labor Your contractions are about 4 minutes apart, and last for about 60 seconds. They’re intense, and you feel you need to be active during them. Quiet breathing is no longer enough to help you feel like you can cope with the contraction.	Active Labor Contractions are about 3 minutes apart, and last for 60 seconds. Mom’s feeling lots of pressure on her back during contractions.
Active Labor Plateaus You’ve been in labor for 18 hours. Contractions are about 4 minutes apart, lasting 45 seconds. You’re tired and want to rest, but the nurse has encouraged you to be more active, to help labor progress.	Transition Contractions are only 3 minutes apart, lasting anywhere from 60 seconds each to 90 seconds. The contractions are very intense, and it’s hard for mom to relax in the short period between contractions.	Transition Contractions are 2 minutes apart, and 75 seconds long. They are very intense. Mom is distressed, demanding that you make it stop hurting. She’s discouraged, saying “I can’t, I can’t.” She’s too hot, then too cold.
Second Stage: Pushing Cervix is fully dilated, and caregiver tells mom it is time to begin pushing. Mom says she feels like she needs to have a bowel movement, and she is grunting and groaning during contractions.	Second Stage Second stage was going very quickly, and your caregivers have encouraged mom to lie on her side to help slow it down a little to give her perineum time to stretch.	Second Stage The baby is crowning, and mom is actively pushing. Her doctor has encouraged her to take whatever position works best for her.

The same table as above, but without the labels for what stage of labor it is. This allows you to use them in exercises with the students where they read the scenario, then have to “diagnose” what stage of labor this is, and how to handle it.

Contractions are about 20 minutes apart, and last 30—40 seconds. They are uncomfortable at the peak, but you’re relaxed between contractions.	Contractions are 8 minutes apart, and last 30-45 seconds. They’re uncomfortable, and you have a hard time sitting still during them.	It’s the middle of the night. Contractions are 15-20 minutes apart, and last 30-45 seconds. They’re uncomfortable, and wake you up, but you took a warm bath, and now try to sleep in between contractions.
Contractions are about 5 minutes apart, and last for about 50 seconds. They are painful at the peak. In between contractions, mom can relax her muscles, but wants to focus only on labor: she doesn’t want any distractions.	Your contractions are about 4 minutes apart, and last for about 60 seconds. They’re intense, and you feel you need to be active during them. Quiet breathing is no longer enough to help you feel like you can cope with the contraction.	Contractions are about 3 minutes apart, and last for 60 seconds. Mom’s feeling lots of pressure on her back during contractions.
You’ve been in labor for 18 hours. Contractions are about 4 minutes apart, lasting 45 seconds. You’re tired and want to rest, but the nurse has encouraged you to be more active, to help labor progress.	Contractions are only 3 minutes apart, lasting anywhere from 60 seconds each to 90 seconds. The contractions are very intense, and it’s hard for mom to relax in the short period between contractions.	Contractions are 2 minutes apart, and 75 seconds long. They are very intense. Mom is distressed, demanding that you make it stop hurting. She’s discouraged, saying “I can’t, I can’t.” She’s too hot, then too cold.
Cervix is fully dilated, and caregiver tells mom it is time to begin pushing. Mom says she feels like she needs to have a bowel movement, and she is grunting and groaning during contractions.	Second stage was going very quickly, and your caregivers have encouraged mom to lie on her side to help slow it down a little to give her perineum time to stretch.	The baby is crowning, and mom is actively pushing. Her doctor has encouraged her to take whatever position works best for her.