Pregnancy Episode 55: Phases and Stages of Labor with Liesel Teen from Mommy Labor Nurse

Welcome to the Growing Our Family Podcast – Pregnancy Edition, where we’ll discuss topics ranging from your very first positive test all the way through delivery. I’m your host, Brittany, and I’m a new mom to a beautiful baby boy. Throughout my pregnancy, I did hours of research on everything that came my way. Join me on a weekly chat where I’ll share my knowledge and personal experiences with all of you.

This week on the Growing Our Family Pregnancy Podcast

Guest: Liesel Teen

Liesl Teen is a labor and delivery nurse, fellow mom, and the host of the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast. On her Instagram page, Liesel helps thousands of new moms have a better understanding of what pregnancy, birth, and parenthood is really like. 

Intro/summary

In today’s episode, Liesel Teen helps answer the following questions:

* What are the phases of labor?* When does labor start?* When should I go to the hospital?* How long does the pushing phase of labor last and tips for pushing effectively* How can I reduce tearing during labor?* How do I deal with post-delivery constipation and pain when pooping?* And more!

“If you’re still questioning that you’re in labor, you’re probably not in labor.”

In this episode

Four phases of labor

* Labor* Pushing* Placenta delivery* Recovery

When does labor start? (7:08)

* “With true labor…your belly is going to be getting hard every few minutes. It’s going to feel like a very, very strong period cramp, at first kind of downward, below or in your back or in your groin, and it’s going to slowly intensify.”

Stages of labor (10:37)

* Early labor* Active labor* Transitional labor

When do I go to the hospital? (15:07)

Stage 2 of labor – How long does the pushing phase last? (17:36)

“Some people have their babies in one push. And other moms, it takes four or five hours to push a baby out — a long, long time. What I like to tell first time moms is [that] pushing time is going to be about two hours. And if you get lucky and you’re a 20 minute or one push kind of person, then awesome.”

Tools that help with the mental aspect of labor progress (23:04) 

Tips for pushing effectively (24:48)

* Techniques for pushing when you don’t have an epidural* Guided pushing when you have an epidural 

How do you reduce tearing during labor? (29:44)

Stage 3 of labor – Placenta delivery (31:49)

Fundal massage/Uterine massage (36:14)

Stage 4 of labor – Recovery (39:01)

* What labor and delivery nurses are watching for during recovery* Breastfeeding for the first time

“One of the main things that is encouraged is bonding in that first two hours and doing lots and lots of skin-to-skin with baby.”

Post-delivery constipation (check time 44:25)

“No one talks about the first time you have to poop and how scary it is.”

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