Leading up to labour, first-time birthers are very curious about what the different stages of labour feel like. Most are usually pretty interested in finding out how many centimetres dilated they are too.

Early labour is when contractions are sporadic; they last less than a minute and don’t have a distinct pattern. This stage can last a long time (we’re talking days), so it’s best to ignore.

A doula is a non-medical support person hired by the family to provide emotional, informational, and physical support during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.