Time and Space: A Poetic Description of Labor and Birth

Counting weeks, then counting days,
Anticipation, dreamy haze.
Time slowing as I wait,
My focus on a certain date.

I marked it many months ago,
Filled with newly pregnant glow.
But now that moment’s come and gone.
Still waiting, dusk turns into dawn.

In the early morning light,
I wake to feel my belly tight.
I still can’t tell if this is it—
Am I ready to submit?

I watch the clock, build and fade,
Closer, longer, I cascade.
Measuring minutes, tracking time,
Steady rhythm, mood sublime.

Intensity builds, I go within—
Another realm beyond the din.
Time unravels. It blurs and bends.
Fuzzy beginnings, elusive ends.

Shaking, moaning, chaos, doubt,
“I can’t. I won’t.” I plead. I shout.
Contractions roaring. No break now.
How much more can I allow?

It’s time to push. I feel an urge—
You’re almost ready to emerge.
Bearing down, ring of fire.
You’re out, you’re here, my heart’s desire.

Someone puts you on my chest—
I barely notice all the rest.
I hold you close with cord attached,
Instinctual and small and latched.

I journeyed deep through time and space,
To bring you here into this place.
This moment I’ve been waiting for,
I’m now transformed forevermore.

While I believe it’s a foundational part of childbirth education, talking about the stages of labor and birth can feel clinical and structured. And I will explain them in this way in this post. However, I wrote this poem in an attempt to describe how labor and birth really feel much more surreal.

In each of my pregnancies, time seemed to slow to a crawl in the final days. I wanted to convey how this felt in the first couple stanzas:

Counting weeks, then counting days,
Anticipation, dreamy haze.
Time slowing as I wait,
My focus on a certain date.

I marked it many months ago,
Filled with newly pregnant glow.
But now that moment’s come and gone.
Still waiting, dusk turns into dawn.

Labor Begins

While I believe it’s a foundational part of childbirth education, talking about the stages of labor and birth can feel clinical and structured. And I will explain them in this way in this post. However, I wrote this poem in an attempt to describe how labor and birth really feel much more surreal.

In each of my pregnancies, time seemed to slow to a crawl in the final days. I wanted to convey how this felt in the first couple stanzas:

Counting weeks, then counting days,
Anticipation, dreamy haze.
Time slowing as I wait,
My focus on a certain date.

I marked it many months ago,
Filled with newly pregnant glow.
But now that moment’s come and gone.
Still waiting, dusk turns into dawn.

Somewhere along the way, the waiting transitions into labor. In the moment, it can be really hard to pinpoint exactly when this happens. It’s often not something you can really determine until you look back on your experience.

In the early morning light,
I wake to feel my belly tight.
I still can’t tell if this is it—
Am I ready to submit?

First Stage

Start of True Labor Contractions ➡️ Cervix Fully Dilated

During what is typically the longest stage, contractions of the muscular uterus work to make changes to the cervix (and help the baby move down through the pelvis). Contractions are regular and predictable but will increase in length, frequency, and intensity as this stage progresses. By the end of the first stage, the cervix will have fully dilated to ten centimeters.

This stage is further divided into two phases:

• Latent
• Active

Latent Phase

ℹ️ Cervical Dilation: 0-6 centimeters

This is typically the longest (sometimes even days) but less intense phase. At the beginning, it can be difficult to tell if contractions are prelabor (Braxton-Hicks) or true labor contractions. It will become clear, though, as this phase progresses. Many people time contractions during this phase to gather information and identify patterns. Check out my blog post below to learn more about the difference between prelabor and true labor contractions, as well as how to time them:

🧭 Am I in Labor?

At the beginning of this phase, contractions might last around 30 seconds with long breaks in between (like 20+ minutes). It’s usually possible to talk through them and carry on with normal tasks. As this phase progresses, contractions will get longer, stronger, and closer together. They will increasingly require more of your focus.

🪧 Emotional Signpost #1: Your behavior can provide clues about how labor is progressing. During the latent phase, you may be excited, chatty, anxious, nervous, and/ or restless.

I watch the clock, build and fade,
Closer, longer, I cascade.
Measuring minutes, tracking time,
Steady rhythm, mood sublime.

It’s usually not necessary to be at your birth location or have your care provider at your side during the latent phase. It’s a great time to get some rest, take a shower, stay hydrated, and eat nourishing foods.

Active Phase

ℹ️ Cervical Dilation: 6-10 centimeters

The active phase is typically more intense but shorter than the latent phase. Contractions are typically around 1 minute long and 5 minutes apart as you approach the active phase of labor. They will likely require much more of your focus, and hormones help you enter into an altered state of consciousness that is helpful in coping with the increased intensity.

The 5-1-1 rule is commonly used to help you decide when to call your care provider or head to your birth location. This means your contractions have been around 1 minute long and 5 minutes apart for at least an hour. This is a good indication that you are settling into the active phase. Your care provider will give you specific guidance, though.

🪧 Emotional Signpost #2: As you enter the active phase of labor, you may be serious, focused, quiet, less modest, and/ or more sensitive.

Intensity builds, I go within—
Another realm beyond the din.
Time unravels. It blurs and bends.
Fuzzy beginnings, elusive ends.

Considering this emotional signpost, along with the characteristics of your contractions, can be really helpful in determining when you’re in active labor.

As active labor progresses, contractions will continue to get longer, stronger, and closer together. As you approach the end of active labor and full dilation, contractions can be around 90 seconds long with very little rest in between. This is usually the most intense and challenging part of labor. This last bit of active labor is often referred to as “transition”. It’s much harder to stay calm and relaxed. Additional coping strategies and support are often needed during this part of labor. If you’ve been coping well but start to feel like you can’t do it anymore, it’s a great sign that you are nearing the end. 

🪧 Emotional Signpost #3: As you near the end of active labor (and the first stage), you may feel overwhelmed, confused, scared, full of self-doubt, and more vocal.

Shaking, moaning, chaos, doubt,
“I can’t. I won’t.” I plead. I shout.
Contractions roaring. No break now.
How much more can I allow?

Second Stage

Cervix Fully Dilated ➡️ Birth of Baby

Now that the cervix is fully dilated, the baby can exit the uterus and make its way through the vagina, also called the birth canal. And there is still more maneuvering through the pelvis to do! The uterus continues to contract, and the birthing person works with the contractions to push their baby down and out. Sometimes there is a delay before really feeling an urge to push. This stage ends with birth.

It’s time to push. I feel an urge—
You’re almost ready to emerge.
Bearing down, ring of fire.
You’re out, you’re here, my heart’s desire.

Third Stage

Birth of Baby ➡️ Delivery of Placenta

The baby can be placed on the birthing person's chest for skin-to-skin time and a first attempt at feeding, if desired. The umbilical cord can be cut at this point, though there are various options on the timing of this. The uterus still has some contracting to do, which will help with the birth of the placenta. It’s possible your new baby distracts you from being as aware of what’s going on during this part of the birth process. Once the placenta is out, the third stage is over.

Someone puts you on my chest—
I barely notice all the rest.
I hold you close with cord attached,
Instinctual and small and latched.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Understanding the structured breakdown of the three stage of labor and birth is really helpful in knowing what to expect. At the same time, the experience in the moment feels much more abstract. I hope this poem helped to add some additional context to understanding the actual experience of labor and birth.

I journeyed deep through time and space,
To bring you here into this place.
This moment I’ve been waiting for,
I’m transformed forevermore.