Vaginal birth

A pregnant woman laying back on a hospital bed during delivery, surrounded by nurses, her partner, and her doula

If you plan to have a vaginal birth, there are a variety of childbirth options available, so be sure to talk to your health care provider to decide what is right for you. Once you decide, consider creating a birth plan that details your preferences and needs, and share your plan with The Mother Baby Center care team.

What is a vaginal delivery?

In a vaginal birth, the baby is born through the birth canal. Labor can be a straightforward, uncomplicated process for the mother’s body but may require medical assistance at some point.

Natural childbirth is a vaginal delivery without medication, like an epidural to numb pain or an induction to start the labor process. Other assisted delivery procedures that might arise during a vaginal birth include:

  • An episiotomy: a surgical incision made in the perineum (the area of skin between the vagina and anus) to enlarge the vaginal opening.
  • An amniotomy: “breaking of the water” or artificial rupture of the amniotic membranes that contain the fluid surrounding the baby. This can induce labor and/or allow the health care provider to assess and monitor the baby’s well-being.

What are pros and cons of vaginal birth?

Vaginal birth is typically the preferred method for health care providers because they’re usually the safest for both mother and baby.

Pros of vaginal delivery

The benefits of a vaginal birth delivery include:

  • Shorter hospital stays.
  • Lower infection rates.
  • Quicker recovery.
  • Babies born vaginally have a lower risk of respiratory problems.
  • A vaginal delivery can provide a unique and personalized experience for the mother, baby, and partner/family.

Cons of vaginal delivery

Some challenges with vaginal birth delivery include:

  • Vaginal birth is painful. However, the pain is short-lived, and there are many pain relief methods to reduce the intensity of childbirth pain.
  • Possible tearing of the perineum.

What are the stages of a vaginal delivery?

Vaginal childbirth begins with labor to coax the baby through the birth canal. There are three stages of labor for a vaginal birth:

First stage of labor

The first stage of labor is when the cervix dilates (opens) to 10 centimeters and is divided into three phases: early labor, active labor and transitional labor. Early labor is characterized by contractions shortening or thinning the cervix. During active labor, contractions are more regular and intense, which may require more coping techniques. Finally, the last two centimeters of dilation are called transition because it is the transition between the first and second stage of labor.

Second stage of labor: birth

Second stage is the work of pushing your baby through your vagina (birth canal). It is more difficult than the distance suggests because your baby must turn to fit through your pelvis. The cervix thins and dilates during labor.

Third stage of labor: delivering the placenta

The third stage is the shortest and easiest; it is the birth of the placenta. During this stage, the placenta separates from the uterine wall and is expelled. This typically lasts 3 to 30 minutes after your baby’s birth. Contractions are less intense during this stage.

Learn more about the stages of labor.

Recovering from vaginal delivery

How long does it take to recover from vaginal delivery?

The recovery period for vaginal births typically lasts a full four to six weeks. However, recovery can vary depending on if there were any vaginal tears during labor. If you had a painful vaginal birth that created vaginal tears or had an episiotomy that required stitches, you can expect the stitches to dissolve after the first two weeks of recovery.

What are the symptoms of vaginal delivery recovery?

Some other symptoms you may experience during the recovery period are vaginal tenderness and soreness, bleeding, discharge as your uterus sheds the thick lining it maintained during pregnancy, enlarged breasts, tiredness and more. Checking in with your doctor about healing and being mindful of signs of infection are important during the healing stage regardless of the delivery method.

Learn ways to promote healing and relieve tenderness when you return home.