Have you ever considered that there may be different ways to push during labor? And not only that, but that there are also four different stages of labor? If this is your first pregnancy, you may not have had a lot of discussion and detail in regards to labor, contractions and the act of pushing. This blog post is going to review the four stages of labor as well as discuss two different types of pushing and the potential positives and negatives of each.

The Four Stages of Labor: It’s More Than Just Contractions and Pushing

Some women find themselves not wanting to know anything about what labor and birth are going to be like until they are in the moment, and others want to know every single detail to be as prepared as possible. Or maybe you fall somewhere in the middle of those two extremes…in which case, let’s discuss the different stages of labor and understand which stage the pushing comes into play!

First Stage of Labor
- Dilation of the cervix
- To get into full dilation your body will go through different stages within this first stage, but technically, the first stage starts when labor begins and ends when the cervix has fully dilated.
Second Stage of Labor
- Delivery (this is where the pushing breath comes into play)
- Once the cervix is fully dilated, you will begin the second stage of labor, and this stage will end when the baby has been delivered.
Third Stage of Labor
- Afterbirth
- This stage starts immediately after the baby has been delivered and ends when the placenta is out
Fourth Stage of Labor
- Recovery
- Once the placenta is out, the next two hours are considered the fourth stage of labor and is dedicated to recovery.

The Two Types of Pushing: Closed Glottis Versus Open Glottis

There are two different types of pushing during the second stage of labor, both which refer to the glottis being open or closed. The “glottis” is just a fancy term for the throat and whether the throat is open or closed is determined by whether you are holding your breath or breathing through it.

Closed Glottis
- Holding your breath and bearing down while pushing
- Common practice in hospital settings
- Not ideal, but sometimes can feel the most effective
- Decreases oxygen and blood flow to the baby
- Causes more fatigue
- Potentially could cause more severe tearing due to baby descending a little quicker
Open Glottis
- Exhaling as you push
- A groan or moan can occur with this, which is a good indication you are pushing right! (*)
- Allows for oxygen to continue flowing
- Allows baby to descend at a steady rate, which can help with severity of tearing (*)
- Sometimes can be harder with an epidural due to not feeling the “pushing sensation” or when a contraction is building.

Essentially, open glottis is often the preferred method of pushing, if the mother is able to effectively perform the technique, because it will allow for oxygen to continue flowing to you and baby, as well as to allow for the least amount of tissue disruption as possible. Many women are told to, “Push like you are pooping!” - which is a cue that goes along with the concepts of open glottis. In order to effectively have a bowel movement, your pelvic floor must relax and open up in order to allow the stool to pass. On the contrary - we don’t want to be bearing down, holding our breath and straining when we poop…our pelvic floor has to be able to relax and open, with anything that needs to exit our body!

Ultimately, you have to do what feels right TO YOU. Only you can feel what your body is feeling (*) - and I always encourage women to lean in to that primal and intuitive feeling!

And if support in your pregnancy and labor prep is something you are looking for, make sure to check out my Mind Body Core Prenatal Program which also includes a fully comprehensive Labor Prep Program! Click the link below for further details.

Mind Body Core Prenatal Program