Labor + delivery FAQs

By Motherly Updated Feb. 19, 2025

Table of Contents

Join pediatric nurse, midwife and Motherly’s Digital Education Editor Diana Spalding as she answers your frequently asked labor and delivery questions.

What’s the difference between false labor and early labor?

When do I lose my mucus plug?

Can I eat and drink during early labor?

What are the three stages of labor?

What should I do if my water breaks?

What are Braxton Hicks contractions?

What is a ‘gentle’ C-section?

Can I be dilated before labor begins?

Can I breastfeed after a C-section?

What can I expect during a scheduled C-section?

What do contractions feel like?

Do epidurals take away the pain of childbirth?

What happens when you’re induced?

How do I prepare for an unmedicated birth?

What is the ‘ring of fire’?

How can I prevent preterm labor?

Is it common to tear during birth?

Can I induce labor naturally?

Will I poop in labor?

When should I go to the hospital during labor?

Can I have a vaginal birth after a C-section (VBAC)?

What happens during a C-section?

How long does it take to recover from a C-section?

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