01/04/2026
The image on the left shows a cervix that has not yet effaced. Many first‑time moms begin labor with a cervix that is still thick. like the one pictured.
During a first labor, the cervix usually needs to thin out (efface) before it can fully dilate. Some dilation happens early on, but most of the progress comes after the cervix has finished effacing.
This early phase is one of the main reasons first labors often take longer—there’s a lot of groundwork happening. Effacement can take several hours, and the sensations are usually milder compared to active labor, when dilation becomes the body’s primary focus.
A LOT happens at a first labor and if left to your bodies own devices, this whole process from labor starting to baby out can sometimes take a day or two. Patience and understanding of the process is key for a great labor and birth!
