With some women the water breaks, and then they begin to have contractions. In the first stage of labor, the cervix will dilate from closed, which is its normal state, to fully open at 10 cm in diameter. In mothers having their first child, this stage usually lasts 12 to 16 hours. For women having second or subsequent children, the first stage lasts around 6 to 7 hours.
Umbilical Cord Care. After the umbilical cord is cut at birth, a stump of tissue remains attached to your baby's belly button (navel). The stump gradually dries and shrivels until it falls off, usually 1 to 2 weeks after birth. It is important that you keep the umbilical cord stump and surrounding skin clean and dry.
The first symptom is often pain around the belly button. Pain may be minor at first, but becomes more sharp and severe. You may also have a loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and a low fever. The pain tends to move into the right lower part of your belly.