What’s your childbirth IQ? Take our childbirth quiz and find out instantly! Are you a Birth Novice or the Birth Master? Answers these questions to find out now.

Whether you’re a birth professional like a doula, or just a curious mama who’s going through our natural pregnancy week-by-week, this just-for-fun quiz is for you!

How Much Do You Know About Childbirth?

How much do you really know about childbirth?

1. Transition usually lasts: 

2. Most women lose their mucus plug:

3. Braxton Hicks contractions mean you’re going into early labor

4. Active labor begins when your water breaks

5. What happens during the third stage of labor?

6. Signs of early labor include:

7. Early labor lasts for no more than 5 hours

8. The average length of labor for a first time mom is: 

9. Your midwife will say baby is “fully engaged” when: 

10. The onset of active labor is characterized by: 

11. You know it’s time to go to the hospital or birth center when:

12. Your body will have established a steady rhythm of contraction and dilation by the time active labor begins

13. The thinning and softening of the cervix is called: 

14. Dilation is measured in: 

15. Transition is when: 

16. Non-physical signs of transition typically include: 

17. The pushing stage of labor, on average, lasts for: 

18. Crowning is when: 

19. The third stage of labor is:

20. Once baby is out your contractions will stop

21. The hormone that brings on contractions is called: 

22. The delivery of the placenta usually takes:


 

Want to Learn More About Childbirth?

Here’s a cheat sheet that includes a more comprehensive look at some of the facts in this fun childbirth quiz:

Transition usually lasts…

Typically, this stage of labor lasts for about one to two hours.

Transition includes the very final, most intense stretch of the first stage of labor. Your cervix will be close to full dilation by this time, and contractions will be at their peak intensity with very short periods of rest in between.

Learn more about the stages of labor.

Most women lose their mucus plug…

In early labor. Learn more about the mucus plug, plus see what it looks like.

Braxton hicks contractions…

Don’t necessarily mean you’re going into labor. They are “practice contractions” that tone the uterus in preparation for real labor. They don’t cause any changes to the cervix, so they won’t cause premature labor and are totally normal and safe. Here’s more info on Braxton Hicks contractions.

Your water breaking…

Doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going into active labor. Doctors and midwives now define active labor as beginning at six centimeters dilation, which means that this phase is short when compared with early labor.

During the third stage of labor, you…

Deliver the placenta! Anywhere from five to thirty minutes after your baby is born, you’ll begin to feel contractions again, signaling that your body is ready to deliver the placenta.

The average labor for a first time mom is…

Labors can be as long as several days and as short as several hours. The middle range is somewhere from 12 to 24 hours for first births and eight to ten hours for subsequent births. (source)

When you are fully engaged…

Baby’s head is low and pressing on your cervix. Learn more about when—and how—baby drops in preparation for labor.

Dilation is measured in…

Centimeters! Dilation is estimated in centimeters—ten centimeters marks full dilation and the end of the first stage of labor.

The pushing stage of labor usually lasts for…

Anywhere from 15 minutes to three hours (yikes!). The second stage of labor is significantly shorter than the first, but like the first stage, it can vary in duration from mother to mother and labor to labor.

Crowning is when…

Your baby’s head starts to emerge. Some mamas call the sensation they feel during this stage as the “ring of fire.”

The hormones that bring on contractions is called…

Oxytocin. This is a hormone released by the pituitary gland that causes contractions during labor. It’s dubbed the “love hormone,” because it is released when people cuddle and bond. Oxytocin also stimulates the production of breast milk.

Delivery of the placenta usually takes…

Five to 20 minutes. As you birth the placenta, you’ll only need to give a few gentle pushes.

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What Was Your Score?

Are you a novice or a pro? Share your score in the comments below.