When the cervix is about 7cm dilated the pace of labour speeds up. Contractions last longer, up to two minutes each, and feel very intense. Sometimes there is no gap between them. Some women feel shaky or nauseous at this time. It is at this stage too that you often begin to feel the urge to push, but you might have to stop yourself pushing until the midwife is sure that the cervix is fully open.

This stage - from 7 to 10cm dilation - is called transition, because it spans first and second stage. It is an intense but short phase of labour, and some women are not aware of it at all, but progress smoothly from first to second stage.