module 3:

Stages + Phases of Labor

In this module, we’ll walk through the unfolding of labor not as a medical event, but as a rhythmic process of transformation. Each stage of labor carries its own energy, its own lesson, and its own invitation for the woman and her support team.

You’ll learn to see labor as a dance between body, baby, and instinct, a flow that moves from early labor, through the intensity of active labor, to the sacred surrender of transition and the birth itself. We’ll explore how these shifts express themselves physically, emotionally, and energetically, and how you, as a traditional doula, can move in harmony with them.

This module covers:

• The three primary stages of labor and their defining characteristics.

• How to recognize emotional signposts and respond with presence rather than intervention.

• The natural physiology of labor and how to support it through patience, environment, and reassurance.

• The importance of trusting timing, knowing when to guide, when to wait, and when to simply hold space.