When you’re about 3cm dilated, you are officially in the ‘active’ stage of labour. When your cervix has dilated to its full 10cm circumference, you will be ready to push your baby into the world.

How long can you be dilated at 3cm?

Once your cervix reaches 3 cm dilation, you’ve probably entered the early stage of labor. During this stage, your cervix gradually dilates to about 6 cm. This is the longest part of labor and can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, although between 8 to 12 hours is common.

Can you go into labor at 3cm?

During early labor, the cervix dilates to 3 cm. Active labor occurs between 3 and 7 cm dilated. The transition phase is between 7 cm and full dilation at 10 cm.