What is the latent phase of pushing?

• A. Pushing with contractions immediately
• B. Laboring down—mother does not begin pushing until she feels the urge - 10-20 minutes
• C. Pushing only after 30 minutes
• D. Pushing at every contraction regardless

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that after the cervix is fully dilated, there can be a period where the baby descends mainly on its own with contractions rather than with active pushing. This is called laboring down, or the latent phase of pushing. During this time, the mother may not push until she feels an actual urge to bear down. Allowing this passive descent for a short period—often around 10–20 minutes—lets the fetus move down with gravity and uterine contractions and can conserve the mother’s energy. Once the urge to push is felt, active pushing begins. Pushing with every contraction or pushing immediately without regard to the urge would not reflect this passive descent phase.