7 tips for an easier labour

There really is nothing easy about labour but there are some things that you can do to make the process a smoother and more pleasant experience. Check out our tips here.

1. Let gravity work for you

If your doctor allows it, keep moving while you are in labour as upright positions such as standing, walking, a little swaying and squatting would allow gravity to help move your baby down and out. It can also help move your baby into the optimum position for delivery.

2. Be sleeping beauty

You should try and get at least seven hours of sleep a day. A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology has shown that women who slept less than six hours during the last month of their pregnancy labored for 11 hours longer and had Cesarean sections four times more frequently than women who slept seven hours or more. Now that’s a great reason to catch up on your sleep. We know that it can be difficult to get comfortable in bed when you’re heavily pregnant so we recommend investing in a good quality body pillow that gives you the support you need. You can even nudge the hubby to sacrifice his side of the bed and make it up to him after the birth of your child.

3. Have a date or two…

A new study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology have found that pregnant ladies who ate dates daily during their ninth months were less likely than non-date eaters to need medication to start labor or to help it keep progressing. It was also found that they were more dilated upon arriving hospital and their labour was shortened by seven hours. This is due to a special compound in dates that mimics the effects of the hormone oxytoxin which can cause contractions. Recommended intake for best results: 4-6 dates daily. They can be incorporated into your breakfast cereal or muesli or as a daytime snack.

4. Keep moving

It is important to stay fit and healthy as doing so could ease labour pains. Try and fit in short daily walks around the neighbourhood to boost energy levels (labour is hard work and very tiring and exercise can help) or sign up for prenatal yoga classes or low impact aqua aerobics.

5. Get wet

A warm bath is a blessing during early stages of labour as the sustained warmth and weightlessness of water both calms and relaxes the body in this highly stressful situation. If you do have access to a warm tub during labour, you should definitely consider taking the plunge (upon consultation with your doctor or mid wife of course) but if you don’t have a bath tub, a hot shower can be just as effective.

6. A man’s touch

Your husband’s reassuring touch can be a great relief during those especially painful moments. So get the hubby to learn some massage techniques during the early stages of pregnancy so he can be there giving you a much needed rub down during labour.

7. Throw out the rule book

Of course, you can plan how you want to deliver – with or without medication, hospital or home, but sometimes your baby might have other ideas. That is why if things do not go to plan during your labour, don’t fight it. Just go with the flow and trust that it is all for the best. After all rules are meant to be broken right?

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Written by

Wafa Marican

Laboursleepdatesgynaecologyoxytoxinprenatal yoga