Childbirth is an incredible thing to experience. And while parts of the process can be unbelievably painful, in the end it brings the sweetest reward. The good news is, there are a lot of things you can do to prepare in both body and mind to help make your labor easier and faster when the big day arrives!
Physically preparing your body for childbirth goes hand in hand with mental preparation. It can be daunting, in fact terrifying for first-time moms thinking of the unknown frontier of labor. So, the best thing you can do is to educate yourself. Going in with your eyes wide open can help you understand what to expect when the big day arrives.
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The following article is not meant to be taken as medical advice. Please always consult your doctor with medical questions and concerns.
What Can You Do To Make Labor Easier and Faster?
PHYSICAL PREPARATION
1. Stay Fit
Having a baby is a workout in itself so it stands to reason that the better your general fitness level is, the easier it will be for you to push through it. Staying fit throughout your pregnancy will increase your strength, flexibility and endurance.
Walking, swimming and stationary cycling are all excellent choices that everyone can do.
Resistance training with light to medium weights or resistance bands will improve your muscle tone and make you stronger overall.
Aerobic capacity and proper breathing during labor will be your best friend, helping you get through each contraction and push past the pain.
Even if you are not a fitness buff, consider doing some form of exercise to strengthen your body for the big day and increase your aerobic capacity. Staying in shape during your pregnancy is something you will never regret.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has established these general guidelines for exercise during pregnancy.
Duration of a session: 30-60 minutes
Sessions per week: 3-4 minimum
Intensity: Moderate (heart rate less than 140 beats per minute)
Environment: Thermoneutral or air-conditioned environments, avoiding prolonged exposure to heat
Replenish fluids during and after exercise
Avoid intense heavy weight lifting
“Contact activities with high risk of abdominal trauma or imbalance should be avoided. Scuba diving should be avoided in pregnancy because of the inability of the fetal pulmonary circulation to filter bubble formation.“ Source: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, accessed Nov. 15/20
Prenatal Yoga
Consider doing prenatal yoga as it is an amazing way to increase and maintain strength, flexibility, and breathing.
These are all key things that can help to make labor faster and easier. I did yoga throughout my whole pregnancy, modifying the poses as needed (especially in the third trimester) and I truly believe it helped me during labor.
Even if you are a total yoga newbie, it’s worth looking into. You may just get hooked on it in the end.
Specifically, there are certain yoga postures you can do that are extremely helpful to open your hips, widen your pelvis for birth (giving baby more room) and strengthen your pelvic floor.
3 Great Yoga Poses For An Easier And Faster Labor
1. Butterfly (Bound Ankle) Pose
a) Come to a seated position and bring the soles of your feet together. Try to pull in your feet as much as possible, with both your hands holding them, towards the pubic area.
b) Straighten your spine and sit tall. Grab hold of each foot with your hands and place elbows against your inner thighs. Breathe in.
c) Breathe out and move your knees up and down gently (like a butterfly flaps its wings.) Try to touch your knees on the ground or as close as you can, don’t force it. Your flexibility will improve with practice.
2. Pregnancy Deep Hold Squats (Garland Pose)
Garland pose is another great hip opener and a wonderful way to tone the inner thighs and prepare your pelvis for labor. Once you are past 34 weeks and the baby’s head is engaged you will want to modify this pose and not go quite as deep or stick with more shallow plie squats.
a) Come into this pose from a standing position, bring your feet as wide as the mat or more, pointing your toes out (about 45 degrees).
b) Bending your knees, slowly sit down between your feet, coming all the way down to fully bent knees. Use a yoga block to sit on for support if needed.
c) Keep your back straight, imagine your tailbone being pulled to the ground and your head lifted toward the ceiling.
d) Your hands can rest on your knees or be placed together in prayer in front of your chest.
e) Breathe deeply, rock side to side gently if that feels good to you and hold the position as long as you feel comfortable.
3. Cat-Cow Pose
A delicious pose that alleviates pressure on the spine (caused by the weight of your belly) and when done in the latter stages of pregnancy helps to move the baby down toward the cervix.
a) Come onto all fours, inhale and lift your chin toward the ceiling, while your belly dips toward the floor, your back in a convex position.
b) Take one breath then slowly round your spine (arch your back like a cat) and tuck your chin to your chest.
c) Repeat 2-5 times, slowly and in time with your breath.
You may also like: When to Switch to Prenatal Yoga
Birthing Ball (Exercise Ball)
Birthing balls are an excellent way to prepare your body for birth. Spend some time every day sitting upright on your birth ball, whether it be at your desk, watching TV or anytime.
Sitting upright helps support and open the pelvis, loosen the ligaments, and support the lower back.
Sit tall, knees wide apart, and breathe deeply. If you are overdue, try these exercises to help get things going and encourage labor to start.
2. Eat A Healthy Balanced Diet To Boost Energy Levels
You are what you eat as the old saying goes, that’s common sense. But of course, we’re only human, and indulging from time to time in treats is fine. Just strive to maintain a healthy balance.
Remember, the healthier your diet, the better you feel in general and the more energy you will have during labor.
- Limit fast food, junk food, refined sugar and white flour. Don’t eat tons of extra sugar. Talk to your midwife or doctor about how much weight gain is appropriate for you.
- Try natural foods such as steel-cut oatmeal, dates, whole grains, veggies and legumes.
- Make smoothies with fresh fruit with almond milk. Limit dairy and soy.
- Sautee fresh vegetables in olive oil or low-sodium chicken broth.
- Choose healthy fats such as avocado or walnuts and grilled or poached fish such as wild salmon. (Avoid fish that is high in mercury.)
- Try red raspberry leaf tea (only after 37 weeks starting with one cup a day, increasing slowly to three cups a day) to help tone uterine walls and soften your cervix.
3. Perineal Massage
Starting around week 34, perineal massage is a great way to prepare for labor by stretching and manipulating the perineal tissue using one or two fingers. Use a natural lubricant such as vitamin E oil or coconut oil (nothing synthetic like Vaseline or baby oil).
Don’t be shy about doing this even if it feel a bit strange at first. It can dramatically reduce tearing , the need for an episiotomy and in turn stitches, so, well worth the effort.
It will help create a more elastic and pliable consistency, gets you ready for the feeling of being stretched out. The “ring of fire” may not feel quite as painful as your baby crowns if you prepare with perineal massage.
4. Take A Prenatal Class
The type of birthing class you take will determine what you learn from it and how it helps you. Some examples are Lamaze, Alexander and Bradley and they each have their own teaching style regarding coping with labor pain, pain management, breathing and relaxation techniques.
You will learn about certain positions that can help make your labor easier and faster such as using a birthing ball or peanut ball, upright laboring positions, side-lying, and semi-prone positions.
Even if you wind up getting an epidural, there are certain upright positions that you will be able to manage with your partner’s help such as a supported epidural squat.
Certain birthing techniques can help you learn the proper way to breathe through your labor, how to push and not fight the contractions.
No matter which class you decide to take, you will be ahead of the game and have a better idea of what to expect from your body when you deliver your baby as well as tools for dealing with the pain.
MENTAL PREPARATION
1. Hypnobirthing
Hypnobirthing (Mongan method) will help with the mind-body connection, breathing, self-awareness and mental preparedness.
Community classes for this one may be harder to find but don’t fret! You can teach yourself this self-hypnosis style with books, DVD’s or downloads.
Hypnobirthing uses highly effective visualization techniques like “breathing your baby down” and emphasizes connection with your preborn baby. If you are into meditation and self-awareness practices, this will be right up your alley.
I really love this technique. I found it helped create a sense of confidence and calm, knowing that my body could not only do this but that it was actually made for this!
2. Positive Affirmations
Positive self-talk, affirmations and visualizations can help you be ready for labor, knowing that all is well and helping you make the smooth transition from labor to birth. They go hand in hand with hypnobirthing.
Affirmations can help your body to relax through stressful situations and ultimately put you in the right frame of mind. Knowing that pain is a part of the process but there is nothing to fear as it is a completely natural part of the process will help you get through it.
By teaching yourself what to expect, you can make your labor much easier. Think mind over matter. Here are some examples of positive affirmations for labor:
I trust my body to know what it is to do.
My mind is relaxed and my body is relaxed.
I put all fear aside as I prepare for the birth of my baby.
I am relaxed and happy that my baby is finally coming to me
I feel confident, I feel safe and I feel secure.
My muscles work in complete harmony to make birthing easier.
My cervix opens outward allowing my baby to ease down.
I fully relax and turn my birthing over to nature.
I see my baby coming smoothly from my womb.
I breathe deeply and eliminate tension.
My baby’s birth will be easy because I am so relaxed.
I turn my birthing over to my baby and my body.
I am prepared to meet whatever turns my birthing takes.
3. Positive Birth Stories
Draw on the experience of others, read positive birth stories for inspiration and reassurance. Talk to other moms you know, especially if you are a first-time mom.
Hearing about other women’s experiences can help you to be ready and reinforce a positive attitude, knowing you are ready for anything! I always found it helpful and inspiring to read a good positive natural birth story because that’s what I aspired to achieve with the birth of our son.
Steer clear of negativity and instead surround yourself with uplifting content. Knowing the fact that you are not the first and won’t be the last woman ever to go through labor can really help with perspective. It may even give you that mental push when you need it during labor to make it a little easier.
Preparation For Labor Is Key
So, take care to prepare and go in with your eyes wide open to all the possibilities. Remember to go with the flow on the big day because birth plans can change and the only thing that matters, in the end, is a healthy baby and a healthy mommy.
You will be beyond ready physically and mentally. Know that this will be painful but you absolutely can get through it and it is only temporary pain. You are strong and can do this!
By taking the steps to prepare your body and mind for labor beforehand, it may very likely be easier and faster than you might imagine.
And the reward, holding that newborn bundle of joy in your arms, makes every last ounce of pain worthwhile. That might be hard to believe if you’ve never done it before but, well…you’ll see.
Until next time, K.
Kelly Blakely is the founder and creative force behind Just Our View From Here. As a first-time mom over 40, she brings a fresh perspective to parenting and family life on her blog. Kelly also explores a wide range of lifestyle topics in her writing, including fashion, beauty, self-care, and well-being.
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