Staying Confident in Early Labor
No matter what the situation, humans respond best and feel better in an environment that is free from threat and harm, and safe from judgment and control—and a place filled with respect and care. For women in labor, this “safe” place is a private place.
In early labor, this often means it’s best to stay home until your labor is very strong. It’s important to be undisturbed early in your labor. If you feel safe and secure and have some measure of privacy, your stress hormones stay low and your labor can progress unhindered. Even though we (unlike other mammals) don’t naturally give birth alone, we don’t naturally give birth on stage either. As in other intimate activities, in labor, we relax and focus better if we don’t feel observed, evaluated or interrupted.
If you have to worry or think too deeply about what’s going on around you, or if you’re surrounded by unfamiliar or discouraging sights, sounds, smells and people, your body launches a stress response. It releases a hormone called adrenaline to help you face what your brain perceives as a threat. The body gears up to either stand and fight the threat or turn and run to escape it. Adrenaline tells your muscles to tense up, your senses to pay close attention, and your heart to pump blood rapidly to all parts of your body. Suddenly, you’re on guard and ready for anything. If you’ve ever swerved quickly or slammed your brakes while driving to avoid an accident, or tripped and caught yourself before falling, you know what a stress response feels like. That sort of tense anxiety can shut down labor, especially early labor, or make it a lot more difficult.
When you’re at home and supported by family, friends or a professional doula—people who support you and trust birth—you’re more likely to feel safe and relaxed. Stay at home as long as you continue to feel safe and secure there. Do simple things that help you feel better. Labor is hard work, but it shouldn’t be torture. For example, in early labor, take a shower or a long, leisurely bath, shave your legs, wash your hair and get into comfortable clothes. If it’s nighttime, get some rest, even if it’s just between contractions. In the daytime, alternate between rest and walks, playing a game or other activities. Cook a meal for after the baby’s birth, or finish that last minute sorting of baby clothes. Remind yourself that your body knows what to do.
As labor progresses, brushing your teeth, washing your face or brushing your hair are great pick-me-ups. Emptying your bladder often helps you stay comfortable and helps keep labor going. Eating and drinking give you the energy you’ll need to finish the journey.
If you’re not planning to give birth at home, remember that going to the hospital too soon starts a medical clock ticking and increases your risk of medical intervention, including cesarean surgery. It’s time to travel to your birth center or hospital when your contractions are close together, are growing and staying stronger, lasting at least a minute and are increasingly difficult to handle. If you have a doula or another person experienced with childbirth supporting you at home, that person may help you determine the right time to head for the birth center or hospital.
Labor is an important job that only you can do. It is not an ordeal you must simply endure. No matter where you labor, make it a comfort zone. Create as much privacy as possible by shutting doors and turning off bright lights. Surround yourself with items and people that allow you to focus on the task at hand. Wear comfortable clothes (or no clothes), use your favorite pillow and listen to music that suits your mood. This is work that you innately know how to do, and you can do it beautifully.
Adapted from The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth with Confidence.
ASK AN EXPERT
Question:
“In my Lamaze class, I learned that I shouldn’t go to the hospital until I’m well into my active labor. I’m a little nervous about coping with many hours of labor at home, though. What should I be doing? How will I manage my pain? How will I know when it is time to go to the hospital? I don’t want to go too early and be sent home but I also don’t want to wait too long.”
Response from Jacqueline Levine, CD(DONA), LC, LCCE, FACCE:
In your Lamaze classes, you learned about natural birth, and that once you go to the hospital, you may be “on the clock,” where the staff and your care provider may want your labor to conform to artificial time limits, and may interfere with the natural rhythms of your body.
Some things that you already know about labor may help you to feel confident while you are at home, and help you decide about when to go. Reacquaint yourself with the signs of early and active labor. Thinking through a “home-time” plan in advance of labor will help you feel confident and less discouraged if early labor takes some time.
Your plan should include having someone with you as soon as possible after you realize that you are in labor. Studies show that having a doula, or trained labor-support person, can shorten your labor, reduce how much pain you feel, help you make the decision about when to leave home and provide more support throughout your labor. However, anyone can provide support and comfort, and help you identify the signposts as your labor progresses.
For first-time mothers, a long early and active labor is your body’s way of gently and gradually stretching open the birth passage. Since most of your labor time is spent just opening your cervix, you can feel secure staying home for many hours, where you can be relaxed, eat as you are hungry, drink to thirst, walk about, rest and respond deeply to your body.
Preparing to work with your contractions during labor by practicing ahead of time will help you cope. Practice these simple tools until you feel comfortable doing them as part of your plan. Relax your body, your limbs and your face. Don’t just lie or stand still, but feel a real softening of your muscles. Most times, pain is more severe when you are tense. Also, practice a slow, deep “cleansing breath” with a noisy slow exhale as the start of an imaginary contraction. This will be your body’s cue to relax and focus on the rhythm of each contraction. Whoever is with you when you’re in labor can breathe with you, massage you and walk with you. Your contractions will get longer, stronger and closer together, and you will find a rhythm to match them. This changing pattern will alert you to progress!
If at some point you really feel anxious and worried about your progress, try to have an exam at your care provider’s office, rather than the hospital. It’s much easier to go back home from there if you are still in early labor.
Advice for first-time mothers usually is this: when your contractions have been coming every three minutes for at least an hour, and last for sixty seconds, you can assume that it’s time to leave home.
Jacqueline Levine is committed to providing a continuum of support to underserved populations. She teaches free Lamaze classes at Planned Parenthood of Nassau County, on Long Island, and at the Addabbo Community Health Center OB and WIC Clinics in Queens, New York. Jacqueline volunteers both as labor doula and breastfeeding support counselor to women in her classes.
HEALTHY TIP
Get Cooking!
Making and freezing a meal can be an enjoyable project for early labor. It will take your mind off the excitement of labor and gets you moving around, helping baby get into a good position for labor. As an added bonus, you have a meal or two ready to simply heat and serve on one of those early postpartum days.
A lasagna, casserole or pot of soup can make several meals and is easy to freeze. One hint—soups with potatoes tend not to freeze well. Try using grains like brown rice or barley instead. Begin by getting the ingredients ready. Measure herbs and spices, and chop the vegetables. If your labor becomes too distracting in the middle of preparation, put away the food and set it aside for later. When cooked, put the food in single-serving size containers (leaving a little head room) and freeze. That way, you can pull out only as many servings as you need. Bon appetit!
TESTIMONIAL
“My labor began slowly at home one morning. Contractions were 10 minutes apart and not painful, but I felt the baby’s head move down and knew it was the beginning of labor. It was a very calm experience. I tried to take a nap but couldn’t sleep. I rocked on an exercise ball and played with my two-year-old daughter. My husband came home in the afternoon and my doula arrived early in the evening. When I began feeling nauseous, we left for the hospital. I was 8 cm dilated when we arrived. Because my labor began naturally and I had labored calmly at home, I felt confident in handling the contractions.”
– Rebecca
RESOURCES
“Do not force nature, do not insult it, for it is as if you were to open the ears of corn to make the stalks grow.”
– Chinese Medical Review (1852)
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