Things to Help Get My Labor Moving Faster
Once in labor, it is natural to want it to go as fast as possible. It is painful, and you can't wait until it's over and you can meet your baby for the first time. There are a few things that can help to keep labor moving and possibly move it along a little more quickly. Although labor is not a fast process, and there are no magic pills to make it faster, there are a few things that naturally can speed it up just a bit.
Move
Women in labor tend to feel restless and want to move around. That's OK. As long as your doctor gives you the go ahead, you can move around as much as you want. Take your husband and walk the halls. If you are hooked up to an IV, you can take it with you. Labor has been shown to progress more effectively and efficiently if you are standing up and walking.
Many women take walks to try to start labor but fail to continue walking once labor has started; keep walking. If you have a contraction while you are walking around, simply stop and lean against a wall or your husband until it passes, then continue to walk.
Be Upright
In conjunction with moving, being upright can help labor. Gravity works within your body as you are in labor. When you are in an upright position, the baby does not have to fight gravity to get out, and therefore, you are lending a hand to its descent into and through the birth canal.
Squatting is one form of being upright. It helps to open the pelvic muscles, relieves back pain and speeds up labor. Kneeling and sitting are also good ways to be upright, opening up the muscles to let the baby descend faster.
Stimulation
Although it may sound odd, nipple stimulation by either you or your husband, or by water when in the shower or bath, can help to speed up labor. Nipple stimulation causes oxytocin to be released into the body. This enhances the contractions, causing them to work harder for you. They can also counteract any anxiety that you may be feeling, which can cause labor to slow down.
Beside nipple stimulation, you can participate in other romantic pursuits. Kissing, cuddling or massaging can also releases those same oxytocin hormones, resulting in a faster labor. This one might be more difficult to do since during labor it is often difficult to feel romantic.
Tags: your husband, being upright, Help Labor, Help Labor Moving, Labor Moving, Labor Moving Faster