After nine months of preparation, gestation and exhaustion, you certainly will want the birthing process to be as smooth and short as possible. Believe it or not, there are actual strategies you can implement into your preparation for your due date that will help shorten your labor time! Here are a few examples of those strategies.
Stay Active
Pregnancy comes with some expected side effects of nausea, soreness, and tiredness. These are amplified when you go into labor. However, the more you stretch and exercise your body, the better prepared your body is for the extreme physical impacts of childbirth. Also, as your body begins contractions, walking around has been shown to speed up births, as well as stretching your back, legs, and pelvis. Your body is tensing severely in response to the signals of the baby coming—so the more you can stretch and loosen those muscles, the better your body will be able to expand and push as needed for a shorter delivery process.
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care involves a trained professional using techniques to realign joints or massage muscles in order to relieve pressure and straighten out skewed bones and muscles. These techniques can also be used to align the muscles and bones specifically that are involved in labor and delivery. Research shows that first-time moms had on average a 24% shorter labor with chiropractic care! The alignment achieved through this therapy is a great way to naturally and quickly prepare your body—specifically your pelvic movement—for delivering your baby.
Take Control of Your Surroundings
Even with months of preparation through classes or books, the actual process of labor is a shock to your body and mind. Stress signals from your body can overwhelm your brain, causing muscles to tighten and your body to resist the pain that comes with labor. Considering extreme stress can increase your chances of needing a c-section during labor, it’s important to feel in control and safe. The more control you feel the better you can calm and maneuver your body as needed. This may mean making your hospital room feel a little more like home, dimming lights, requesting that the medical attendees speak softly, and anything else that can calm your mind and therefore body.
Child birth can be a daunting prospect, but it doesn’t have to last days. Each of these techniques will help your labor process be a more manageable and quicker process than it might be otherwise. Try any or all to help you bring your newborn safely to you!
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