Lying on your back is generally not advised in the first stage of labour because it can reduce blood supply to your baby. It could also lead to a longer labour. You can, however, rest during this early phase to conserve your energy. Choose a comfy position lying on your side or sitting with your feet up.
Spending most of your time in bed, especially lying on your back, or sitting up at a small angle, interferes with labor progress: Gravity works against you, and the baby might be more likely to settle into a posterior position. Pain might increase, especially back pain.
And unlike false labor pains, true contractions do not stop if you move, shift positions, or lay down.
If upright positions are tiring, or the contractions are too fast or overwhelming, an all-fours labor position can help. It gets gravity to work for you, slows down contractions, and eases back labor, which occurs when the baby is positioned with the back of their head pressing against the rear of your pelvis.
Lying on your side is one of the best labor positions to try when you need a rest. That said, just because you're lying down doesn't mean your body is taking a break from labor; on the contrary, it can actually help baby move into the ready position.
Change Sleep Positions
The progression of labor may be impacted by the position of your baby, and sleeping in new positions can help guide their head toward your pelvis. When sleeping, avoid lying on your back and instead lay on your side as far to your stomach as you can.
Side-lying with upper knee bent
Lie down on one side, with your lower leg straight, and bend your upper knee as much as possible. Rest it on a pillow. This is another position to open your pelvis and encourage your baby to rotate and descend.
Getting up and moving around may help speed dilation by increasing blood flow. Walking around the room, doing simple movements in bed or chair, or even changing positions may encourage dilation. This is because the weight of the baby applies pressure to the cervix.
Some women will have backache and cramps or have bouts of contractions that may last a few hours which then stop and start up again the next day. This is perfectly normal. The duration of the latent phase of labour can be variable. It may last for 24 hours or more and can be tiring for you.
Lying on your back in labour
In addition to this, when you're on your back, you're not working with gravity – you're working against it. So your surges (contractions) are having to work so much harder (and therefore labour could take longer - and that's not something you want either, is it?).
Lie down tilted towards your side. Place a pillow at your back for support. Sometimes lying down for an hour may slow down or stop the signs and symptoms. Do not lie flat on your back, because lying flat may cause the contractions to occur more often.
Bloody show before labor is a normal part of pregnancy, so there's no need for treatment. It's a sign that your body is getting ready for labor. But you don't need to go into the hospital immediately after your bloody show, as labor may still be days or even weeks away.
Is Sleeping a Lot a Sign of Labor? The short answer is yes. Extreme fatigue late in the third trimester can be a sign that it is almost time to give birth. This can be the result of a combination of things, including your hormones making sudden shifts or your baby going through a final growth spurt.
The later months of pregnancy may leave you feeling tired and sore. However, one of the early signs of labor is fatigue. You may feel extremely tired, even if you have been getting plenty of rest. This is because your body is working hard to get ready for labor and delivery.
Many women stay at home during early labour. This is often the longest part of the birthing process. It may last up to 2 to 3 days. Contractions are mild to moderate and shorter (about 30 to 45 seconds).
Labor stalls can occur as a normal part of labor, such as different transitional points or an opportunity to rest, or they could result from an underlying issue. Normal stalls could include the transition from early to active labor, active labor to transition, and transition to pushing.
Deep Birthing Style Squats With A Hold
Begin in a wide squat stance with your feet wider than hip-distance apart. Lower down into a deep squat with your butt driving down and back. Find your lowest position (if you're comfortable resting your butt on your calves, go for it).
Maintaining a regular exercise routine, including low-impact cardio like walking, has many benefits throughout pregnancy. But walking can also be used as an exercise to induce labor since it helps with cervical effacement and dilation and allows the baby to drop in the pelvis.
Sleeping helps to pass the time so you are not as focused on the contractions. You can time a couple of them to get a sense if they are getting closer to the 5 minutes apart mark but then take a break from timing until you feel like there has been a change.
Side-lying release
Not only can this position be used to help engage the baby into the pelvis and to encourage cervical dilation, but it can also be used during labor to help ease discomfort.
The Butterfly Pose
This is a very common pose for exercises to induce labour even during pregnancy, and you might already be doing this. For additional support, you can place your palms under your knees. When you inhale, pull your chest out and make a natural curve with your spine.
Walking and exercise often make it to the top of the list of things to try. While there's no research that says it will induce labor, 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least five times a week can be helpful in any stage of pregnancy.
Certain drinks like raspberry leaf tea, and even oral sex, are said to help encourage labor contractions. Of course, conventional methods of induction, like Pitocin or Cervidil, which help your cervix to open, are available, too. But both must be administered by a healthcare practitioner.