Your contractions have a lot to do, including…
🔵softening and thinning your cervix
🔵helping your baby to move into a better position
🔵shortening your uterine muscles so you dilate
🔵using expulsive pressure to birth your baby
They can vary from mild to intense.
They can be spaced apart or very close together.
They can last for several days or for less than an hour.
You may feel your contractions only in your belly or you may also feel them in your back and in the tops of your legs.
It helps to accept the pattern of your contractions – because there isn’t a right length of labour to aim for – and to work with them, rather than to wish they weren’t happening. Contractions make your labour happen and you need them to be strong, regular and powerful – that’s what brings you your baby.
Contractions: a quick guide to what you can do
- move to have gravity and to be as comfortable as possible
- breathe – so you don’t hold your breath
- relax your muscles so you’re not holding onto any tension
- rest in-between each one
- take it one contraction at a time
- say what you need so you are informed, safe and supported
With consultations, I see parents during pregnancy, for birth and throughout life with a young family.
Let me know if you have any questions or if you would like to arrange a conversation to talk about your birth preparation.
Birth & Baby Conversations on Substack