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Early labor can be a difficult time for a number of reasons. Today I want to give you 3 ways to handle it at home before you go to the hospital. They are things that will help keep your stress level down, help labor progress and ensure you are safe!
Problems with premature birth
I think when we think about the birth we don’t think it will be difficult but there are some problems with premature birth…
It’s confusing. I have a friend who says labor is an afterthought because you only really realize you’re there when you’re in it. So, premature labor can be happening while you’re not sure if it’s the real thing. Many people have a long preliminary work period where it turns on and off which is extremely annoying. This article also has some great tips!
Your sweet spot is at HOME. I know, I know – the movies show you having one contraction and having to be in the car until the next one – but the best place for you when labor isn’t taking your breath away is at home. Which means it’s just you and your partner trying to manage this part. Which leads me to…
Partners hate it. And that includes my own partner. He didn’t like having the pressure to help me (which naturally didn’t come when I was stressed and in a lot of pain) and helping to decide when to go to the hospital. I think helping your partner understand preterm labor can be a BIG win. That’s why I recommend it to both of you. Great help!
Discussing your birth plan can also be a good way to get on the same page — get my free series here:
What to do in premature labor?
Today I want to give you 3 things to do in early labor. From this it is Such a difficult (and lonely) part of childbirth, I go into much more detail about it here. << it's very useful!
Ignore it
Like a whining toddler, premature labor is not something you want to pay too much attention to. That means you ignore it as much as you can.
Many people time contractions 15-20+ minutes apart when their energy would be better spent ignoring it.
This means finding something else to do, sleep, prepare your home/nest. All of these things can help you ignore it and not give it the weight it wants to get all your attention (which is going away).
Yes, that’s right — I said it can go. Just because you’re having contractions now, doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way. I have more work tips here:
Call your provider
I have a feeling that not many people know that they can often find a professional when they call their provider’s office. This might mean talking to them directly, a nurse on call (who would be upgraded to a doctor/midwife if they felt it was necessary), talking to someone in labor, or another provider on call for the practice.
Giving them a quick call can give you great reassurance in early labor. They can remind you of what to look out for when you go to hospital. Check when you need to come in and you can honestly do a quick ‘phone assessment’ to see how you’re doing. As a nurse, most of the time I could tell in one phone call if the patient was ready to come in or could possibly continue working at home a little longer.
It’s not as simple as calling your carrier’s office and talking to someone 24/7 — most of the time there’s an emergency line in their message, you call that number and you’ll probably talk to an answering service that will relay your information to whoever is on the call. It just helps to know you’re coming in. If you like this kind of advice — check this out!
Move
Okay, it feels good to be home and we’re not actually sleeps (because if box sleep — I think that’s a big win) I would encourage you to MOVE. This can be seen in several ways:
- If you’re exhausted, it might just be tossing and turning in bed or using extra pillows to support your hips in new ways.
- Going for a walk.
- Wander around your house for a few minutes.
- I try different places to hang out. I have labor movement cards here that can help give you ideas for this.
The idea is to switch positions every 30 minutes or so. This is a very good job for your partner at this point. They can set a timer and then help you move and give you ideas for a new spot (that’s where these labor movement cards really shine).
Your pelvis moves when you move and helps the baby find the best place to go down the birth canal when you combine movement with gravity. I’m a big fan of his.
TLDR: Here are my 3 main points for you…
- Preterm labor can come and go like a thief in the night — so ignoring it is a big win.
- Incorporating movement into early labor is a BIG win. Don’t just lie in your bed in the fetal position in fear of what’s to come — that doesn’t help anyone!
- Preterm labor can be scarier than you might think. Being prepared for this is a big win << and having your partner participate puts a lot less of a burden on you alone.
I’m so glad you’re here. This is honestly a tip that so many people ignore about work, but so important! What do you plan to do in early labor? Tell us in the comments.
I will say in here I have a tip that people just HATE but it solves so many problems. I also did it in early labor and while it pissed me off, it helped. 🙂 Let’s prepare together!
