How Will I Know I’m in Labour?
Clearly what you feel can depend upon the type of birth that you are having, the support that surrounds you, the knowledge that you have and how you are feeling. Physiological labour will feel very different to an induced labour.
Your early labour may feel a bit like period pain or an upset stomach. It might have been building so slowly that it might have taken you a little while to realise what is going on. This early phase can be minimal or quite powerful. It can last hours or it can last for days.
It works best to keep mobile during the day and keep sleeping and resting during the night. Do what you were going to do anyway. There is absolutely no point in watching paint dry, watching your clothes going around the washing machine or watching early labour build! Get your TENS machine going if you are using one and practice your breathing and visualisations during each surge.
How Does It Feel When Giving Birth?
As this moves into active labour it can start to feel very powerful indeed. To recognise if you are in active labour and to give you an idea of what you might be feeling and how you might be behaving I would check for the following cues:
Labour demands all of your attention - you don’t fancy chatting much and your surges/contractions are demanding all of your focus.
You would struggle to text or email someone. You cannot easily hold a conversation nor answer questions or make decisions.
Your labour is a whole body experience. Your surges are regular and very strong. You are seeking out positions that work better for you, rocking, hands & knees, lying on your side. It isn't negotiable, you just HAVE to do this.
You have probably moved to the quietest and smallest room in your home.
You feel the need for privacy and quiet. You want to be left alone. Anyone talking is aggravating. You probably prefer to have your eyes closed.
You might need to moan or sigh and you honestly couldn’t give a hoot as to who can hear. Releasing pent up tension in this way makes your surges/contractions feel easier.
You might be feeling sick, or hot or shaky. You might have an upset stomach and need the toilet and you might be feeling the need to wee a lot.
Your pelvis might be feeling full and heavy. The feelings you are having may be building in intensity and regularity. Your labour is just feeling mightier now and more productive.
Following this, if the labour and birth has been undisturbed, you may start to feel a bit pushy. Kind of like a nudgy pushing down. You may feel this at the end or during each of your surges/contractions. If your baby is well positioned and things are moving on well you may start to feel a normal, natural and undeniable desire to push or bear down. This feeling is purposeful and powerful and is the normal reflex for bringing your baby down and out into the world. The best way I can describe this powerful sensation is for you to imagine the vomit reflex, but going down and not up. Alternatively you may just be feeling enormous pressure toward your bottom that feels better in certain positions or breathing in a certain way.
When these powerful, pushy, pressure feelings start in earnest there is no waiting for a doctor or holding on for the midwife. You just need to give in to these powerful and very normal sensations. You can choose to be in whichever position feels most productive and comfortable for you. This is rarely ever lying down on your back with your legs in the air! Seriously, would a giraffe, cat or cow do this??Think mammal! And get on all fours or onto your side or stand and lean on something.
You will then begin to feel what is referred to as the ‘ring of fire’, this is just your body stretching and opening as it is meant to do.
There will usually be a pause once your baby’s head has been born and then on the next powerful surge/contraction your baby’s body will be ejected.
Catch your baby, bring them to your chest. You do not need to wait for someone else to do this for you. Surely that first touch should always be gifted to the mother?
The Third Stage of Labour now follows, where you will birth the placenta and your uterus will begin to contract down to it’s original inverted pear shape.
Want to prepare for your birth with me? The Online Hypnobirthing Course gives you a full antenatal preparation that you can do in your own time and at your own pace.
Take a look and sign up for your free trial here - The Online Course