Want to know exactly what to do for a quick labor? Well, I could give you a bunch of tools for the different stages of labor, from the moment your water breaks (though truthfully that doesn't always happen in early labor!). I could give you tips for active labor (which I often do), but this blog post isn't quite about that.

A helpful reminder

Please remember, too, that while having a short labor sounds great at first glance that actually a really really short labor (precipitous labor--when baby comes within 3 hours of uterine contractions starting) can be extremely overwhelming, painful, and scary.

Long vs short labor

Okay, confession–I can’t guarantee your baby a swift exit through the birth canal, BUT I can say this:

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You might be the reason for your LONG labor.

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Sure, a long labor can happen because of things going on with the umbilical cord or where baby's head is in relation to the birth canal, amongst tons of other reasons. BUT a long labor (specifically the second stage of labor, during pushing) can also happen because of tight pelvic floor muscles.

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Which is actually kind of good news because that means: YOU’VE GOT THE POWER.

The role of the pelvic floor

If you're having a vaginal birth, how does the baby get out? Well through the pelvic floor, of course! The birth canal is surrounded by muscles that contract and relax, just like your bicep contracts when you pick up a heavy jug of milk and relaxes when you sit it down.

If your pelvic floor is super tight, or is in a state of constant contraction, it's gonna be really hard for baby's head to make its grand entrance.

And of course, there are lots of different factors that contribute to planned caesarean section births or an emergency c-section, but this particular post is focusing on vaginal births that take a long time for the birth of your baby. (And side note, please let's stop using the phrase "natural birth" to refer only to vaginal birth.)

Re: Your "birth plan"

I always say you don't have control over your birth experience, but you do have some amount of influence in your birth experience. So while a birth plan is a good exercise for understanding your options and talking through your expectations with your health care provider, please remember to hold that plan with open hands. Actually, I'm all for thinking of "birth preferences" over a "birth plan."

And whether or not your birth preferences include a labor induction and you end up getting an epidural, the techniques I'm about to share still apply.

The Stages of Labor

Since we're talking about how to have a quick labor, let's break down the stages so you have some context:

1. First Stage of Labor: This is the longest part, divided into early labor, active labor, and transition. It's like a marathon with increasingly intense pit stops.
2. Second Stage of Labor: Pushing time! This is what you're here for. It can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, and we're gonna do everything we can to aim for a few minutes, if possible!
3. Third Stage: Delivery of the placenta. The encore that nobody talks about enough (but don't worry, we will!).

Now, let's dive deeper into each of these stages and how you can potentially speed things up (or at least make them more bearable).

First Stage: Early Labor

What is early labor?

Early labor is essentially when you first start feeling contractions. Not to be confused of course with braxton hicks contractions, which you can feel throughout your entire pregnancy (though anecdotally, I've seen moms with their first baby only experience braxton hicks contractions around their due date if at all).

A lot of people think you'll have signs of labor like when your water breaks because the amniotic sac bursts or when you lose your mucus plug and have bloody show, but it's really different for each person. Personally, I've had 3 unmedicated home births and in each of them, I lost the mucus plug in a short time (maybe an hour?) before pushing the stage, and my water broke DURING my first push. Crazy! I also experience early labor as lower back soreness, and then the contractions start. You never know what you're gonna get!

Tips for early labor

Here are my top 3 tips for when you're in the first stage of labor (when you feel those first contractions!):

Early Labor Tip #1: Relax your jaw

There's this weird connection in our bodies where the throat and the pelvic floor are kinda doing the same thing. If the throat/jaw is tight, the pelvic floor is tight, and vice versa. Try it with me right now: make a little high pitched noise like "eeee!" and tell me you don't feel even a little bit of tensing up in your pelvic floor muscles.

Now, try making a low noise, something in between a moan and a sigh, and tell me you don't feel your pelvic floor relaxing a bit. (Relaxing means the muscles are lengthening, and you might even feel some gentle pressure downwards.)

So if you consciously relax your jaw during the different stages of labor, especially when you're feeling uterine contractions, you're inviting and allowing your pelvic floor to relax, too. A relaxed pelvic floor allows baby to exit through the birth canal.

Here's what to do: Make low, deep moaning sounds in your throat and invite your throat and pelvic floor to just let go.

And remember, everything's connected, so it's gonna be hard to relax your throat and pelvic floor if your shoulders are scrunched up to your ears and your hands are in tight fists. So try these, too:

1. Body Scan Relaxation: Start from your toes and work your way up, tensing and then relaxing each muscle group.
2. Aromatherapy: Certain scents like lavender or chamomile can promote relaxation. Just don't go overboard, because you may find yourself feeling nauseous in labor. Think of nothing else but smelling that scent.
3. Music Therapy: Create a "Labor Playlist" with calming tunes. Try to bring your full attention to the experience of listening to the music.
4. Laughter: Watch a funny movie or joke around with your team. Laughter releases endorphins, which can help with pain management.

Early Labor Tip #2: Distract yourself

Go bake a cake! Seriously. I think one of the hardest things when you're at like 35+ weeks of pregnancy is knowing that it's coming SOON but now knowing exactly WHEN. Ahh! It's torture! So one of the best things to do in those last few weeks but especially when you're in early labour is to immerse yourself that's gonna take your mind off things. For me, that's making something in the kitchen or (yes really) cleaning my bathroom to kind of kill time between contractions and distract from the labor pain and the waiting game.

Some other good distraction ideas:

• Watch a show! My personal choice here is Gilmore Girls, Season 5.
• Start a puzzle or play a game with your partner or a friend
• Write a letter to your baby: tell him/her what it's like in those last hours before you meet face to face. Pour out your thoughts, hopes and dreams for him or her.
• Self-care! Go get a pedicure, do face mask, go window shopping--whatever makes you feel like pampered you.

Early Labor Tip #3: Wash your hair

I want full credit for when this tip breaks the internet. The FIRST thing I've done in every labor is wash my hair--for a few reasons. First, it's a great distraction. Second, your hair's gonna look excellent in photos of baby's first day or so. And third, you don't know how you're gonna feel in your first week postpartum, but I can guarantee you you're not interested in standing up in the shower with your hands up over your head giving yourself a deep shampoo + condition. Now's the time, sister! When you feel contractions, go wash your hair!

Tips for active labor

Use ALL THE TOOLS!!!

1. The Birth Ball: Bouncing on a birth ball can help open your pelvis and encourage your baby to descend.
2. Water Therapy: Whether it's a shower or a birthing tub, water can be incredibly soothing during labor.
3. Counter-Pressure: Have your partner or doula apply firm pressure to your lower back during contractions.
4. Position Changes: Changing positions every 30 minutes or so can help labor progress. This includes getting up to go use the toilet!
5. Vocalization: Remember that low moaning we talked about earlier? Keep it up!

This is showtime, the big day, the big moment, the time when everything you've practiced really comes into play! This is a great time for everything you've seen on the Internet: shaking the apples, take a warm bath, squeezing a comb, deep breathing, focusing on birth affirmations, etc. And remember it's all about the mind-body connection here.

Mind-body connection

Where the mind goes, the body follows! Try this to strengthen your mind-body connection during labor:

1. Affirmations: Create a list of powerful, positive affirmations. "I am strong," "My body knows what to do; my baby knows what to do," "Each contraction brings me closer to my baby." Write them down, say them out loud, as your birth team to speak them over you.
2. Reframing Pain: Instead of thinking of contractions as pain, consider them "intense sensations" or "powerful waves." It's not just semantics – it can genuinely change how you perceive and handle the experience.
3. Visualization: Visualize your baby moving down and out of your body--your cervix as a blooming flower, slowly opening with each contraction. It might sound cheesy, but hey, it might work!
4. Stay Present: Focus on one contraction at a time. Don't think about how many more you might have – just breathe through this one.
5. Trust Your Body: Remember, your body is designed for this. Trust in its wisdom and ability to birth your baby.

Strength + surrender

It's of course a good idea to have tools and the right support person and a healthcare provider you can trust. Sure it's about technique, but it's about perspective, too. That's what really builds up the mind-body connection.

Let me put it this way: surrender is just as important as strength. You need strength, endurance, commitment to get through labor.

I mean, it’s not a walk in the park. BUT. If you’re just “strong” the whole time, you likely won’t be progressing. You know the whole thing of “It’s been 10 hours and I’m still only 3 cm dilated?!”

If you’re resisting painful contractions (mentally and/or physically), your body is holding tension…most likely in your pelvic floor. If your pelvic floor is tight, that cervix is not going anywhere, hunny.‍

Deep breaths.

Inhale, release the pelvic floor.‍

Exhale, contract.

Remember that?! Try to slow your breathing, ride the waves of contractions, and let your body take you where it wants to go.

Surrender is a choice, and it’s one of the best tools in your toolbox when it comes to progressing labor and even to becoming a parent. So much is out of our control, so sometimes the best thing we can do is learn to ride with it.

And honestly I think surrender is the best form of pain relief when you're in the active phase of labor.

Delivery of the placenta

I just feel like not enough people talk about the fact that after you deliver your baby, then it's time for the delivery of the placenta. And it can be really painful honestly because you might have a baby in your arms (unless baby is temporarily with a member of your healthcare team), and you won't be able to move around in the same way you could during active labor as you rode the waves of those contractions. So keep in mind: surrender, breathe, let go.

I‍f you're pregnant

If you’re pregnant, practice that pelvic floor breathing now. Check out my Preparing for Birth program where we put these birth prep exercises into practice.

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If you’re not pregnant, reflect on where you’re holding tension in your body. Do you feel it in your shoulders, your lower back, even your pelvic floor? Have you experienced pelvic floor issues like painful sex, tailbone pain, peeing when you sneeze (yes, even a little bit!), or feeling like you need to know where all bathrooms are at all times, just in case? Those can all be signs of pelvic floor dysfunction, and many of them can be tension-related, too.

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Postpartum: The Fourth Trimester

While not technically part of labor, the postpartum period is crucial. Here are some quick tips for a smoother transition into the "fourth trimester:"

1. Rest: Sleep when the baby sleeps isn't just a cliché, it's survival.
2. Accept Help: Let people bring you meals, do your laundry, or hold the baby while you shower.
3. Hydrate and Nourish: Your body needs fuel to recover and produce milk if you're breastfeeding.
4. Gentle Movement: When you feel ready, gentle yoga flows and outdoor walks can really help with recovery. My First 6 Weeks program is perfect for this. 
5. Be Kind to Yourself: Your body just did something amazing. Treat it (and yourself) with kindness and patience.

Remember, every labor is unique, just like every baby. Breathe. Release. Be well. AND GO BIRTH THAT BABY!