Early labor, also called latent or prodromal labor,
can be a tricky thing to navigate. Here are some tips from Health
Foundation's midwives to help you navigate early labor so you won't tire
out at the end.
Resist the urge to call family and friends immediately
and tell them you are in labor. A woman in labor should feel
unobserved. Lots of people around can create performance anxiety and
increase the time she is in early labor. Remember what Michel Odent
says, "The length of labor is usually proportional to the number of
people around".
Get plenty of rest . Get plenty of rest. GET PLENTY
OF REST. This cannot be stressed enough. Even if you wake up with
contractions, the rest you get in between is vital to conserving your
energy. Now is not the time to hike ten miles or tromp through the mall
for hours in an attempt to get labor going. You will just wear yourself
out and have that much less energy for active labor.
Be sure to eat well. And keep eating!
Whole grains and good sources of complex carbohydrates will serve you
well now. Nourish your self with healthy foods that will give your body
some reserved energy. Don't forget, you'll want foods that are easy to
digest so you can prevent heartburn and vomiting in later stages of
labor. Examples of foods to eat are oatmeal with honey, miso soup &
toast with peanut butter.
Stay well hydrated. You'll want to drink a minimum
of eight ounces of liquid with an energy source (such as tea with honey,
fruit juices, Emergen-C, etc) per hour. Try to stay away from citrus
and high acid juices because these can upset your stomach & cause
vomiting.
Ignore labor as long as possible. Focusing too much on these early contractions will make this period seem longer and longer. Don't time contractions...until
they make you take notice! Timing contractions for hours will make you
crazy! Make a plan in pregnancy for some early labor activities. Your
birth attendants don't mind some fresh bread or cookies. Make a plan
with your friend to watch some funny movies. Do some last minute
nesting. Knit or crochet the new baby a little hat. Distracting
activities that will consume your brain's attention are best for this
time.
Though this early stage of labor may take a long time, try to keep your spirits up. This is not all for nothing. Some things that happen in your body during this time are:
The cervix is moving from a back-facing (posterior) position to a forward facing (anterior) position.
The cervix is getting softer and softer in preparation to open up.
The cervix is effacing (thinning out). It will need to be very thin before it can really open up wide.
Your cervix is dilating . At this point in labor it is opening anywhere from 0 to 4 centimeters.
You may lose your mucus plug at this stage as well, if you haven't already.
Early labor like this may last hours or may last days. Every body is
different. Celebrate the fact that you will soon look into your babies
eyes for the first time. Smooch with your partner and relish the last
pre-baby moments. This stage can last mere hours or maybe days long but
with lots of rest and good nutrition you'll be ready for the next stage,
the active stage. Remember, HF Midwives will be checking in with you
and reminding you of these important points as well.
Health Foundations is hosting an event for HF families & the community! Meet Ina May Gaskin in person! Come enjoy fabulous music by Billy McLaughlin, inspiring conversation and presentation by Ina May Gaskin, yummy food and sweet treats!
A book signing will be part of the event! Ina May will sign copies of her new book, "Birth Matters". Books will be available for sale for $15. Only one book will be signed per person. (credit cards, checks & exact cash will be accepted forms of payment)
Where:The Happy Gnome
498 Selby Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55102
When: November 13th from 4pm - 6pm
Ina May Gaskin, MA, CPM, is founder and director of the Farm Midwifery Center, located near Summertown, Tennessee. Founded in 1971, by 1996, the Farm Midwifery Center had handled more than 2,600 births, with remarkably good outcomes. Gaskin herself has attended more than 1,200 births. She is the author of numerous books including Spiritual Midwifery, now in its fourth edition, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding, and Birth Matters: A Midwife's Manifesta. For 22 years she has published Birth Gazette, a quarterly covering health care, childbirth and midwifery issues. In 2003, she was chosen as a Visiting Fellow of Morse College, Yale University. She was President of Midwives’ Alliance of North America from 1996 to 2002. In 1997, she received the ASPO/Lamaze Irwin Chabon Award and the Tennessee Perinatal Association Recognition Award. In 2009, Thames Valley University in London presented Gaskin with an honorary doctorate in recognition of her work in demonstrating through midwifery and natural childbirth that women’s bodies still work as they were designed. In 2011, she received the first ever BEing BOLD Lifetime Achievement award from BOLD. She has been featured in several documentaries about birth, including Ricki Lake's ever-popular The Business of Being Born.
Billy McLaughlin
Billy McLaughlin is recognized internationally as a world-class guitarist, composer and inspirational performer who has appeared on Billboard’s TopTen Chart. Previously signed to Virgin Records’ Narada label, McLaughlin has 14 CD releases, 3 National Campus Entertainer of the Year Awards, 5 Minnesota Music Awards and his decades of national concert touring earned him the Hall of Fame Achievement Award. He resides in his home state of Minnesota where he is proudly raising two boys, both born at home.
