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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.