How to Make Labor Easier (and FASTER) 2024

Natural Tips to Speed Up Labor and Delivery

If it’s your first baby (or, really, your 3rd, 4th or 5th…), you’re probably wondering if there are ways to make labor any easier.

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Aren’t all of us pregnant momma’s looking for an easy pill when it comes to labor and childbirth?

There is no magic pill, unfortunately. But there are some really simple things you can do to increase your chances of having an easier labor and delivery. Let’s dive in!

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How to Make Labor Easier

Take a childbirth class
Drink red raspberry leaf tea
Use birth affirmations
Stay fit and strong
Stay focused on coping
Eat dates
Be open to medication
Get your baby ready
Learn to breathe properly
Listen to your body

Take a Childbirth Class

Honestly, this is my number one tip to new moms. Take a prenatal class, a GOOD one and arm yourself with a wealth of knowledge that you can draw upon when sh*t hits the fan.

This free prenatal course is the only one I recommend. Hilary has been an OB nurse since 2001 and KNOWS her STUFF. Grab your free online class here.

Drink Red Raspberry Leaf Tea

I will never, ever go through pregnancy, labor and birth again without drinking copious amounts of red raspberry leaf tea.

I didn’t know about it with my first baby but really wish I had- that birth was long and so was the pushing.

With my son, I pushed for 3, yes 3, minutes.

My daughter was under 10 minutes!

Raspberry leaf tea contains fragarine which can:

help tighten and tone the uterus and pelvic muscles
at the same time, help to relax these muscles which can speed up and ease childbirth

Start with one cup per day in your 1st trimester and build up to three cups per day by your 3rd trimester. (I actually was drinking about 4 cups by the end, if you want to do this as well, please research and consult your physician!)

I originally purchased the single packaged tea bags but because I was drinking so much red raspberry leaf tea, the price didn’t make sense so I started buying in bulk from here.

RRLT also contains important vitamins and minerals like:

calcium
potassium
magnesium
iron
manganese

I drink red raspberry leaf tea before, during and after pregnancy for an extra boost of vitamins.

This study shows that women who drink the tea might have less of a chance of needing artificial membrane rupture or a c-section!

Use Birth Affirmations

So often we are reaching for outside sources to help us through difficult times. The truth is, the source that will help you is already inside of you.

You are a strong, fierce woman who was born to do this. Trust your body, trust yourself and tap into the infinite wisdom that is inside you.

Positive birth affirmations will help you do just that. They will remind you that you are in control and you can DO this. Grab your set here.

Stay Fit and Strong

I know this is easier said than done but the outcome of staying fit during pregnancy is SO WORTH IT.

Staying active during pregnancy means:

Reduced backaches, swelling, bloating and constipation
Boosted mood and energy levels
Better sleeps
Not gaining too much excess weight (which is hard to lose later)
Extra strength and endurance

The difference between my no exercise, McDonald’s filled pregnancy and my fairly active and more health food pregnancy was night and day.

Shorter, easier labor and no injuries during pregnancy the second time around.

RELATED: Free Printable Birth Plan

Surrender

I found something online that said “focus on coping” or something along those lines.

I struggled with talking about that. It may seem like good advice, but I’m not totally sure. When you focus on coping, you are trying to stay in control in your head.

Don’t do that. Trust your body to know what to do. Focus on surrendering to the pain, to the moment and to your body.

RELATED: Non Traditional Labor Signs

Eat dates

This study talks about what happens if you eat 60-80 grams of dates per day in later pregnancy.

This is what they found with women who consumed dates in late pregnancy:

There was higher cervical dilation
A lower chance of interventions like C-Sections or induction
The first stage of labor was shorter than those who did not eat dates

Start eating dates 4 weeks before your due date for the best results.

Be Open to Medication

If you’re hoping for a natural birth- power to ya, sister! I did have a natural birth (but NOT by choice) and it ended up being one of the best experiences.

I also had 2 births with an epidural and guess what? One of those was the best experience too.

Sometimes there are things beyond our control and sometimes we just want a damn epidural. Do not let anyone tell you that what happened during YOUR labor and birth was right or wrong.

Whatever happens? It’s RIGHT. For YOU. And your BABY. At that MOMENT.

You got this!

RELATED: Epidurals- pros and cons

Get Your Baby Ready

Did you know you can spend time helping your baby get into the right position for birth? There isn’t enough scientific evidence that these work but you can still try them to get your baby in the head down position for birth!

Breech or pelvic tilt
Inversion
Music
Temperature
Webster technique
Acupuncture

Read more at Family Doctor…

Learn to Breathe Properly

You’d think you’d know how to breathe during labor, right?

Probably not. This is because you are in a situation of extreme stress and sometimes common sense flies out the window.

So do practice breathing techniques. Practice them so much that they become second nature and you aren’t desperately trying to remember what to do in the middle of a contraction.

Hilary goes over breathing techniques in her online prenatal course.

Listen to Your Body

Above all else- listen to your body. I cannot stress this enough.

It is imperative to trust your doctors and nurses and it is equally imperative to trust yourself. They cannot feel what you are feeling.

Listen with your intuition and answer the calls- what feels good, what is helping, what is not helping.

How to Make Labor Easier (and FASTER)