9 Natural Ways To Prepare For Labour: Gentle Techniques for a Smoother Birth

Let's face it: the idea of labour can feel like stepping onto a rollercoaster blindfolded. But what if you could peek at the track, feel the safety bar, and even do a few warm-up stretches before the ride begins? Knowing how to prepare for labour isn't about control; it's about confidence. It’s about replacing "Oh no!" with "I got this."

These natural ways to prepare the body for labour aren't a substitute for your medical team. They're your secret weapon. They complement professional care, giving you an edge by empowering your body and mind. This guide gives you practical and evidence-based tips on how to prepare for labour so you can embrace the journey ahead with confidence and less stress.

1. Fuel Your Body with Nutrition

Think of your body as a high-performance athlete. You wouldn't send a marathon runner out on a diet of chips and soda, would you? Labour is a marathon, and proper nutrition is your premium fuel. A balanced diet with healthy pregnancy snacks builds strength, supports energy levels, and ensures your body has the raw materials for optimal performance. It's a fundamental part of effectively preparing for birth.

Power Foods for Labour Prep:

• Complex Carbohydrates: Whole grains (oats, brown rice), sweet potatoes for sustained energy.

• Lean Proteins: Chicken, fish, legumes, eggs for muscle repair and strength.

• Healthy Fats: Avocados, nuts, and seeds for hormone production and energy.

• Iron-Rich Foods: Leafy greens, red meat, and fortified cereals to prevent fatigue.

• Hydration: Water, water, and more water! Dehydration can mimic contractions.

2. Stay Active with Safe Exercises

Your body was designed to move, and ignoring that design during pregnancy means missing out on a treasure trove of benefits. Gentle, consistent exercise during pregnancy isn't just about preparing you; it’s a powerhouse for your baby's immediate and long-term health. Forget the outdated notion that routine bed rest offers any proven benefit for preventing preterm birth or improving fetal outcomes. The evidence is overwhelmingly in favour of staying active. This isn't just about personal fitness; it's a strategic investment in your child's future. Here’s how exercising during pregnancy could benefit you: [1]

For You, Mama:

• Boosted Comfort: Say goodbye to nagging back pain and hello to easier digestion.

• Reduced Risks: Significantly decrease your chances of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and even the need for a caesarean birth.

• Optimal Health: Promote healthy weight gain, strengthen your heart and vessels, and set yourself up for a smoother postpartum recovery, including shedding that baby weight.

• Mental Fortitude: Slash your risk of postpartum depression, ensuring a more positive emotional and cognitive environment for your infant.

Get the right support for exercising during pregnancy with SRC Pregnancy Compression Garments.

Exercising during pregnancy not only benefits you. It also helps your little one grow healthier and stronger, even while they’re still in the womb.

For Your Baby, a Head Start:

• Healthier Beginnings: Achieve healthier birth weights (reducing the risk of macrosomia) and improve cardiovascular regulation from day one.

• Future-Proofed Health: Dramatically lower their risk of future obesity and metabolic disorders, with particular benefits for female offspring.

• Brain Powerhouse: Actively enhance foetal brain development, leading to improved language acquisition, memory, and learning abilities, while reducing the risk of neurodevelopmental delays.

• Active Habits: Potentially program your child's future activity levels, setting them on a path to a healthier life.

How does all this happen? Your body works wonders: improved uteroplacental blood flow, enhanced placental function, beneficial hormonal and epigenetic changes, and even positive shifts in your maternal microbiota are all at play. [2]

These gentle exercises are key to understanding how to prepare for labour physically, building the endurance you'll need. Remember to always consult your doctor or midwife before starting any new exercise routine.

Labour-Friendly Moves:

• Walking: The simplest, yet one of the most effective. Daily walks keep you limber and improve circulation, essential steps in preparing for birth.

• Swimming: Buoyancy makes you feel weightless, easing joint pressure while providing a full-body workout.

• Prenatal Yoga/Pilates: Focuses on flexibility, core strength, and breathing techniques vital for labour. Look for certified instructors.

• Squats: Open the pelvis, strengthen legs and glutes. Great for an active labour position.

• Pelvic Tilts: Alleviate back pain and encourage optimal fetal positioning.

3. Practice Perineal Massage to Reduce Tearing

Perineal massage, done correctly, can significantly reduce the risk of tearing during vaginal birth. It's about increasing the elasticity of the perineum or the area between your vagina and anus. This is one of the most direct natural ways to prepare the body for labour.

When to Start: Most experts recommend starting around 34-36 weeks of pregnancy.

How It Helps: This massage gently stretches the tissues, making them more elastic and resilient for when your baby crowns. It's a proactive measure for preparing for birth. [3]

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Prep: Wash your hands thoroughly. Find a comfortable position. Semi-reclining in bed or in the shower works well.

2. Lubricate: Use a natural, unscented oil (e.g., almond oil, olive oil, or a water-soluble lubricant).

3. Position Fingers: Insert your thumbs about 3-5 cm (1-2 inches) inside your vagina.

4. Apply Pressure: Press downwards towards the rectum and outwards to the sides. You'll feel a stretching sensation, possibly a slight stinging. This is normal.

5. Massage: Maintain the pressure and gently massage in a U-shape motion for 5-10 minutes.

6. Frequency: Aim for daily practice.

4. Use a Birth Ball to Open Your Hips and Relax

A birth ball (or exercise ball) isn't just for bouncing happily; it's a powerful tool for pregnancy comfort and labour progression. Studies show that using a birth ball can significantly reduce labour pain and anxiety and even shorten the duration of labour. Its unstable surface encourages subtle pelvic movements, which can help your baby descend.  [4] This is another excellent example of how to prepare for labour with simple, effective tools.

Benefits During Pregnancy & Labour:

• Relieves Back Pain: Sitting on the ball encourages good posture and takes pressure off your lower back.

• Opens Hips: Gentle bouncing or rocking can help open your pelvic outlet, encouraging the baby into an optimal position.

• Comfort During Contractions: During labour, rocking or leaning on the ball can provide counter-pressure and distraction.

• Active Labour Positions: Can be used for leaning, rocking, or even kneeling while resting your upper body on the ball.

5. Calm Your Mind

Your mind and body are intricately linked, especially during childbirth. Fear and tension can literally tighten your body, making labour harder. A calm mind is your superpower, allowing your body to do what it's designed to do. Mastering these techniques is a crucial step in understanding how to prepare for labour mentally, ensuring you approach birth with a calm and focused mind.

Mindfulness Practices for Birth:

• Meditation: Even 5-10 minutes a day can train your mind to focus and remain calm amidst intensity. Apps like Calm or Headspace offer prenatal meditations.

• Deep Breathing: The cornerstone of labour coping. Practice slow, deep belly breaths now. Inhale through your nose, expand your belly, and exhale slowly through your mouth. This calms your nervous system.

• Visualisation: Picture your ideal birth, a peaceful place, or your baby moving down gently.

• Affirmations: Positive statements ("My body is strong," "I am ready," "Each wave brings me closer") can rewire your thinking. These are fundamental natural ways to prepare the body for labour by addressing the mind-body connection.

Here is a great audio series from the Royal Women’s Hospital Victoria to support and guide you through mindfulness and meditation.

6. Involve Your Partner in Labour Preparation

Your birth partner isn't just a spectator; they're your co-pilot. Their active involvement not only strengthens your bond but also provides crucial emotional and physical support during labour. Involving them is a key aspect of preparing for birth as a team.

Ways Partners Can Support You:

• Attend Appointments: Be informed and ask questions.

• Practice Comfort Measures: Learn massage techniques, counter-pressure, and breathing cues.

• Advocate: Be your voice if you're unable to communicate your wishes during labour.

• Emotional Rock: Offer encouragement, reassurance, and a calming presence.

• Practical Help: Pack bags, prepare meals, and set up the birth space.

7. Empower Yourself Through Prenatal Education

Ignorance isn't bliss when it comes to birth. Understanding the process demystifies it, replacing fear with informed confidence. Childbirth education classes are essential, not optional. These classes are your comprehensive guide on how to prepare for labour, demystifying each stage and equipping you with coping strategies.

What You'll Gain:

• Stages of Labour: Know what to expect during each phase.

• Coping Strategies: Learn breathing techniques, pain management options, and relaxation methods.

• Interventions: Understand common medical interventions and when they might be necessary.

• Partner Roles: Partners learn how to be active, supportive participants.

• Confidence: Replaces anxiety with a roadmap, reducing the unknown.

There are a number of organisations, as well as major hospitals, that run Childbirth Education Classes, such as Childbirth Education Australia, Calmbirth, Tweddle Child and Family Health Service, and About Birth.

8. Conserve Energy for Birth

Labour is demanding. Think of it as a significant athletic event where you need every ounce of energy. Prioritising rest, especially in your third trimester, is non-negotiable. This vital aspect of how to prepare for labour is often overlooked. [5]

Tips for Better Sleep in Late Pregnancy:

• Side Sleeping: Always sleep on your side, especially the left, to optimise blood flow to you and your baby. Use pregnancy pillows for support.

• Comfort is Key: Create a dark, quiet, cool sleep environment.

• Limit Fluids Before Bed: Reduce night-time bathroom trips, but stay hydrated during the day.

• Power Naps: Short naps (20-30 minutes) can be restorative without disrupting night sleep.

• Relaxation Routine: Warm bath, reading, or gentle stretches before bed. Avoid screens.

9. Pack Your Hospital Bag Early

When labour starts, your focus should be on you, not scrambling for socks. Having your hospital bag packed and ready is a simple act of preparation that pays huge dividends in peace of mind. It’s a pragmatic step in how to prepare for labour without last-minute stress.

When to Pack: Aim to have your bags ready by 36 weeks of pregnancy. Labour can be unpredictable!

The Essential Trio:

• For Mum: Comfortable clothes, toiletries, snacks, phone charger, essential documents, nursing bra, going-home outfit. For a comprehensive list, check our Hospital Bag Checklist. It’s also the perfect time to get measured, order and pack your SRC Recovery Shorts or Leggings so that you can optimise your recovery after pregnancy. These evidence-based compression garments assist with abdominal muscle separation, perineal tears and stitches, C-section wounds, and low back pain.  

• For Baby: A few outfits, receiving blankets, a hat, and a car seat installed. For a comprehensive list of what to prepare, check our Newborn Baby Checklist.

• For Partner: Snacks, change of clothes, toiletries, entertainment, phone charger.

Preparing for birth naturally is about embracing a holistic approach. Nurturing your body, calming your mind, and empowering yourself with knowledge. These natural ways to prepare the body for labour provide a roadmap to a more confident experience. Trust your body's innate wisdom, trust the process, and trust the incredible journey you're about to embark on. You are stronger and more capable than you know.

FAQs

1. How do you know your body is getting ready for labour?

Your body often sends subtle signals when preparing for birth [6]. Here are some of them:

• Lightening (Baby Drops): Your baby settles deeper into your pelvis. You might breathe easier, but feel more pelvic pressure.

• Increased Braxton Hicks Contractions: These "practice" contractions may become more frequent, stronger, or even somewhat regular.

• Cervical Changes: Your cervix begins to soften, efface (thin), and sometimes dilate. Only your care provider can confirm this.

• Blood-stained discharge: The loss of your mucus plug, often tinged with blood, indicates cervical changes are happening.

• Nesting Instinct: A sudden burst of energy and desire to clean or organise.

• Loose Stools/Diarrhoea: Your body's way of clearing out before labour.

2. How can I progress my labour naturally?

Once labour has started, these natural methods can help progression:

• Stay Upright & Mobile: Gravity is your friend! Walk, sway, dance, use a birth ball, or rock on hands and knees. Movement helps the baby descend.

• Deep Breathing: Rhythmic breathing helps you relax and conserve energy, allowing contractions to be more effective.

• Hydration & Small Snacks: Keep energy levels up.

• Nipple Stimulation: Can release oxytocin, which strengthens contractions. Consult your care provider first.

• Warm Bath/Shower: Can ease discomfort and help you relax.

3. What sleeping positions might induce labour?

No specific sleeping position has been scientifically proven to "induce" labour. While side-lying (especially the left side) is recommended for optimal blood flow during late pregnancy, it won't trigger labour. The best "sleeping position" is simply one that allows you to get quality rest, as conserving energy is key for when labour naturally begins. In fact, the opposite is true: one of the easiest and safest ways to try inducing labour on your own is to take a walk. The gravity from your movements may help slide your baby down into position. [7]

4. What is the most common week to go into labour?

Most full-term pregnancies go into labour between 39 and 41 weeks of gestation. While labour can occur earlier or later, this 3-week window is considered the most common for the spontaneous onset of labour. Less than 10% of women give birth on their due date.

 

References:

1. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/exercise-during-pregnancy

2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10107927/

3. https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/perineal-massage

4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40342646/

5. https://ultrasoundcare.com.au/tips-for-better-sleep-during-pregnancy/

6. https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/giving-birth-early-signs-of-labour

7. https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/inducing-labor