5 tips to help you through labour – and support your pelvic floor along the way

During labour, a lot can happen all at once. It can be intense, unpredictable and difficult to navigate – and it’s completely normal not to have a clear sense of everything that’s happening. Your midwife does, and she’ll be there to guide you.

At the same time, there are things that can make a difference to how your body works during labour – and help give both you and your pelvic floor the best possible conditions for recovery afterwards.

So here are five practical tips for labour that can help you work with your body during labour – while also taking care of you and your pelvic floor afterwards.

1. Breathing helps your pelvic floor let go

It may seem like a small thing, but your breathing can make a real difference during labour.

When something hurts or becomes intense, it’s completely natural to tense up and hold your breath. But that can also cause your pelvic floor to tense rather than let go. When the pelvic floor is too tense, it can be harder for the tissues – particularly around the vaginal opening and perineum – to stretch. This can mean that your baby meets more resistance on the way out, putting greater strain on the tissues.

Slow, deep breaths – breathing right down into your abdomen and exhaling slowly – can help your body release tension and work with the contractions rather than against them. And if your midwife asks you at some point to pant or slowly breathe out through pursed lips – almost as if you’re blowing through a straw – it’s to help the tissues stretch gradually and reduce the strain on them as much as possible.

You don’t have to get it perfect – that’s obviously not realistic during labour. But simply returning to your breathing again and again can make a difference to how your body works and how well your pelvic floor is able to let go.

2. Ask about your options for birth positions

Many women are most familiar with giving birth lying down. But that isn’t necessarily the best position for everyone. Positions such as side-lying, kneeling or upright positions may work better for some. They can potentially create more space in the pelvis and help distribute the strain differently. Being more upright or seated can also help you use gravity to your advantage.

Of course, you don’t need to know every possible position beforehand. But during labour, you can always ask whether changing position might make sense or whether another position could be helpful in your particular situation. Small changes in position can make a difference both to how labour progresses and to the strain placed on your pelvic floor.

Of course, it all depends on the situation and the clinical assessment at the time. Every labour is different, and your midwife will guide you based on her experience and clinical judgement.

3. Work with your contractions – not against them

Contractions are what move labour forwards. As intense and painful as they can be, they’re also your body’s way of helping your baby make its way into the world.

If you can, try to work with the contractions rather than against them. Try focus on your breathing and let the contraction do its work instead of tensing up and “fighting” it.

When something hurts, the instinct for many of us is to want it to stop. You might tense up and think, “no, no, no”. But turning that around and trying to welcome the contraction instead can help create a sense of calm mentally. When you feel a contraction beginning, it may help to think “yes, yes, yes” rather than resisting it.

Practising visualisation before labour can also be really helpful. You might imagine the contractions as waves, the next rush on a rollercoaster, or whatever makes sense to you. You can also say phrases out loud as a conscious way of redirecting your attention and reframing how you experience the pain. It could be something as simple as: “This contraction is my friend.”

That doesn’t mean you have to stay positive all the time – contractions hurt, and it’s completely okay to feel that. But for some, seeing contractions as part of the process rather than something to fight can bring a little more calm and make it easier to work with the body.

4. Ask about your stitches after birth

If you need stitches after birth because of a perineal tear, it’s completely okay to be curious about what was actually done. Your midwife will usually explain what happened and how the tear was repaired. But immediately after giving birth, it can be difficult to take everything in – so if anything is unclear, it’s a good idea to ask again.

You can ask: What kind of tear did I have? How extensive was it? Is there anything in particular I need to be aware of?

You can also ask to use a mirror with your midwife to see the area that was stitched, while she explains what was repaired. Some women are also able to perform a very gentle pelvic floor contraction shortly after birth. If that's the case for you, it may be helpful to watch in the mirror while you gently contract your pelvic floor, giving you something to compare with as your pelvic floor function improves during the postpartum period.

The same applies if you have a caesarean section. It can be helpful to understand how the incision was closed and what you should be aware of afterwards. You don’t need to understand every detail. It’s simply about understanding what has happened to your body – and to give yourself the best possible conditions for healing after birth.

Here you can read more about how a perineal tear during childbirth can affect your pelvic floor.

5. Food and drink during labour: your body needs energy

Giving birth is physically demanding, and your body needs energy along the way. Early in labour, many women still feel like eating, while appetite often decreases as labour progresses.

That’s why it can be a good idea to bring something easy to snack on as you go. Small, light snacks often work well – especially things that don’t require much chewing or preparation.

For example:

• Fruit, such as a banana, apple slices or grapes
• Cereal or granola bars
• Crackers or small sandwiches
• Nuts or dried fruit
• Juice that isn’t too acidic
• Glucose tablets or electrolytes, especially if you don’t feel like eating

It doesn’t need to be fancy. The important thing is to bring something you actually feel like having and that’s easy to get down even when you don’t have much of an appetite.

It may sound like a small thing, but getting a little food and fluid during labour can make a big difference to your energy levels, how much you have left in the tank, and your recovery afterwards.