As a labour and delivery nurse, I've seen so many women in triage having painful, regular contractions, but their labour isn't progressing! It's also called: prodromal labour.
Prodromal labour is when you have contractions, but your labour isn't progressing or is progressing really slowly. It can really suck when your labour doesn't progress!
This can go on and on and on… and let’s be real—it's THE WORST! 😳 You’re tired, in pain and uncomfortable, and wondering if things are ever going to move along.
When are you going to meet your baby?!
It also sucks to think that you're in active labour, ready to be admitted to the hospital, only to be sent home time and time again.
But here’s something amazing—your body produces oxytocin, the hormone responsible for causing contractions and helping labour progress. 🤯
The best part? You can actually encourage your body to release more oxytocin naturally to help strengthen your contractions and get things moving!
So, if you’re stuck in early labour and looking for ways to naturally support your body, here are some tried-and-true methods to boost oxytocin and help labour progress.
1. Move Your Body 🏃♀️
Movement is one of the best ways to encourage contractions! Walking, swaying, bouncing on a birthing ball, or even doing gentle squats can help your baby descend and stimulate your uterus to release more oxytocin.
🔹 Try This: Walk up and down the stairs sideways or do hip circles on a birthing ball. This movement encourages your baby’s head to press against the cervix, which can help labour progress! You can also try curb walking. Anything to make your hip bones "asymmetrical" will help open things up and bring your baby down.
2. Cuddle, Kiss, and Get Close 💕
Did you know that physical touch releases oxytocin? It’s often called the "love hormone" because it’s released during moments of intimacy, affection, and bonding.
🔹 Try This: Hug, kiss, or even slow dance with your partner. Skin-to-skin contact and gentle back rubs can also help increase your oxytocin levels. If you feel up to it, sex can also help (as long as your water hasn’t broken)!
3. Nipple Stimulation 🤱
This one might sound a little strange, but stimulating your nipples can actually trigger oxytocin and help contractions become stronger and more consistent. In fact, it’s sometimes used as a natural method for induction!
🔹 Try This: Use your hands or a warm compress to gently massage your nipples, or use a breast pump for a few minutes at a time. Hand expression is great as well. Collect those drops of colostrum to use after your baby is born!
Learn how to hand express in this post!
4. Create a Calm and Relaxing Environment 🕯️
Feeling stressed or anxious can slow down labour because stress hormones (like adrenaline) interfere with oxytocin production. That’s why it’s so important to create a calm, comfortable birth space that helps you feel safe and relaxed.
Sleep is so important as well. When you don't sleep your body holds tension, which can prevent your labour to progress. Even just getting a little rest between your contractions can help a lot.
🔹 Try This: Dim the lights, play soothing music, diffuse essential oils, and keep distractions to a minimum. Deep breathing, meditation, and affirmations can also help you relax and encourage labour progress.
More tips on relaxation techniques in labour right here!
5. Take a Warm Bath or Shower 🚿
Water can be incredibly soothing during labour, and it also helps promote relaxation—allowing your body to release more oxytocin. A warm bath or shower can help ease discomfort, relax your muscles and encourage contractions to become stronger.
🔹 Try This: If you have a tub, soak in warm water and let the relaxation take over. If not, a simple warm shower can also work wonders. Keep your jaw loose. When your jaw is loose your hips stay loose and open which helps bring your baby down and keep that labour going!
6. Laugh and Stay Positive 😆
Yes, really! Laughing and keeping your spirits up can reduce stress hormones and increase oxytocin. Watching a funny movie, listening to a podcast, or chatting with a friend can lighten the mood and help your body do its job.
This will also help to distract you and you might be able to stop focusing on the pain. Which in turn will help your body ramp up oxytocin production!
🔹 Try This: Watch a comedy special or scroll through funny memes between contractions. Anything that makes you laugh will help!
7. Eat Something Nutritious 🍏
If you’re still in early labour, you might be able to eat a small snack to keep your energy up. While food won’t directly increase oxytocin, feeling nourished and hydrated helps your body work efficiently—which can keep labour progressing.
🔹 Try This: Choose light, energy-boosting snacks like fruit, toast with honey, or a smoothie. Avoid heavy, greasy foods that might make you feel nauseous. Labour can be incredibly nausea-inducing, so eat something that you don't mind throwing up later.
8. Try Acupressure or Reflexology ✋
Certain pressure points on your body are believed to stimulate oxytocin and encourage contractions. Acupressure is a safe, non-invasive technique that many doulas and midwives recommend to help labour progress naturally.
🔹 Try This: Apply firm pressure to the webbing between your thumb and index finger or gently press on the inside of your ankle (about four fingers above the ankle bone). Ask your provider or a doula for guidance on the best pressure points!
9. Stay Upright and Change Positions 🤰
Lying down for too long can slow things down while staying upright and changing positions helps gravity work in your favor. Movement and position changes encourage the baby to descend and can help contractions become more effective and in turn help your labour progress.
When your baby's head is optimally applied to your cervix those contractions become more efficient!
🔹 Try This: Stand, lean forward on a chair, get on all fours, or use a peanut ball if you’re resting in bed. Switching positions frequently can make a big difference in labour progression too!
10. Trust Your Body and Let Go of Fear 🧘♀️
Sometimes labour stalls because we’re holding onto fear or tension. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath and remind yourself—your body was made for this!
🔹 Try This: Use birth affirmations like:
- "Every contraction brings me closer to meeting my baby."
- "My body knows what to do."
- "I trust my baby and my birth process."
Let go of fear, focus on one contraction at a time, and allow your body to do the work.
Download some great birth affirmations for your birth right here.
Ramp up Your Oxytocin!
Early and prodromal labour can be exhausting, frustrating, and unpredictable—but there are things you can do to help your body move things along naturally.
The coolest thing about these tips is that a lot of them will even help you start labour naturally! If your body is ready, these tips will flood your body with oxytocin and get the party started!
By staying loose and relaxed, and boosting your natural oxytocin by using these tips, you can encourage labour to progress while keeping yourself as comfortable as possible.
Most importantly, trust the process! Know that your baby will be in your arms soon! 💕
Would you try any of these techniques? If you’ve already given birth, what helped you the most in early labour? Let’s chat in the comments! 👇✨
0 comments