Supporting yourself - List of suggestions for

As the woman, you can use many strategies to enable you to support yourself (with or without support people). In some cases, this may be your preferred way of getting through the labour. The following suggestions can be used to meet your physical needs and emotional wellbeing. At times, you will need the help of your support team to remind you to continue these strategies, as you become more absorbed in dealing with your contractions.

	Keeping fluids and food up
	Emptying your bladder every 2 hours
	Changing positions
	Pelvic rocking
	Walking
	Resting between contractions
	Using breathing techniques
	Using hot or cold packs, shower, bath
	Letting go of time and working with one contraction at a time
	Working with the labour you are having, not the one you would like to have
	Using self support during transition

Keeping fluids and food up

Your labouring body needs fuel (food and fluids) to keep energised so that the contractions remain strong and regular. Otherwise you will dehydrate and become ketotic, slowing the labour and possibly leading to medical interventions.

Some hospitals restrict women from eating (and even drinking) during labour. The reason being, in case a general anaesthetic is required, with the aim of the woman to have an empty stomach to minimise a rare complication called ‘aspiration’ (breathing in of stomach contents).

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