There are various tools and techniques that women can use to support themselves throughout the various phases of the 2nd stage of labour. Being able to have a partner or support person unconditionally 'there' for you, providing physical and emotional support, as you need it, can provide a safe and nurturing environment. Having a caregiver who supports you in how you wish to give birth to your baby, in the position you feel most comfortable and listening to your choices, wishes and needs throughout the birth, can contribute greatly to you feeling heard and supported.
As you enter the 2nd stage, your needs may be very different from that of the prelabour and the 1st stage of the labour. You can explore the following suggestions as options for meeting your physical needs and emotional wellbeing during this time. Some of the strategies have already been covered in previous classes dealing with prelabour and labour, but we mention them again to remind you to continue them. Your partner or support person will often need to physically help you to implement some of the strategies, in combination with emotionally supporting you throughout this stage.
Keeping fluids up
Emptying your bladder
Positions for the 2nd stage
Resting between contractions
Heat or cold packs, shower, bath
Instinctive pushing and panting
Communication
Visualisation
Feel and look
Self support during the 2nd stage of labour
Keeping fluids up
It is still important to keep your fluids up throughout the 2nd stage of the labour, continuing on from what you were doing during the Prelabour and the 1st stage. The second stage brings the need to exert more energy, but usually allows for longer rest times between the contractions to recover and take in fluids or suck on ice chips. Pushing in a warm bath can often zap your energy and cause you to perspire more.