“It’s very difficult for first time mums as they have no previous experience to compare labour to, and, up until that point it has all been theory. To help women prepare for their first baby, here are my top tips, and preparing mentally and emotionally is really important. Having been a midwife for thirty years and with many colleagues who also work in midwifery, the experiences we all have when looking after women in labour have common themes.” 

Zita’s key tips for mind management for labour:

1. D DAY PREPARATION

A common problem today’s women face is exhaustion during pregnancy and in the lead up to labour. There is far more pressure today to work right up until the end of your pregnancy to then get more time off afterwards which is a general trend. Without enough rest or mental space and lack of sleep in the lead up to labour, women are left mentally and physically exhausted for labour, ending up tired postnatally before they’ve even had the sleepness nights looking after a newborn! The problem is that it is very hard to get a woman to think beyond delivery day.

2. MIND, BODY, BABY

Connecting to your baby by talking to him or her really seals a bond before birth. Call me old fashioned, but putting your feet and having ‘you and baby’ time is a must. Believe me, if you don’t connect or make the time, your baby will seek attention in its own way!

3. LET YOUR HORMONES HELP YOU

Your hormones are your helpers in labour and your mindset can influence how it goes. Endorphins will help with the pain while oxytocin gives the relaxed, ‘spaced out’ feeling. There is nothing better than to be with a woman in labour and see how she progresses by the patterns of behaviour she displays at each stage. However, the position your baby’s head is in at the start can influence you labour.

4. A FRIGHTENED MIND = A LONGER LABOUR

Fear comes from many sources prior to labour, and it is important not to listen to dire advice and warnings about other people’s labours. If someone starts to tell you a story about their labour, stop them and ask of the story has a good ending. If it doesn’t, then tell them you don’t want to hear it. I have seen advice like this cause such anxiety for women. Fear causes adrenaline to be released and labour to slow down. These can be a number of things; from being nervous about your surroundings, to not having a rapport with the midwife and feeling tense with your partner. Once fear gets hold, adrenaline is realised and stops endorphin release. Atmosphere is key to enable you to settle and concentrate on having as relaxed a labour a possible. There are many techniques that can be practiced to help with breathing and relaxation, and these will help labour along.

5. EXHAUSTED BODY, EXHAUSTED MIND

You need a lot of energy to get through a labour, and hydration and hunger don’t help! You need complex carbs, and lots of them. I tell women to really stock up on carbs in the lead up to labour, as well as vitamin C and zinc. During pregnancy, you also need good stores of DHA and vitamin D which are both so important for fetal development.

7. A LABOUR OF LOVE

Having your partner with you and going through labour together can be a really bonding, however don’t force any partner to be in the room unless he really wants to be there. I have seen that it can cause a problem after the baby is born with a couple’s sex life, so make sure he is happy to be there with you.

8. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

To ensure you have the best labour you can, make sure you practice techniques ahead of labour such as hypnosis for birth, and positive visualisation will help throughout. I am also a great believer in the use of acupuncture in preparation for and during labour.

Zita West has a range of antenatal and postnatal products to prepare and repair www.zitawest.com