Early Labour

What is it?

Early labor, or the latent phase, can last several hours to days with mild to moderate, irregular contractions and cervical dilation under 6cm for a person attempting their first vaginal birth and under 4cm for a person who has had previous vaginal births. Early labour has an important function of thinning and preparing your cervix for active labour. You can continue normal activities, rest, and stay hydrated during this phase, but you won't be admitted to the hospital/OBWC or have your midwife stay with you at home until active labor begins. Active labor presents with stronger, longer, and more regular contractions, and cervical dilation greater than 4-5cm. It becomes harder to talk or move through contractions, and you'll need to focus on coping strategies, at this point you should page your Midwife. Understanding these differences can help you manage labor more effectively

Coping Strategies

Ignore it.
Impossible as it may seem, your best bet is to ignore what's going on for as long as possible and go about your day. Sure, you can make a few notes about times and length of contractions, but don't get too wrapped up. If you're still able to go about doing fairly normal things, do them. Your body will tell you -- loud and clearly -- when it's time to change what you're doing.

Rest. Rest. Rest.
If you can move past the excitement of being in early labor, use this time to rest. Even if you can't sleep, lay down (expect to do at least one all-nighter if this is your first birth, keep that in mind with how much activity you do). Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) and dimenhydrinate (Gravol). You can take 1000mg of acetaminophen every 6 hours for pain, and 100mg of dimenhydrinate every 6 hours to help you sleep.

Put on the TENS. Now is a great time to put on the TENS machine and carry on with your day/sleep. Remember to use the boost button during contractions. Don’t use the TENS with water (bath/shower).

Time some contractions, then stop. You could spend a lot of time and energy timing contractions. And while the process is sometimes encouraging and reassuring, it can also be anxious and uncertain. If it helps you, time some of your contractions. If things aren't changing, take a break and do something else. Like rest, eat, drink, watch a movie, etc.

Find distractions. Early labor is a great time to watch a movie, meet up with/call a friend, read a book, fold baby clothes, or pack your hospital bag. Anything you can do to get your mind off of labor and pass the time.

Eat and drink normally. In early labor, you will most likely still feel like eating. Take advantage of your appetite. Later in labor, you will most likely not feel like eating (or at least not very much), but you will still need energy. Eating well earlier will help carry you for the long haul (try a smoothie). Remember to stay hydrated; use sports drinks (ex. Gatorade) if you don’t feel like eating.

Take a bath or shower. A warm bath can be relaxing and soothing. If you're feeling anxious, take a bath. Keep in mind that a bath can slow down or stop early labor contractions. That said, when you're out of the tub, if your body is ready for labor, the contractions will pick back up.

Ask for help. It's never too early to start using comfort measures in labor. Ask your partner, friend, or family member massage your back or feet. Not only does touch usually feel great in early labor, it can also help take your mind off of worrying about labor, and encourages relaxation, which ultimately facilitates the process of labor.