https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 10 May 2026 21:48:09 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2551102 Wed, 18 May 2016 10:30:26 +0000 JenGirl 2551102@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm guessing OP is no longer reading this, but I was out at the movies when I went into labor, so I just stayed and finished the movie. Got up a couple times to go to the bathroom and stood in the back for a bit to get a new position. When I got home I tried to sleep, but that wasn't happening, but I did, at least, rest. And then as things got more intense I took a long shower with my husband. Then labored at home as long as I could </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550877 Wed, 18 May 2016 05:47:37 +0000 avivoca 2550877@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My labor started at 6 pm, so I ate what I could, picked my bags, took a shower, and basically walked for 10 hours straight with a few rests in between. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550871 Wed, 18 May 2016 04:32:15 +0000 Ms. RV 2550871@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Another vote for sleep! I started getting contractions like yours at 9am on a Saturday and baby was born 3am Monday. I wish I would've spent Saturday in bed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550868 Wed, 18 May 2016 03:10:54 +0000 jaguar 2550868@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went into early labor from about 9pm... and it ended up taking almost 24 hours to have her. I wish I'd slept. Going into labor at night was so hard, because I was literally exhausted by the end. Sleep, sleep, sleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550862 Wed, 18 May 2016 00:06:55 +0000 QBbride 2550862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Eek! Exciting! The best advice I got was to ignore them until I couldn't ignore them any longer. I went for a walk and a coffee, had a bath, tried to have a nap. My midwife suggested a glass of wine. If it was nighttime, I would have taken 1/2 a gravol or something but it was during the day so I didn't. Good luck!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550784 Tue, 17 May 2016 19:49:09 +0000 atoz 2550784@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks all!! 😃 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550501 Tue, 17 May 2016 12:44:18 +0000 Corduroy 2550501@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wish I would have slept, ate, and rested. Easier said than done. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550363 Tue, 17 May 2016 11:36:24 +0000 catlady 2550363@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My labor progressed really quickly (my water broke before contractions started), but I had a whole plan for early labor to hang out around the house on a yoga ball, watching funny movies, reading trashy novels, and just resting. Actually, I did manage to read some of my trashy novel at the hospital after I got my epidural. The nurses thought it was hilarious but it was good to just rest and distract myself. So I would try to relax as much as possible (hard, I know). Also keep up your food and fluid intake since you won't get much at all once you have to head to the hospital. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550335 Tue, 17 May 2016 11:11:32 +0000 lovehoneybee 2550335@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wish I would have been able to sleep. I ended up with a very long, drawn-out back labor with my first, and I was almost deliriously exhausted by the time he was born with very little rest. During early labor I cleaned the house, took a long shower, watched movies, rolled on a yoga ball, tried out my breast pump....basically just tried to relax and distract myself.</p> <p>Good luck!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550329 Tue, 17 May 2016 11:05:04 +0000 smocks 2550329@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you know how dilated you are? Both of mine were short labors, 9 hours start to finish. I was 4+ cm dilated by the time I went into labor both times - 1st time my water broke, 2nd time I wasn't even sure I was having contractions. If you know you're far dilated, I'd get to the hospital. If you're not, well then I would listen to these other ladies :) Definitely eat and drink water now though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550303 Tue, 17 May 2016 10:45:54 +0000 sarac 2550303@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, another vote for as much rest as possible and as much food as you can tolerate. I went into labor with my second baby around dinner time, and I didn't feel like eating. Then I labored all through the night, so I was just miserably tired and starving the whole time, but my body didn't want to eat. I'd suggest that you keeping trying to eat lightly (fruit, grains, whatever feels good in your stomach) and rest as much as you can. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550181 Tue, 17 May 2016 09:25:19 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2550181@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Can you take a sleeping pill to get some rest? Just a half dose of unisom or something? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550159 Tue, 17 May 2016 09:01:42 +0000 csross217 2550159@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My labor progressed really quickly so I don't have any advice, but just wanted to say good luck! So exciting!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550149 Tue, 17 May 2016 08:55:22 +0000 Foodnerd81 2550149@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did whatever felt good- so I watched tv and movies while that was comfortable, we went for walks, picked up breakfast to go (so I didn't scare anyone breathing through contractions!), took a shower... Basically keeping my mind off of it was better. I had a long early labor which I think really helped prepare me for active labor, since the intensity ramped up slowly. As things got more intense sitting on the yoga ball helped while I watched tv. If you think you can sleep definitely do- like @petitenoisette: I was so excited I didn't sleep, so I was very tired by the time she was born, then I had such a huge rush of adrenaline after that I still couldn't sleep and just laid there looking at her for the first sleepy hours. </p> <p>Good luck! So exciting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550103 Tue, 17 May 2016 08:20:31 +0000 petitenoisette 2550103@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think you're doing great already realizing it's early labor and that it could be a while. Keep yourself distracted as others have suggested and/or sleep!!! My #1 labor mistake was getting too excited by it and not sleeping or distracting myself and that made everything way harder on myself! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550098 Tue, 17 May 2016 08:17:46 +0000 wrkbrk 2550098@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travellingbee: I watched a movie too!<br /> @atoz: I knew it was early labor around 6 am bc I lost my mucus plug. So I called the hospital and they said to come in when I couldn't stand it anymore. :P I went in before that - around 1:00 pm. Baby was born that night! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550068 Tue, 17 May 2016 07:02:23 +0000 travellingbee 2550068@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Distraction and walking/moving. I watched a movie in the beginning of labor and that took my mind off of the discomfort and anxiety. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550065 Tue, 17 May 2016 06:52:08 +0000 Adira 2550065@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't have much advice - mine started and progressed pretty quickly. I spent most of the morning on HB trying to figure out if I was even having contractions!</p> <p>Good luck!!! &lt;3 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-early-labor#post-2550053 Tue, 17 May 2016 06:08:55 +0000 atoz 2550053@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think I'm in the beginnings of early labor...painful but not unbearable contractions about 1 minute long, 10-15 minutes apart for most of last night. I'm currently at home on leave &amp; hubs is at work. I know that things could fizzle out or pick up in intensity from here. In the meantime, I've stopped timing contractions and am just trying to go about the day and take it easy, figuring that I'll know if &amp; when anything picks up!</p> <p>Any tips on getting through early labor? What did you do &amp; what would you do differently? The thought of this going on for a long time is daunting. </p>