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When I was pregnant I was really annoyed with the common hospital rule that you cannot eat during labor. What if I had a long labor and got hungry? Turns out I did not care about eating between contractions. That was way too much to think about.

But a good friend of mine suggested bringing honey because the sugar helps boost your energy. I also brought some favorite herbal teas. My doula loaded up some tea with honey and it helped to drink that especially while I was in the tub.

I don't think I can stay in the tub with my next labor because it's twins, but I used it for my singleton labor. It did not necessarily feel like it was helping when I was in the tub, and I wanted the water to be warmer and deeper so I was a little annoyed. But then when I got out of the tub everything hurt so much more! So I think it really did help to take some of the weight off.

First, knowing that my labor was "productive"---so, just visualizing the pain having a purpose---was enormously helpful until transition. During transition, that all kind of flew out the window and having someone squeeze my hips together HARD was great. Also, cursing felt pretty amazing during the final contractions. Good luck to you!

For me, breathing techniques and being able to change positions and move around the room as I wanted to were the most helpful. DH did a lot of lower back massage and helped me with my breathing, both which helped a ton too.

My second labor I was basically on my hands and knees on the hospital bed doing yoga cat/cow poses for the majority of the time (they arranged the bed at some point so I was leaning forward on it and not putting as much pressure on my wrists and knees) or similarly standing/squatting while leaning over on the bed and doing cat/cow stretches of my spine. It REALLY helped moved lo2 down, as she was kind of stuck really high up (I was at 41 weeks and had stopped progressing on my own as the cord was wrapped around her head...). I was induced both times and for both labors I was on pit for about 12 hours before I got an epi, and the cat/cow thing helped way more than anything I did the first time around!

Aromatherapy, per my midwives. We used it when labor stalled and I needed a pick me up to keep going. They did lemon on a small tissue. If I had to do it again, i would bring a diffuser.

That and moving around a lot.

counter pressure from DH and doula, a hot water bottle on my back, visualizing the baby coming, verbalizing to open everything up (later just screaming the baby out. )

The amazing birth tub that looked like something NASA designed. After that I treated the bathroom like a cave and hid in there by myself for hours 🤷‍♀️ Being able to be in my own head with no distractions really helped me.

"When I was pregnant I was really annoyed with the common hospital rule that you cannot eat during labor. What if I had a long labor and got hungry? Turns out I did not care about eating between contractions. That was way too much to think about."

@ElbieKay: This exactly. I brought all kinds of snacks, saying, "they're not going to tell me when I can eat!" but it turned out I had NO interest in eating once things got rolling.

In early labor, a long, hot shower was really nice. Once I was at the hospital in active labor, I kept my iPod on and listened to a book through most of it (ironically, I was in the middle of one of the Call the Midwife sequels ). I found watching the monitors so I could see when a contraction had crested helped me to endure them. I made DH narrate it to me when I had to roll over with my back to the monitor.

I also like what @babypugs: said about "productive" labor. I really wanted to deliver without pain meds, but was ready to break down and ask for something when I found out that I'd been going through transition and was ready to push. At that point, I was ready to go - the pain was manageable because there was an end in sight.

I got an epidural when I was about 6cm, sooo I'd say that (lol) but before I got it, I had plans to move around, walk, etc and honestly I couldn't move and didn't want to. I stayed laying down, I was like paralyzed by the pain. I couldn't have imagined walking, bouncing on a ball, etc. I felt like it took all my effort just to focus and get through the worst of the pain while staying still. So I think every labor/ every person is different. My labor was very fast and my contractions were on top of each other with basically no break. Before I went to the hospital, I took a shower and did find that helpful in early labor (I was 4cm when I got to the hospital). If my labor had been slower or more typical, other adjuncts may have been more helpful.

My doula had a rebozo that she wrapped under my belly with the ends tied around my back, and I was standing up and pulling on the ends to lift my belly and sway during contractions. That really helped me for a while when I was around 6ish cm.

After 6 cm, the birth pool. I planted my butt in that thing and just sat and squatted for a couple hours.

During transition, I was out of the tub and laying on my side with a peanut ball and had my doulas massaging my legs and butt which felt really amazing because they were really tired.

For pushing, the labor link. It's like a resistance band with a handle and you hold one end while someone else holds the other; you basically play tug of war with it during contractions and the added resistance makes pushing more effective.

And lastly, TUMS, omg I had the worst heartburn during labor and was constantly begging for more Tums.

TENS machine, hot shower, DH squeezing my hips.

While still at home: the jet tub (the only time I’ve taken a bath in it unfortunately!). I was home through a lot of the time I think you’d normally be at the hospital so that would translate to the birth tub too. It helped so much with pain and while it slowed things down I still had a really quick labor.

In the car: heated seats. I think I only had 3 contractions during the 16 minute drive, so again it slowed it down.

At the hospital: hot compresses. I went from over 30 stitches with DD1 to 0 tearing with DD2 and that made such a huge difference in my recovery which was mentally helpful too.

And of course the nurses! They make all the difference. I don’t know what I would have done without theincredible nurse I had with DD1 (DD2s labor was lightening fast).

Putting in my headphones, listening to a podcast, and just zoning out and breathing during contractions. I got an epidural around 6cm so that was during active labor contractions, but not transition. That probably wouldn’t have cut it during transition.

a super long shower

I’ve had both an unmedicated birth (DS1) and an Epi @ 8cm (DS2).

If you can labor in a tub, that will help tremendously. I delivered my second at a hospital where they only had showers and I definitely wished I had a tub for most of my labor (pre epi). I found a good firm yoga ball is essential to help you to get through the contractions. With my second labor, my ball was deflating and it just wasn’t helping and I was so frustrated with it.

Although my first son’s birth was awesome and unmedicated, the epidural I had for DS2 was amazing. The birth was so mellow and peaceful once I had those drugs!

@DesertDreams88: The thing that kept me going in my first labor (where I did get an epi but not til 2 days into laboring at home, 2-4 mins apart contractions most of the time, not sure why it took so long) and my third (shorter but failed epidural that didn't come until half an hour before delivery anyway) was thinking I just had to get through a bit more and I would get an epidural!! Lol.

My last birth a few weeks ago I REALLY didn't think I would be able to push her out. They first said they were calling the anesthesiologist to come back and say why it wasn't working (suspecting it was the pump) but then they said nope, it was too late and it's not happening. But I was in so much pain I pushed her out in basically one push in a little over ten seconds. Yeah I was done, done, done. One way or another that baby will come out. But if you're really close to the end..you might just wanna push anyway because the worst part was that all that labor had to be done in a bed (required to call nurse to get up because I planned an epidural, even though I didn't have it yet.)

My second came really fast and no time for an epidural (first was Csec) so I was terrified. This godsend nurse came in and asked me one question which really helped.

"Do you want me to be a coach or a cheerleader? A coach will push you hard but a cheerleader will cheer you on" It made me stop and think and I answered, "coach" That helped visualize a lot of things for me...

We didn't do a Bradley class, but we read the book and practiced at home and the ability to relax on command when my husband reminded me was super helpful.