Why your labor may stall and what you can do to help it start again.
If you have never had a labor stall, you may not fully understand how frustrating it can be. You thought, “This is it. I’m in labor,” only to realize that your contractions have started slowing and lessening in intensity or worse: fizzled out completely. You were so sure that it was time to get down to the business of birthing your baby, who, by the way, needs to come out so you can finally meet your precious little joy and also so he will stop using your bladder as a trampoline day and night. You are just ready to do it. The waiting has already been almost unbearable both physically and emotionally. What happened? How can you get labor to pick up again and really progress?
“You were so sure that it was time to get down to the business of birthing your baby”
Why did labor slow down or stop? Did you do something wrong, or were you simply wrong in thinking it was really labor?
First of all, labor is different for every birth, even for the same woman. Additionally birth can be unpredictable, so what you are feeling now doesn’t mean that you weren’t feeling what you were feeling then.
Labor stalls for a few reasons. It could be that your contractions are too weak to be effective or you may be harboring fear. Exhaustion and dehydration can play a part in stalling labor too. A more serious problem can be that the baby’s head is poorly fitting through the pelvis, in which case the following measures will be ineffective. Only time can tell if your stalled labor is truly problematic. You will need to contact your care provider for further instruction. While you wait, you can try these ideas to attempt to get labor going again with little to no risk.
Tools in Your Tool Bag
Once you realize that your labor has stalled, there are several things you can do to get things going again. First of all, think positive: you have not done anything wrong. Your body needs you to remain positive out the gate. As you stay positive, find ways to get moving.
Walking and Dancing
Walking and dancing can really help get things moving along again. Go for a walk around your house or your neighborhood. Don’t go too far in case labor picks up quickly. If you like to dance, put on your favorite jams and have fun. Feeling good and laughing are wonderful, whether you are in labor or not, so have a blast.
Kissing
Kissing is another fun way to bring on the love hormone, oxytocin. I really like this no risk intervention, because it gives you a sense of well being on top of helping labor to begin again. It’s difficult to make out with your loved on and continue being It also gives the birth partner something helpful to do that he is good at.
Nipple Stimulation
Additionally, nipple stimulation can also bring on stronger contractions. Nipple stimulation simulates the baby latching, which incidentally will cause your uterus to contract after birth too. You can do it yourself, your partner can do it for you, or you can use an electric breast pump. The colostrum you collect can be spoon fed to the baby for an extra post birth boost.
Sex with Orgasm
Another trick in the tool bag is sex. Yes, you heard me right. Having sex, particularly with orgasm produces both oxytocin which brings on contractions and prostaglandins that are hormone-like substances that help the cervix thin; these are the hormones that can and hopefully will restart your labor contractions. Semen also contains prostaglandins. So having some alone time with your partner is a very low risk, fun way to try to get things going again. It may be the last time you and your partner get to have sex before you put an “out of order” sign on your vagina for a long while, so try to forget that you are trying to restart labor and enjoy the moment.
In conclusion
These are all things you can do on your own that are low or no risk. But unlike the mother trying to start labor from the beginning, you are going to be on a time limit before your care provider may become uneasy and want to do a medical induction. Your provider may want to try breaking your bag of waters and/or start you on pitocin, a drug given intravenously that brings on very strong contractions. Though you may end up choosing these interventions, trying these ideas first can avoid such measures, give you a sense of content about your own participation in your labor and help you decide what is best for your own labor and delivery.