The prospect of giving birth is very often a source of anxiety or worry for mums-to-be, (especially the first time round), because it is such a big unknown. A huge part of this worry often revolves around contractions and the sensations of labour and birth: how will it feel?  will I cope with the pain? What if I can’t?

The thing about contractions (or surges) if that, like any other body sensations, the way they will feel to you is absolutely personal and unique to you. But while there is no knowing in advance how they will feel, there is much you can do to prepare and equip yourself with skills and tools to help you deal with them, and yoga during pregnancy has much to offer for that!

Here are my top 5 tips to prepare for and deal with contractions:

1. Use your breath

The breath is your number one tool for labour and birth, and so the number one skill you should aim to practice during pregnancy. Although you cannot control how birth will unfold, you can always control your breath. Doing so, with a focus on lengthening your exhalation if possible, will help you stay calm, focused and centred as you ride your contractions, boost oxytocin (making labour more effective and so shorter) and trigger the release of your natural pain-killers (endorphins). Breathing is also something your birth partner can practice  and help you with on the big day, making them actively involved in your baby’s birth and a true support for you.

2.     Use your voice

Like the breath, the voice is a powerful tool to let go of tension and stay calm and centred. Forget about the high-pitch screams so often pictured on TV: instead, try making low ahh, ooh and ughs sounds, or low roaring sounds, sending the sound and vibrations to the lower back. Keep your jaw soft, this will also relax your birthing muscles and let them work even better! If you feel self-conscious when practicing, go onto all fours where you will feel less exposed!

3.     Build your strength and resilience

Labour and birth is a process that requires endurance and resilience. Building up your inner (mental) and outer (physical) strength during pregnancy that you can tap into during labour and birth (and in early motherhood too) is therefore a key asset. Pregnancy yoga practices such as more challenging standing and squatting poses firing up the legs (like chair pose or goddess pose) and ‘keep ups’ are effective ways to build up stamina and mental resilience, and give you this belief that you are strong and can do challenging things.

4.     Match them with a different sensation

This is a brilliant concept that Juju Sundin explores in great detail in her book Birth Skills: take your awareness away from the sensations of the contractions by matching them with a different sensation on which to focus your mind. This works brilliantly with movement or touch: for example, circle your hips while sitting on a birthing ball or standing at the wall, and focus your mind on the shape and sensation of the movement. Or walk or stomp on the spot and focus solely on the sensation on the soles of your feet. Just don’t overdo it to avoid unnecessary effort and exhaustion.

5.     Let them go

A common misconception about labour is that it is a continuous experience without breaks. But contractions actually come and go like waves, building up, peaking then slowly fading away, with pauses in between each surge. To preserve energy and stamina, not ‘hanging on’ to your surges, letting each of them wash over you and then letting it go completely as they recede and stop, before the next one comes, is essential.
Knowing how to relax, shake off any tension and rest completely, is something my yoga during pregnancy classes focus a lot on, always following effort with rest, and practising a variety of ‘instant relaxers’, resting poses and building strong relaxation ‘body memories’.

If you would like further tips and practical exercises to help you prepare for labour and birth and increase your chances of a gentler birth, you can download my free e-guide The 5 yoga tools you need for a positive birth

Or why not join me on my next Yoga Tools for Labour & Birth online workshop, which explores the best positions and movements, breathing techniques, and relaxation tools to find optimal space in the pelvis, support effective surges and help you tune into your strength and instincts, for a calmer and more effective labour & birth. The workshop is also available as a bespoke private yoga for birth session for couples delivered in-person or online via Zoom.