Hello! In today's video I'm going to be teaching you some more top tips about what you need to
avoid in labour if you want to dilate faster. I created another video about this topic a
little while ago and the link to that video is going to pop up on the screen right now
but I'll also link it in the video description below so please check it out :) If you're new here
"welcome to my channel" and if you've already watched some of my videos "welcome back!"
My name is Anja and I'm a hypnobirthing practitioner. My YouTube channel is here
to support you through pregnancy, birth and motherhood so please consider subscribing
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My first tip to dilate faster is to avoid labouring in a brightly lit room. During labour
you need to be in a dark room because that encourages you to release more of
the hormone oxytocin which is needed for your labour to progress. When you release
oxytocin it helps you to feel more relaxed and secure so that you can dilate faster
so make sure that you turn down or turn off the ceiling lights in your birth room
and create an atmosphere of mood lighting by using lamps or battery operated tea lights.
My second tip is to avoid being in a noisy environment. During labour noise can be very
disruptive, distracting and it can slow down your labour progress. That's why it's so important for
your birth partner and the rest of your maternity care team to keep their voices down in your birth
room and to only talk when it's necessary. Noise can be very stressful for a labouring
woman and stress causes the body to release adrenaline which can slow down cervical dilation.
So it's so important that your birth room is as quiet as possible and mobile phones should be put
on silent so that they're not beeping and going off which can interfere with your labour progress.
My third tip is to avoid eating sugary snacks during labour. Whilst sugar can give your body a
quick energy buzz it also causes your blood sugar levels to crash and that can lead to you feeling
more tired. Tiredness can prevent you from dilating faster and more easily so it's really important
that you're eating the right foods in labour. Please check out my video about best labour snacks,
the link is popping up on the screen right now but I'll also link it in the video description below :)
My next tip is to avoid speaking too much during labour.
In the earlier stages of labour when your contractions aren't really that bothersome
it's going to be okay to talk during and in-between your contractions
but as your contractions get stronger, longer and closer together you don't really want to
be engaging in any conversations- at least not for very long anyway. You're going to need to focus on
your breathing to stay calm and relaxed to ensure that you're releasing plenty of oxytocin to help
the cervical dilation process to go smoothly and comfortably for you. If you start engaging in a big
conversation about something that's actually going to distract you and slow down cervical dilation.
My fifth tip is to avoid being around too many people or too many unfamiliar faces during labour.
Receiving continuous support from one, two maybe three people that you know really well and trust
can help you to dilate faster and ensure that you feel really safe and protected.
If your birth room feels really busy and overcrowded that can actually be really
distracting to you because you're going to feel like loads of people are watching you all the time
and that can slow down your labor progress. So it's really the role of your birth partner to tell any
unnecessary people to exit your birth room unless they're there to provide you with any assistance.
My next tip is to avoid staying still. Movement during labour is so important
because it helps your baby to constantly rotate into an optimal position it also helps your baby
to descend further down into your pelvis. Changing positions in labour every 30 minutes or so
can help you to dilate faster. For more information about the best labour and
birth positions to adopt, please check out the video that's popped up on the screen right now
but it is also going to be linked in the video description below.
My seventh tip is to avoid looking at the clock. Whilst it's important for you and
your birth partner to be monitoring and timing your contractions so you know when to go to the
hospital (or when to call the midwives to come back to your house if you're having a home birth)
you don't want to be constantly looking at the clock to figure out how long you've been in
labour for because that can lead to you feeling stressed, anxious or more tired. During labour
time becomes distorted for you for a reason - to help you to focus and not become fixated
on how long things are taking. So try to focus on being in the moment.
The hormones oxytocin and endorphins help with this as they can alter your perception
of time but you must relax and cover any visible clocks to benefit from this.
And my final tip is to avoid going to the hospital too soon. If you travel to hospital too early on in
labour it can slow down cervical dilation you also might be sent home and told to come back later.
Making two trips to the hospital in labour can be really stressful and really slow down your labour
progress so to ensure that you go to the hospital at the right time, if you're a first time mum,
you should wait until you're following the 4-1-1 contractions pattern. For more
information about that please click the video on the screen right now but again
I'll link it in the video description below so you can watch it afterwards ;)
If you've got any questions about how to dilate faster in labour pop me a message in the comments
section beneath this video and I'll reply as soon as I can and whilst you're here, why not
register for my next free hypnobirthing taster session on zoom! To book onto it,
simply click the link to my website below. Thanks for watching today and see you in my next video :)