Take a bath or shower

If the pain gets too intense during the contractions, you can take a shower or bath to relax. If you don’t have any contractions yet, but your water has broken, you are advised to not take a bath because of a possible risk of infection. If you do have contractions and your water has broken, you can take a bath.

Don’t take a bath or shower too early, as this can result in the labor discontinuing or weakening. This of course depends on the severity of the contractions, but letting your body get used to the warm water too soon will remove the effect at a later moment.

Breathing and relaxation exercises

Breathing is very important when in labor. Relaxation exercises combined with proper breathing can help you cope with the pain of contractions. During your pregnancy you can take various courses to learn these techniques. Choose a course you feel good about and which gives you confidence.

By concentrating on puffing away the contractions you can get into a rhythm, which will cause your body to produce endorphins. Endorphins have a pain-relieving effect. By focusing on breathing and relaxation exercises, you focus less on the contractions, so you experience them as less painful.

Your prepared partner can assist you and help you through the breathing and relaxation exercises. Apart from a hand you can squeeze, your partner can then also coach you during the breathing and relaxation exercises. A back and lower leg massage can help you relax. It is often nice for the partner to be able to support you.