If the pains you are having are real labor, walking will make the contractions come closer together and they will be stronger, but you will be able to cope with them better if you are standing or moving around.
Better contractions and less pain
When you are upright, your womb tilts forward during contractions. This means you will have better contractions and less pain. Contractions are stronger and more effective when you are upright.
Supine position lowers the blood pressure, makes more low back pain felt, causes more painful contractions with higher frequency, and delays labor progress. [9] Some studies have shown that mothers find standing position more comfortable.
Many doctors recommend that women in labor sit upright or walk to speed things along. But a randomized trial suggests the best bet may be to lie on your side.
Lying on your back is generally not advised in the first stage of labour because it can reduce blood supply to your baby. It could also lead to a longer labour.
As a result, dilation tends to occur more quickly. "Lying on your side, standing, sitting, walking, rocking—anything that keeps you active can help decrease pain and speed up labor," says Dawley. Other benefits of upright labor positions include: Reduced need for medication.
When you're in true labor, your contractions last about 30 to 70 seconds and come about 5 to 10 minutes apart. They're so strong that you can't walk or talk during them. They get stronger and closer together over time. You feel pain in your belly and lower back.
Your contractions may feel like cramps in your lower stomach and can start off feeling like period pain. You may have dull lower back pain or pain in your inner thigh that you feel down your legs. At first, your contractions will be short and around 30 minutes apart.
Spending most of your time in bed, especially lying on your back, or sitting up at a small angle, interferes with labor progress: Gravity works against you, and the baby might be more likely to settle into a posterior position. Pain might increase, especially back pain.
Transition. The final phase of the first stage of labor is the most intense. The transition typically lasts between 15-60 minutes and is characterized by intense contractions lasting 60-90 seconds. Women often experience pressure in the lower back and rectum and may feel the urge to push.
Last between 30 to 90 seconds. Do they change if you move? Walking or changing positions makes them stop. The contractions don't change or get worse when you walk or shift positions.
Taking walks during active labor (breaking for contractions) can help ease the intensity of labor and can help keep your labor progressing by moving your pelvic bones, which helps position baby appropriately for (potentially) a shorter and easier overall birth.
Early labor
You can spend this time at home or wherever you're most comfortable. During early labor: You may feel mild contractions that come every 5 to 15 minutes and last 60 to 90 seconds. You may have a bloody show.
Duration is timed from when you first feel a contraction until it is over. This time is usually measured in seconds. Frequency is timed from the start of one contraction to the start of the next. It includes the contraction as well as the rest period until the next contraction begins.
Our general rule is to sleep as long as possible if you're starting to feel contractions at night. Most of the time you can lay down and rest during early labor. If you wake up in the middle of the night and notice contractions, get up and use the bathroom, drink some water, and GO BACK TO BED.
Some women describe Braxton Hicks contractions as tightening in their belly that comes and goes. Many say they feel like mild menstrual cramps. Braxton Hicks contractions may be uncomfortable, but they don't cause labor or open your cervix.
Giving birth on your side can be a great way to get some rest from pushing between contractions. While lying on your side, open your top leg up and hold it behind the knee, or ask your support person to help hold it in order to keep your pelvis open.
Walking and exercise often make it to the top of the list of things to try. While there's no research that says it will induce labor, 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least five times a week can be helpful in any stage of pregnancy.
Side-lying release
Not only can this position be used to help engage the baby into the pelvis and to encourage cervical dilation, but it can also be used during labor to help ease discomfort.