Introduction
Labour is a beautiful and powerful process, and contractions play an essential role in guiding you through it. However, the length and intensity of contractions aren’t always indicators of positive progress. In fact, prolonged contractions can sometimes signal the need to shift gears and explore ways to support the natural rhythm of your body.
In this post, we’ll explore how you can identify when contractions are becoming too long and what you can do to ensure that labour remains productive, efficient, and comfortable. I will also recommend some helpful techniques to support the process, including the use of positions that support biomechanics for birth.
What Are Labour Contractions Meant to Do?
Contractions serve a key role in preparing your body for birth by working to:
- Dilate the Cervix: Opening up the cervix to make room for your baby.
- Efface the Cervix: Thinning out the cervix in preparation for birth.
- Encourage Descent: Helping the baby move through the birth canal toward the outside world.
In an ideal world, contractions should come at regular intervals, increasing in intensity as the cervix dilates and the baby descends. However, when contractions last too long or become too intense without obvious progress, it might be time to try something different. This doesn’t mean things are going wrong – just that your body needs some support to stay in its natural flow.
The Average Length of Contractions in Established Labour
In established labour, contractions typically last around 60 seconds. These contractions are usually strong and effective, working with your body to help dilate the cervix and bring the baby into alignment.
However, when contractions last 2 minutes or longer, it can be a sign that the baby isn’t in a position that the uterus deems optimal. As a result, the uterus works even harder to try to rotate the baby into a more suitably aligned position. I like to refer to these as ‘turning contractions‘. While this type of contraction can be incredibly intense, it’s not typical of what you should be experiencing, and can often lead you to believing you are further along in labour than you actually are.
If you’re experiencing prolonged contractions, don’t panic. There are steps you can take to encourage the baby to reposition, enabling the contractions to become shorter, more effective and comfortable.
Why Long Contractions Aren’t Always Helpful
Although it’s common to hear that longer, stronger contractions are a sign of progress, this isn’t always the case.
In addition to the baby needing to change position in the uterus, here are few other reasons why:
- Exhaustion: Long contractions with minimal breaks can tire you out, leaving you with little energy for pushing and potentially slowing the process.
- Stress on the Baby: Prolonged contractions may limit the oxygen supply to your baby, which could cause fetal distress.
- Discomfort Without Progress: Long, intense contractions that don’t lead to noticeable cervical changes or descent of the baby can feel overwhelming without the payoff of progress.
The key here is that labour should be productive, not prolonged for the sake of intensity. Efficient, regular contractions that allow your body to rest in between are far more helpful than contractions that go on without progress.
- Efficiency Matters: Short, effective contractions (around 60 seconds) that allow your cervix to dilate and the baby to move are far more important than long, exhausting contractions.
- Every Labour Is Unique: What works for one person may not apply to another. It’s all about understanding your body’s rhythms and responding to its needs.
Remember: You’re not in competition with anyone else’s labour experience. Your journey is yours alone, and your focus should be on healthy, efficient progress – no matter how long or short your labour is!
What Does Productive Labour Look Like?
Rather than focusing solely on the length or intensity of your contractions, there are other signs you can use to assess whether your labour is progressing effectively.
Here are some key signs of a productive labour:
- Consistency: A steady increase in frequency, intensity, and duration of your contractions are a great sign that your body is working efficiently. Whilst I don’t advocate timing or analysing your contractions, a sign of progress would be to look for a pattern that you could set your watch by, enabling you to virtually predict when each contraction will begin and end. This means that the contractions will be a similar distance apart, and last about the same length. If you do discover your contractions are forming a pattern like this, then STOP timing them and let your oxytocin flow.
- Baby’s Descent: As labour progresses, your baby will move lower into your pelvis. If you feel increasing pelvic pressure or notice changes in how your bump sits, it may be a sign that things are moving in the right direction.
- Other Physical Signs: Some women experience emotional shifts (like feeling teary or withdrawn), or instinctively change their movement and positions to cope with the intensity. Your feet, ankles and lower legs can become cold as the body prioritises sending blood to the uterus. You should also expect to have to fully recover from each contraction and notice yourself go inwards. These signs can all indicate that your body is making progress.
How to Encourage Efficient Contractions
If you feel instinctively that contractions are lasting too long or becoming ineffective, there are plenty of things you can do to support your body and encourage efficiency:
- Movement: Changing positions or moving your hips can help realign your baby and encourage more effective contractions. Techniques from Spinning Babies, like the ‘Forward-leaning Inversion’ and ‘Side Lying Release’, can help relieve pressure and open the pelvis, which may shorten or ease contractions.
- Hydration & Nutrition: Staying well hydrated and nourished will support your body’s ability to function well and progress in labour. Drink and consume plenty of water, healthy electrolyte drinks and light snacks to keep your energy levels up.
- Breathing & Relaxation: Calm your mind and body with deep breathing, relaxation techniques, or a warm bath. Reducing stress can help ease the intensity of contractions and make them more productive.
Never Chase Your Labour
Relax and soften between sensations and try not to perform actions or tasks that aim to speed labour up when you are having prolonged contractions. This includes bouncing on a ball and walking around to maintain a contraction because it is not there when you lie down. If you cannot produce a contraction in all positions, then you are in the early stages of labour and should ensure you rest in between – especially if the contractions are long and painful. Always plan for the long haul and conserve your energy, in case it takes a while for the baby to rotate. Remember to STOP and FLOP (read my blog post here about how to get the best out of labour and oxytocin production). Trust that your body knows what to do. By giving it the right support, you are guiding it to success.
Conclusion
Long contractions aren’t always a sign of progress. In fact, labour that is productive and efficient is far more beneficial for both you and your baby than labour that is prolonged without change. By listening to your body, utilising helpful techniques, and trusting the natural rhythm of labour, you can support a smooth, safe birth process.
Remember: you are not alone on this journey – your body, your baby, and your birth team are all supporting you to help bring your baby into the world. By letting go of unnecessary fears and trusting the process, you can embrace the power of labour and focus on the incredible work your body is doing.
BIRTH POSITION IDEAS – FREE RESOURCE
If you want to feel more in control and work with your body during labour, my Free Birth Positions Guide is the perfect resource for you! It’s packed with visuals to help you find the best positions for every stage of labour. Download it now and feel confident in your ability to move through birth with ease!