5-1-1
When contractions are 5 minutes apart, and last 1 minute each for at least 1 hour, it’s time to think about going to the hospital.
At Catholic Health, you and your baby’s comfort and safety are our top priorities. At the outset of labor, our goal is to reduce the risk of labor complications and ensure your birth plan goes as expected.
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Water therapy, such as taking a shower or soaking in the bathtub, can greatly reduce pain and allow your muscles to relax.
Any sort of movement during early labor can be very helpful to both reduce discomfort for you and to ease the journey for your baby.
Upright positions are very beneficial as gravity helps your baby move lower and prepare for delivery. Different positions tend to help depending on your baby’s position so you should ask you OB provider and nurses.
Squatting positions can be ideal as the pelvis naturally increases in size when your knees are bent.
A birthing ball can reduce pain by providing a comfortable position while enabling free and easy movement.
When in bed for rest or after an epidural, moving side to side and placing a pillow between your knees can help keep labor moving.
When contractions are 5 minutes apart, and last 1 minute each for at least 1 hour, it’s time to think about going to the hospital.