One-to-one labor support

Having someone at your side who's committed to giving you emotional reassurance and helping you be as comfortable as possible can dramatically reduce your anxiety and stress level. This can help you feel more in control and help you get through the rigors of labor without drugs.

Research shows that women who have continuous professional support are less likely to need systemic pain medication or an epidural during labor, tend to have slightly shorter labors, and are less likely to have a forceps or vacuum-assisted delivery or a c-section than those who don't have such support. This may be especially true when one of the people attending you is a specialist like a doula, who has no other responsibilities but to offer support in labor and minister to your comfort.

Breathing exercises and visualization

Most childbirth classes cover focused breathing and visualization techniques. You and your partner may be given specific breathing patterns to practice, and your instructor may coach you on using visualization (imagining a place that soothes you, for example, or the safe, easy birth of your baby) to help you work through the pain.

You might also learn techniques like progressive or controlled relaxation, in which you release tension by zeroing in on a particular muscle, tightening it up, and then letting it go until it's as loose as possible.

If you've ever studied yoga, a martial art, or meditation, you might already have the practice you need to breathe through your birth. You might find, too, that bringing something special to look at (a favorite photograph, for instance) and having soothing music helps you relax.

These techniques draw on relaxation and partnership as a way to manage your contractions. And there's some research suggesting that relaxation techniques and yoga are associated with decreased pain, fewer forceps or vacuum-assisted deliveries, and increased satisfaction with the experience of childbirth.

Positioning and movement

When you're not medicated, you can try a variety of positions during labor, including standing or leaning on your partner, sitting, and kneeling – either upright or on all fours.

You may find movement comforting, too. Try walking around or rocking in a chair or on a birthing ball. Moving around can make you feel more in control, which may ease your anxiety and pain. And a meta-analysis of studies looking at positioning and movement during the first stage of labor suggests that being upright or walking around may shorten it by about an hour.

Even if you have complications that require continuous monitoring, you can still try a variety of positions in bed. You may also be able to stand, sit, or pace at your bedside.

Some hospitals have wireless monitoring systems (known as telemetry) that enable you to move about freely. If a waterproof unit is available, you'll even be able to take a shower.

During the pushing stage, an upright position may help your baby descend, and squatting or kneeling may help open your pelvic outlet. That said, the best positions are the ones that work for you. So feel free to try a variety of positions and settle on the ones that make you most comfortable.