7 things that could slow contractions down during labour

And ways to get labour started again if it stalls.

Ever heard of the phrase ‘failure to progress’ when it comes to giving birth?

This refers to when a women’s body during labor is not progressing past a certain point, for instance they may have been ‘stuck’ at 4cm dilated for a period of time.

Now, I personally hate this terminology but it is used within the maternity system. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why someone may not progress past a certain point in labour and it’s not because ‘your body just doesn’t know how to dilate.’

How long does labour last?

Before we get into the details, let’s just address the fact that there really is no set time for how long a labour should last, everyone is completely different.

The majority of people, around 98% will have a labour that lasts longer than 4 hours, just 2% of people will have what’s called predicate labour and that means having a labour that is quicker than 4 hours.

It’s good to be aware of the things that could slow your birth down before you go into labour.

When I am talking about a labour that has stalled, I am referring to a labour where contractions were pretty consistent and coming regular but then suddenly they start to space out again and slow right down. It’s good to know that this can be normal, labour is not always linear but if contractions have really stalled then you might want to consider these next few points.

Reasons why contractions could have slowed down during labour and how to get them going again…

1/ A full bladder can ‘get in the way’ of baby coming out, but…

What you might not realise is that during the height of labour, you may not feel the sensation of needing a wee.

I know that sounds strange but your attention may be focused on contractions and you almost forget that you need to wee.

It’s really important for your birth partner to remind you in-between contractions to go to the toilet if you havnt’t been for a while.

The bladder sits inside the pelvis, if it’s full it can be an obstacle for the baby and it can slow labour down. Make sure to go for a wee during labour.

2/ You are dehydrated, this can slow labour right down

One of the biggest signs of stalled labour is dehydration, the uterus needs 4 things to function during labour (find out what they are here).

One of them is hydration which comes from drinking. Ideally you will be taking sips of water throughout labour, grab one of the drinks bottles that has a built in straw to make it easier for you.

Top tip to stay hydrated during labour - Make sure your birth parter encourages you to drink some water in between contractions.

3/ A lack of energy, tiredness and hunger can impact how the uterus works

All of the above can really impact labour, if you are exhausted then the muscles of the uterus will be exhausted too and this can really slow labour down.

You can try and eat small snacks during labour to keep your energy levels up if you are able to, click the image below to find out other ways to conserve energy during labour too.

It’s also worth noting that during the early stages of labour, conserving energy is really crucial, all of your hypnobirthing skills and knowledge will allow you to do this when labour starts.

4/ There are too many people in the room

This one sounds strange doesn’t it, why would too many people in a room cause labour to stall? It’s all to do with the birthing hormones.

There are 3 hormones in particular that I would urge you to understand before you give birth.

One of them is adrenaline, this hormone is super powerful and if there’s too much adrenaline in the system (caused by external factors such as beeping of machines, lots of people, hearing other women screaming etc) then this will slow labour down. Ideally, the less amount of strangers around during labour, the better.

5/ A change of environment can stall labour (even the car journey to hospital can slow labour down)

It’s pretty normal for this to happen, women often have really strong contractions at home that last a good amount of time and very consistent. Then, they make their way to hospital, only to get there and everything has stopped.

This goes back to that hormone adrenaline (mentioned in point 4.) Adrenaline probably won’t have been in your system whilst you were in your nice, cosy home but as you step outside and hear cars beeping, see traffic jams and red lights, adrenaline can slowly creep in. This hormone signals to the brain that you’re not quite safe and contractions will slow down.

Top tip for the journey to hospital during labour - Close your eyes and wear some headphones whilst listening to your hypnobirthing tracks.

6/ Lack of movement. Staying active during labour can help baby to move down the birth canal.

Laying down on a bed or staying in the same position for a long time can stall labour. Baby often thrives from you moving your body during labour, swaying, pacing and changing position, this helps to create more space in the pelvis so that they can make their way out.

Top tip for an active birth - Watch some positive birth videos where movement and upright positions are used so that these positions before familiar to you.

7/ Too much tension in the uterus muscles

Hello hypnobirthing!! Everything that you learn on a hypnobirthing course with me will help you to really relax your body, including the muscles of the uterus.

The more relaxed the uterus muscles are, the better for you and your baby.

If there is resistance during contractions and fighting against them, this can slow labour right down.

Working with the body and allowing the contractions to do what they need to do can help labour become more efficient and effective.

Hypnobirthing is your best friend during labour.

It’s not the end of the world if labour does stall….

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You can use the time in between contractions wisely (read the blog here for tips) and if you have done a hypnobirthing course then you can use all of the techniques that you learnt to bring those contractions back if they do slow down and stall.

To continue reading my tips for labour, head to the Bump, Birth and Baby blog below: