Your first labour does not have to be long and hard.

Women need to find their own way of coping in labour. For some it will be to use relaxation techniques like hypnobirting, bake a batch of cup cakes, or for one lovely young lady I know it was walking round and round in a circle! 12 February 20:00 "Hi Ann! Thank you very much! I can't believe how quick it all was! I woke up at 1.45 in the morn Srom'd (her waters went)  started getting tightenings at 2. They were every 2 mins from the word go so I went downstairs and thought I'll start timing them. I was just walking around in a circle focusing on going round and round! By 3 I thought these are pretty strong now, woke hubby up. Needed to wash my hair thought I cant go into hospital without doing that so managed to have a shower between the contractions! By half 3 I rang MAU (Midwifery Assessment Unit) and said I think I'm going to have to come in. Got into hospital for just after 4 (put the hypnobirthing music on in the car on the way!) Was examined and said I was fully dilated! I said are you sure can u recheck?! I was shocked despite the pressure I had with every contraction i still thought no way could I come in fully dilated with my first baby! Went to the birth centre got in the pool had some gas & air just to use as the contraction built up before I pushed then had him at 5.56 in the pool! It was amazing my perfect labour I couldn't have asked for anything more!" Your first labour does not have to be long and hard. Distraction techniques like walking have been used for centuries to take women's minds off their labour. When women center totally on their contractions they start to panic and then adrenalin, released due to any kind of anxiety,  'sticks' to the cervix and makes it harder to open. Whatever coping technique you choose be confident in your ability to birth your baby, we are women, we are built to give birth and when we take charge during our labours we can have the birth of our dreams.