How to Cope with Labour Contractions | Tips for Parents in West Lothian

Pacing Yourself: The Art of Coping with Contractions

This Easter weekend in West Lothian, the sun finally made an appearance. Like half the street, I was out in the garden, tackling a spring clean-up. Weeding, mowing, scrubbing the patio and eventually, painting the raised beds we built a few years ago.

After a couple of hours of painting, stretching, swapping hands, and shifting my weight to ease my aching joints, it struck me: this is just like labour.

Labour and the Garden Analogy

When you look at the whole task - be it a big DIY job or the thought of “how long will this labour last?” - it feels overwhelming. You can easily get lost in “how much is left?” and that’s when doubt and adrenaline creep in.

In labour, adrenaline is not your friend.

• Anxiety → adrenaline.

• Adrenaline → slows or stalls labour.

Just like in my garden, the trick is to focus on the present moment: one piece of wood at a time, one contraction at a time.

Coping with Contractions: One at a Time

Every contraction is temporary. When it comes, you find a rhythm, use your tools, and ride it through. When it’s gone, you rest and reset.

Techniques that help:

• Breathing: Long, slow breaths to calm the nervous system.

• Movement: Rocking, swaying hips, leaning forward — gravity is your friend.

• Positions: Change often — sit, kneel, stand, squat, whatever feels right.

• Sound: Moaning, humming, singing — releasing your jaw helps release your pelvis.

• Gas & air: Many find it takes the edge off while keeping them in control.

• Hypnobirthing: Guided tracks and scripts to quieten the mind.

• Aromatherapy: Scents like lavender or clary sage can promote relaxation.

Between contractions:

• Have a sip of water.

• Rest your head.

• Hold your partner’s hand.

• Or even laugh.

Each pause is your chance to recharge before the next wave.

Evidence on Coping in Labour

• NICE guidance (2014, updated 2023) highlights that upright positions, mobility, and relaxation techniques are safe and effective in labour, often reducing the need for pharmacological pain relief.

• Cochrane reviews show that continuous support from a birth partner or doula significantly increases satisfaction and reduces the likelihood of interventions.

These aren’t just “nice extras” - they’re proven strategies.

The Payoff

By the end of the weekend, my garden beds had two fresh coats of paint. It took longer than I’d hoped, and I was sore, but the result was worth it.

Labour is similar. Step by step, contraction by contraction, you’ll get there. It might feel never-ending in the moment, but every contraction brings you closer to holding your baby in your arms.

And in true Scottish style? Just as I admired the garden, the rain came on. A reminder that, just like birth, there are parts of the journey we can’t control but we can control how we meet each moment.

Final Thoughts

Labour isn’t about gritting your teeth and enduring it all at once. It’s about pacing yourself, using your tools, and focusing on one contraction at a time.

In my antenatal classes in Linlithgow, I help parents across West Lothian, Falkirk and Central Scotland learn practical, evidence-based coping strategies for labour - from breathing to birth partner support - so you feel calm and capable on the big day.

👉 Want to feel more confident about labour? Join my antenatal course and build your toolkit for coping with contractions.

I’m Joy Cassidy, an antenatal teacher and perinatal therapist based in Linlithgow. I support families across West Lothian and beyond with practical, evidence-based tools to cope with contractions and feel confident in labour.

References

• NICE. (2023). Intrapartum care for healthy women and babies. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Link

• Hodnett, E.D. et al. (2013). Continuous support for women during childbirth. Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group.

• AIMS. (2023). Coping with labour: information for parents.