Three Surprising Tips for an Easier Labor

Preparing for childbirth doesn’t just mean hiring a doula and
packing your hospital bag; it also means getting ready for what
might be the most challenging physical task you’ve ever faced.
Improve your odds of having an easier, shorter labor by
incorporating these healthy habits during your third trimester:
Eat Dates
Women who ate dates daily during their ninth months were less
likely than non-date eaters to need medication to start labor or to
help it keep progressing, a new study published in the Journal
of Obstetrics and Gynaecology found. They were also
more dilated upon arrival at the hospital and labored seven hours
less. “Dates seem to have a compound that mimics the hormone
oxytocin [which causes contractions],” says Academy of Nutrition
and Dietetics spokeswoman Melinda Johnson, M.s., R.d. Enjoy six
dates daily for best results. Recipe idea: Mango-Date Muesli with
Almonds.
Sleep More
Women who slept fewer than six hours during the last month of
pregnancy labored for 11 hours longer and had Cesarean sections
four times more frequently than women who slept seven hours or
more, according to a study published in the American
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. To get
comfortable, use body pillows, sleep in a recliner or kick your
partner out of bed, suggests Jodi Mindell, Ph.D., author of Sleep
Deprived No More: From Pregnancy to Early
Motherhood (Da Capo Press). For more tips on helping you
get the sleep you need in your third trimester go to
fitpregnancy.com/sleepguide .
Strengthen Your Legs
Upright positions allow gravity to help move the baby along, which
may shorten labor by an hour, an Australian study found. To stay
vertical, you’ll need strong legs. “The most important exercise for
childbirth is squatting,” says prenatal-exercise specialist Erin
O’Brien, creator of The Complete Pregnancy Fitness
DVD (acacia). Practice your squat by placing an exercise ball
between your lower back and a wall. Walk your feet out as far as
you can, rotate your toes and hips outward, then do three sets of 15
squats. For a detail photo explaining squatting go to
fitpregnancy.com/laborpositions .