How do I confidently go about the first stage of labour?

Keep in mind that the longer the latent, the shorter the active. So, you will prefer several nights of latent labor. Best thing to do is to preserve and reserve your energy until you feel you need to mobilise but avid lying backwards position which isn’t advantageous to fetal positioning. As your contractions gradually increase in intensity, your abdomen will feel like it is being squeezed by a thick band, like bad period cramps. Some great positions at this stage are rocking, doing belly-dancer circles with your hips, leaning forward while sitting backwards on a chair, and standing while leaning forward onto a wall. During more intense contracting, breathe through the contractions, don’t fight them. Take quick deep breaths during the contraction peak; and make a big, smiling, sighing breath out at the end of each contraction. Breathing well is important to help you stay centred. It is also extremely important to try hard to stay mentally relaxed, chatty and unstressed — basically in good mental spirits. Great techniques and tips are in page 118-119 of the book. With latent labours, it can generally be fine to contact your midwife mid-morning to give an update on what the contractions had been overnight, and now are (because they commonly reduce during daylight hours). Oftentimes when the sun comes up, the contractions slow down.