Fasting may also make it harder for the uterus to work. Throughout pregnancy practice relaxation and visualization with exercises, tapes, massage, affirmation and touch. Avoid medical intervention whenever possible. Continuous electronic fetal monitoring may restrict your movement and artificial induction such as rupture of the membranes can usually be avoided. Ask for more time to try non-medical methods to stimulate labor if your doctor thinks labor is not progressing.
Time limits are unrealistic as every labor is different.
Unless you dilated 5-6 cm during a previous labor, consider this one your first labor. Believe in yourself, your body, and the process of birth. Say affirmations silently to yourself or write them down or tape them and play them back over and over. My cervix ix opening with each contraction. The power of birth strengthens me, my child and my partner.