10 Secrets to an Easier Labor

Several hours into labor with my third child, I wanted relief. My doctors, saying it was too early for an epidural, suggested that I soak in the hospital room's whirlpool. It worked wonders: I was able to change positions easily by sliding around in the warm water, and aiming the tub's Jacuzzi jets at my lower back eased my intense contractions. When I got out, figuring it was time for the epidural, I was already fully dilated. Ten minutes later, our daughter was born.

Not every birth proceeds so quickly, of course. (Veterans like me often get a break on their length of labor.) But every mother-to-be can take advantage of some simple techniques that can make childbirth more manageable, less painful, and perhaps even a little speedier. Here are ten tried-and-true strategies.

1. "Pregnant women who stay in shape tend to have shorter labors," says Tekoa King, a certified nurse-midwife and an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California at San Francisco. "Fitness improves endurance, and if you're better able to tolerate labor, you're less likely to end up needing medical intervention." Walk, swim, or take a prenatal-exercise class during pregnancy (after getting an okay from your doctor or midwife).