Staying upright and moving, getting continuous support, and keeping your energy up are among the most effective ways to help labor progress. A large review of 25 studies found that women who walked or stayed in upright positions during early labor shortened the first stage by about one hour and 22 minutes compared to those who stayed in bed. Beyond that single change, several other strategies, both natural and medical, can keep contractions productive and dilation moving forward.
Walking and Upright Positions
Gravity is one of your strongest allies during labor. When you stand, walk, sway, or sit on a birth ball, the baby’s head presses more directly on the cervix, which helps it dilate. The Cochrane review that analyzed data from over 5,000 women found that upright positions during the first stage of labor cut its duration by roughly 80 minutes on average. Those same women were 29% less likely to need a cesarean delivery and 19% less likely to request an epidural.
Positions worth trying include slow walking in the hallway, leaning forward over a counter or bed, lunging with one foot on a chair, sitting on a birth ball and rocking your hips in circles, and getting on hands and knees. You don’t need to stay in one position. Switching every 20 to 30 minutes gives different pelvic angles a chance to help the baby rotate and descend.
Using a Peanut Ball With an Epidural
If you have an epidural and can’t easily stand or walk, a peanut-shaped exercise ball placed between your legs while you lie on your side can partially replicate the benefits of being upright. A 2025 meta-analysis found that women with epidurals who used a peanut ball shortened the first stage of labor by about 53 minutes compared to those who didn’t. The ball keeps the pelvis open and encourages the baby to move downward even while you’re in bed. Alternating sides every 30 minutes helps maximize the effect.
Continuous Labor Support
Having someone dedicated to supporting you throughout labor, whether a doula, a partner, or a trained nurse, makes a measurable difference. Research consistently shows that continuous one-on-one support reduces labor duration, lowers cesarean rates, and decreases the need for pain medication. A doula can coach you through breathing, suggest position changes, apply counter-pressure to your back, and help you stay calm. That last part matters more than it sounds: stress hormones like adrenaline can slow contractions, while feeling safe and supported helps your body release oxytocin, the hormone that drives labor forward.
Nipple Stimulation
Nipple stimulation triggers your body to release its own oxytocin, the same hormone hospitals give through an IV to strengthen contractions. In a randomized trial, women used a breast pump or hand stimulation for sessions of at least 30 minutes at a time. The median time to reach a strong, regular contraction pattern was about 69 minutes of stimulation. Most women stimulated for a total of roughly three hours over the course of labor. This technique works best when contractions have already started but have stalled or spaced out. It’s typically done under guidance from a midwife or doctor, since overstimulating the uterus is a possibility.
Eating and Drinking During Labor
Labor is physically demanding, and your uterus is a muscle that needs fuel. Energy requirements peak during the second stage, when you’re actively pushing. A randomized trial comparing women who consumed light carbohydrates (dates and orange juice providing about 44 calories per hour) to women restricted to water alone found that the carbohydrate group had a significantly shorter second stage of labor. The American College of Nurse-Midwives recommends allowing women to eat and drink during labor, noting that restricting food adds unnecessary stress without a meaningful safety benefit for most women.
Light, easy-to-digest options work best: broth, toast, fruit, juice, honey sticks, or energy chews. Staying well hydrated is equally important, since dehydration can weaken contractions and increase fatigue.
Membrane Sweeping Before Labor Stalls
If you’re near your due date and your provider offers a membrane sweep (also called stripping the membranes), it can help get things started. During a vaginal exam, the provider separates the amniotic sac from the lower part of the uterus with a finger. This releases prostaglandins, hormones that soften the cervix and can trigger contractions. A Cochrane review of 40 studies found that sweeping increased spontaneous labor within 48 hours, with about 1 in 8 women going into labor who otherwise would not have. It’s uncomfortable but quick, and it’s typically done in the office a week or so before a planned induction to improve the chances of labor starting on its own.
Medical Options When Labor Stalls
Sometimes labor slows despite your best efforts, and medical intervention becomes the most effective path forward. Providers evaluate progress based on how much the cervix has dilated, how thin it’s become (effacement), and where the baby’s head sits in the pelvis. These five factors make up the Bishop Score, and a score above 8 generally signals that the cervix is ready to respond well to intervention.
Active labor is now defined as starting at 6 centimeters of dilation. Before that point, slower progress is considered normal, and providers are encouraged to be patient. A true stall in active labor means no cervical change for at least four hours with strong contractions, or six hours with weaker ones.
Artificial Rupture of Membranes
If your water hasn’t broken on its own, your provider may suggest breaking it manually. This procedure, called amniotomy, typically shortens labor by one to two hours. Once the fluid is gone, the baby’s head presses more firmly on the cervix, intensifying contractions. One consideration: a Cochrane review found a slight trend toward higher cesarean rates with routine early amniotomy, so it’s generally used when labor has slowed rather than as a default measure at admission.
Oxytocin Through an IV
When contractions aren’t strong or frequent enough to change the cervix, synthetic oxytocin delivered through an IV is the standard intervention. The dose starts low and increases gradually every 15 to 40 minutes until contractions reach a productive pattern, usually three to five in a ten-minute window. Your baby’s heart rate is monitored continuously during this process. For many women, oxytocin augmentation is the bridge between a stalled labor and a vaginal delivery.
What Helps Most at Each Stage
- Early labor (0 to 6 cm): Walk, change positions frequently, eat light snacks, stay hydrated, rest when you can. This phase can last many hours, and patience is one of the most important tools.
- Active labor (6 to 10 cm): Stay upright or use a peanut ball if you have an epidural, lean on your support person, try nipple stimulation if contractions slow, and accept medical augmentation if progress truly stalls.
- Pushing (second stage): Carbohydrate intake earlier in labor pays off here. Upright or side-lying pushing positions can help the baby descend, and directed pushing with contractions is more effective than continuous bearing down.
Labor progression depends on the interplay between your contractions, your cervix, and your baby’s position. No single technique guarantees faster progress, but combining movement, support, nutrition, and well-timed medical options gives your body the best conditions to do what it’s designed to do.