Prodromal labor Doula tips

by Kelli Brus

10/03/2023

DOULA TIPS: Prodromal labor...it can be a tough way to start the birth process. These tips may help.

Prodromal labor is a long early phase of labor. Contractions can often be consistent and even quite strong, but only up to a certain point. Then they either stay the same, decrease in frequency and/or intensity, or stop completely. Sometimes this can occur in the evenings or overnight, and then contractions stop in the morning. Sometimes prodromal labor can be around the clock. Prodromal labor can happen in the days leading up to active labor and birth, or in some cases even weeks ahead of time.

Prodromal labor can be exhausting and it's also a variation of normal. Resting and staying in a good mental space are key to getting through it. Checking in on fetal positioning can also help move things along. My go to is usually the Miles Circuit. See the link in bio for more info on that!

Some people call Prodromal Labor "false labor." I prefer to think of it as a prolonged early labor. Often the contractions experienced during prodromal labor are doing some good work of ripening the cervix and helping to start to dilate as well.

Did you experience prodromal labor? What helped you through?