Avoid labor induction and augmentation. If there is pressure for you to dilate more quickly, get into water or walk and arrange for privacy. Make sure you are well fed before you get to the hospital (if that’s where you plan to give birth). Try to find one where you can eat and drink during labor if you want. Finally, keep vaginal exams to a minimum. Skilled practitioners can usually closely estimate dilation by your breathing and your body language. If there is any pressure on you to have an epidural, try to resist it. (There are instances in later labor where one can help, but epidurals
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