The Early Labour Dance
Labour isn’t linear, despite what may be expected of women and birth. As private midwives we trust the process of labour and birth. We know early labour doesn’t look the same for everyone. For some women it can go on for days. For others it stops and starts. It’s rarely straightforward or linear, even though hospital guidelines often suggest there’s one narrow timeline for how labour “should” unfold.
There’s no good evidence that being in labour for a long time is unsafe for your baby, despite what you may hear.
Pauses With Purpose
Research shows that physiological pauses in labour are real. They often have a reason. For example, if a baby is premature or small, strong regular contractions could be too much to cope with. In these cases, labour may naturally slow down to protect both mother and baby.
These pauses are not dangerous if you and your baby are well. They’re the body’s way of finding balance, creating space, and resting before labour moves forward again.
Where the Timelines Come From
When I worked in hospital, I often saw women’s labours disrupted because they were told it wasn’t safe to be in labour “too long.” Many were exhausted, admitted in early labour, and encouraged into interventions to speed things up.
This mindset comes from the Friedman curve, created in the 1950s. Dr Emanuel Friedman charted how quickly women dilated in highly medicalised settings and concluded that dilation should progress at about 1 cm per hour in active labour.
That “rule” was never meant to dictate every birth, yet it still drives hospital policies today. Modern research shows that dilation is often slower, especially in early labour, but practice hasn’t caught up.
Babies Know Best
If your labour feels long or stop–start, it’s usually a normal variation. Babies are clever. Sometimes they need extra time to rotate or find a better position. Sometimes they slow things down to conserve energy and keep blood flow steady.
Midwives around the world, like Ibu Robin Lim in Bali and Ina May Gaskin in the US, have documented these long labours for decades. They’ve shown us that what women really need in these moments is rest, reassurance, and support. Too often what they get instead is intervention, which can leave lasting trauma and health consequences.
Supporting the Process
There are many simple ways to support labour naturally:
Positioning and movement (Spinning Babies® techniques, upright postures, walking, swaying)
Acupuncture or chiropractic care to create balance and encourage progress
Food, fluids, and rest to keep your body nourished
Hands-on support from a doula or midwife who can reassure and advocate for you
If you’re birthing in hospital and your labour doesn’t look like the textbook:
Don’t go in alone. Bring a support team who understands normal variations.
Have someone ready to advocate for you so you don’t feel pressured into decisions when you’re tired or vulnerable.
Use outside support if you need to — an acupuncturist, chiropractor, or trusted care provider who can help your body and baby navigate this stage.
When Intervention Is Helpful
Most women don’t need intervention for long labours. But sometimes it is appropriate. If your labour has gone on for days without progress, or if your baby is showing signs of distress, extra help may be needed.
If this happens, take time to discuss your options. Lean on your support team. Ask for a second opinion from someone who respects physiological birth.
Midwife-Led Environments
In midwife-led spaces we don’t treat labour as a race. If both mother and baby are well, there’s no need for strict timelines. Midwives across the world have shown that when women are given time, space, and trust, labour unfolds safely in its own rhythm.
Final Thoughts
That’s early labour. It’s not linear, it’s not a textbook, and it doesn’t need to be rushed.
Trust your body. Trust your baby. Trust the pauses.
You’ve got this.
Hannah x
