Staying upright and active can help you have a faster, easier birth – here’s our guide to some good positions for labour.

The traditional position for labour, lying down on your back, isn’t necessarily the best way to give birth – as most experts agree.

The most important thing during the first stage of labour is to stay as upright and mobile as possible to enable your baby’s head to descend. This puts pressure on the cervix, stimulating the release of the hormone prostaglandin, which in turn encourages contractions.

Make sure you rest when your legs get tired, though – lying on the bed on your left side is a great position for taking a breather. It’s hard with everything else going on, but try to stay calm and listen to your body.