Like running a marathon or climbing Mt. Everest, giving birth is an intense period of physical activity that should be planned for accordingly. Pushing, the second stage of labor, is the birthing equivalent of reaching the summit or crossing the finish line.

In order to be in top form for pushing that baby out of your body you need to practice and master 3 vitally important concepts:

1. Learn targeted relaxation techniques.
2. Train for the event.
3. Trust yourself.

No, this doesn't mean kick back with a box of chocolates and a good movie. Childbirth experts Marjie Hathaway, one of the founders of the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth (also known as The Bradley Method), and Hope Gillerman, a New York-based certified Alexander Technique Teacher, agree that learning targeted relaxation is crucial to managing labor successfully, particularly the pushing phase.

"Relaxation is the most important tool for a successful labor," says Hathaway, who has six children of her own. "The National Institutes of Health (NIH) calls it one the most powerful pain management tools we have."

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.