The best advice I can give for a nice,relaxed labor is WALKING. During my pregnancy I would always walk around my neighborhood and during my last mouth I walked up and down stairs. Baby's due date was 1.6.17 but was born 1.2.17. Starting my every week appointment check ups I was dilated 2 and ever week was 1cm more. On the 2nd of Jan I started contracting at 5am went in and was 5cm dilated (stayed at hospital was not allowed back home). Mind you that I was hardly feeling any pain! about 15 mins of waking around hallways I opened to 6cm. After got the epidural cause my mother in law was saying it's better, but I really felt the pain was nothing and could have gone without it. Fast forward my baby was born at 1:27pm. Which I feel was one of the easiest labor I could have ever had.