Labour Approaches

Due date dread? We’ll show you how to take control.

The Labour Approaches stage of the PUPLIFE pathway is often the one with the most questions, as it is when owners have the least control and must follow nature’s timing. With the right preparation, you can plan for the birth and its possibilities so you are never caught off guard or underprepared.

You’ll learn what to do if labour stalls, how to recognise when your girl may need veterinary help, and how to prepare if her breed is prone to caesarean sections. By creating an A, B, and C birthing plan, you’ll be ready for whatever happens.

Ready to explore?

Go‑To Guides
Whelping Wizard
Support Club

Tap a section to uncover tips, tools and next-step guides.

Ready for more personal support?

As her due date gets closer, having everything prepared can make a huge difference, but it’s also completely normal for new questions to crop up as labour approaches.

Inside our Whelping World Support Club, our weekly live calls give you the chance to chat directly with Sara, the Canine Family Planner, and Isobel, the Canine Nutrition Coach, and talk through your own plans before the big day arrives.

At this stage, you might want to discuss:

your whelping setup
your Plan A, Plan B and Plan C
due-date preparation
equipment and final practical checks
anything you are unsure about before labour begins

So come along and join us! You can also access our dedicated Spotlight Sessions, activity sheets and previous support calls for more in-depth help.

There is plenty of free information and practical support here on Whelping World. But the Support Club is simply there if you would like to chat your own plans through with us and have a little more personalised help too.

Your Go-To Guides

Practical help when you need it most

Trusted resources created by breeders who understand what you’re going through.

Wondering where to begin? Our Go-To Guides are a hand-picked mix of blogs, articles, podcast episodes and tip sheets that make preparing your puppies for their lifetime 5-star home feel simple and rewarding.

Each guide reflects the PUPLIFE purpose by focusing on the steps you can take to protect your puppies, showing how the actions you take now can positively shape their experiences and influence their future.

Labour Approaches Shopping List

Stage: L – Labour Approaches · Shopping list

Get your whelping space and supplies ready before contractions start. Open the Labour Approaches shopping list to see what you might want on hand for a smoother birth.

Open Labour Approaches shopping list

Labour Approaches Jargon Buster

Stage: L – Labour Approaches · Jargon buster

Understand the terms around labour, interventions and what to expect from your vet. Open the Jargon Buster filtered to Labour Approaches so you only see what matters now.

Open Labour Approaches jargon buster

Build It Right. Before You Need It.

No more guessing when setting up your whelping bed:

🛏 Too small → Dam cramped and unsettled
🛏 Too large → Puppies chilled and drifting
🛏 Poor layout → Increased risk during nursing

The result?

An uncomfortable dam, constant adjustments, and avoidable stress at the most critical time.

The Whelping Bed Planner Wizard turns your dam’s measurements and litter expectations into a practical, well-proportioned bed size that supports safe, calm whelping.

This is your setup planning tool for creating a space your dam can move, stretch and nurse in comfortably.

Why Bed Size Really Matters
✓ Allows the dam to lie fully stretched without pressure
✓ Supports safe nursing and puppy positioning
✓ Reduces risk of trapping when rails are used
✓ Helps maintain warmth and stability for newborn pups
✓ Creates a calm, predictable whelping environment

How It Works

Enter your dam’s measurements
Choose bed shape and units
Select litter expectations and rail options
Generate a recommended bed size instantly ⭐

Think of this as your whelping setup blueprint, helping you prepare a safe, functional space before labour begins, not during it.

Whelping Bed Planner Wizard

Want to talk your whelping-setup through?

If you’ve used the Whelping Bed Planner and would like to talk through your wider setup or birthing plans, you’re very welcome to bring them to our next weekly Support Club call.

The Wizard helps you plan the whelping bed itself. If you’d like some extra help with the bigger picture, Sara and Isobel can also talk through your preparation, setup and questions before labour begins... Come and join us in the Support Club now!

If you’d like a little more personalised support as labour approaches, we’d love to have you with us inside the Support Club

Due date dread? We’ll show you how to take control.

Things You Don’t Need to Stress About

Ready for more personal support?

Your Go-To Guides

Build It Right. Before You Need It.

Want to talk your whelping-setup through?