Best birthing position

[McSnail]

Hi there - I'm due to give birth soon (first time) and was wondering if there were particular positions that you found better than others?
For example, I really don't want to be flat on my back as I feel (in an ungrounded kind of a way) that I won't feel 'in control'.

What positions did you find best?

[Celery]

On my knees, leaning over the bed or sofa ( at home )

[ILikeToMoveItMoveIt]

Exactly the same as Celery. It's a great position to help the baby move down too.

I literally couldn't sit down or be on my bum during a contraction, it made them so much worse.

[duchesse]

Like Celery, I birthed both daughters (at home) in a kind of upright kneel. It definitely felt best for me, and was the position I wanted to be during my hospital delivery first time round. Bloody hospital midwives saw to it that I didn't end up in that position.

So whatever seems comfortable to you at the time is almost certainly the position your body is telling you is best for you to birth this baby. Nobody will know better than you what that is at the time. Just listen to your body.

[Tommy]

IME, you just do what your body is telling you to do at the time.

With my first, I was flat on my back with my legs in stirrups (not my chosen position obviously ), my second, I was lying on my left side and my third, I was kneeling up, leaning on the bed

[McSnail]

Thanks - so pretty much best to listen to my body. The flat on the back thing with stirrups sounds awful.

[Beccabump]

1st - flat on my back (not good in any way shape or form!)

2nd supported squatting position on hospital bed (they removed the lower section of the bed and had handles to pull/grip onto) - fabulous!

[Mybox]

See how you feel - if you can move around you will find the best position for your & your lo. I found being upright the best.

[liath]

I had an overwhelming urge to give birth flat on my back both times. First time I demanded to be put in lithotomy . Was at home second time so no stirrups but I still had to be on my back with my legs held for the actual delivery. Most odd!

[CarGirl]

def kneeling on all fours/squatting.

[threeplusone]

DS1 VBAC I delivered him on my back
DS2 de,livered on all fours..

They were both very quick deliveries and OP, but I found that the crowning etc didnt hurt asmuch when I was on all fours. Dont know if this was due to position or not..
Will be trying for all fours again though this time.

[gigglinggoblin]

I preferred kind of laying back butpartly sat up, the mw said itwas a really bad position and tried to move me onto my knees but that was agony. You will know at the time. Water was thebest thing for me, helps you move aswell as you feel less like an elephant.

[Reallytired]

1st time supported kneeling

2nd time standing on the floor but leaning against a bedhead for support.

It helps to have a position where you are using gravity to help the baby out. The problem with being on your back is that you have to push the baby uphill to get it out of your body.

I agree with listening to your body. There are loads of positions that you can give birth in.

[lucysmum]

DD1 - on back but legs up and feet pressing against MW and DH for pushing stage - seeemd to help
DD2 - on back - so quick I didn't move once I got to hospital and got examined
DD3 - on birthing ball ie kneeling forward from when I got to hospital to birth - great - could really focus as I couldn't see anyone else unless I wanted to - she was big and got stuck - shoulder dystocia and I'm convinced it got sorted so quickly becuase of my position

[MegBusset]

DS1: on back, in stirrups (well, in one stirrup as the other one was broken and DH had to donate his belt to strap down my leg!). This was after an epidural.

DS2: I flat out refused to lie on my back during any part of labour, even for the internal examinations (we compromised and the MW did them while I lay on my side). For delivery I was kneeling against the back of the bed.

[rachels103]

DS1 - on my back in stirrups, ventouse and episiotomy(sp???) after hospital midwives wouldn't let me be on my hands and knees in birth pool as I wanted. Not good.

DS2 - in a supported squat on a birthing stool with dh behind me to push down on, due to lovely birthing centre midwives suggesting that this would help me push. V. good indeed! Managed to deliver 11lb4oz baby with no pain relief, tear or cut [proud emoticon]

[RhinestoneCowgirl]

With DS - sort of a supported squat hanging off DH's lap.

With DD - hands and knees leaning face down into the sofa.

During first labour I literally couldn't sit still, pain all in my back/bum. Second time spent a lot of time sitting on my birthing ball and wanted to be still.

Leave your options open, change position as you need to. Talk to your birth partner beforehand about positions that you might want to use, then just do what feels right on the day.

[pasturesnew]

Facing forward hanging on to side of birthing pool, pool was ace in this respect as could move around to change positions easily. Really want another water birth but hospital facilities are limited so might be lucky for a pool to be free this time round.

[Sheeta]

Kneeling, leaning over a chair or back of the bed.

Apparently most women left to labour naturally will adopt a kneeling or all fours position.

[MoChan]

I was on on my knees, but not on all fours, arms over the side of birth pool. That's what felt the most comfortable to me. I think everyone else is right when they say that your body will let you know...

[SheWillBeLoved]

On my knees with my arms hanging over the beds headboard. Really comfortable as in between contractions I could just sort of rest on the pillows and squat, and then push myself up onto my knees when I was pushing.

Had a few contractions lying on my back when I was ready to push and it was such a horrible sensation, felt like my stomach/back were being crushed!

[diddl]

I was on all fours on a mat on the floor.
(In hospital).
Hadn´t intended it,but there was no way I was getting up on that bed.
Think it was harder for the midwives than me as they had to lay on the floor to see anything!

[PinkTulips]

The simple answer is whatever feels right at the time. There's no way of knowing how you'll be comfortable, alot depends on the position of the baby and you're own mentality, if you hate kneeling at the best of times then you're unlikely to enjoy it in labour for example.

In my case with dd i hadn't given it much thought but when it came to pushing i found being on my back or side unbearable so the mw suggested kneeling and that was very comfortable.

With ds1 i specified wanting to kneel again but left it too late to turn over and ended up delivering on my back, i found though that lying flat and arching my hips up while pushing as bearable and he was out very quickly... he was facing back to front so should have caused problems but it only took a couple of pushes.

With ds2 i was kneeling on the bed from about 5cm on and never moved til after he was born, that's how i felt best able to cope with the contractions, he was my most intense labour pain wise.

One thing you will have to consider is what pain relief you'll want as epidurals can mean you have little choice about position.. i had all three with no drugs which meant i was free to roam for the most part and pick what position felt best at the time, with dd though i was on continual monitoring and that did restrict me alot and made her birth alot less comfortable as i felt fairly out of control.

[bethoo]

dont know about the best but anyting where you are more or less vertical is best as gravity helps. the worst is flat on yuor back as you are having to push the baby up against gravity and out!
my first was squatting and the second was standing. i find labour too uncomfortable to stay still!
i am hoping that this time round i will get the water birth!

[TheOldestCat]

I spent most of labour in a birthing pool on all fours, but pushed DD out on a 'birthing stool' (think low chair with the bottom cut out!). Worked for me as I was upright but was able to sit down and have DH support me.