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Pregnancy

What position did you spend most of your labour in?

27 replies

Mrsgrumble · 06/08/2014 21:37

Just on the back of another thread, it got me thinking. I was lying down for the whole labour and didn't walk around at all. At a later stage I was offered a commode and she said this was a better position for me.

Labour didn't progress in time and ended up with an emcs. I don't know if lying was the right way?

When I watch one born they have gym balls and the like. Nothing like this was offered. Now am very quiet and didn't ask or request anything and also a bit bod py shy so didn't want to be half naked. Was I a bit naive?

OP posts:
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IwishIwasmoreorganised · 06/08/2014 21:39

Ds1 - sprawled on my back like a drunken lush thanks to the gas and air!

Ds2 - kneeling up, leaning on the back of the bed thanks to the SPD!

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ThinkIveBeenHacked · 06/08/2014 21:39

I was pacing for the first 8 hours of mine, then stopped progressing so needed the drip which they kept me laid down for. Baby flipped, I needed epidural, preped for csec and eventual episiptomy and forceps delivery in surgery.

Next time im hoping to use the pool.

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Mumof3xox · 06/08/2014 21:40

On my back with all three

They tried to get me on a gym ball but I was scared of falling off

I was also quite nasty so they left me to it

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Softlysoftlycatchymonkey · 06/08/2014 21:41

Stood up, then in birth pool which was ace for about 4 hours!

It went tits up shortly after!

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orangejuiceorblackcurrant · 06/08/2014 21:41

With dd1 I was on birth ball until pethidine kicked in then sat up on the bed.

Dd2 I had emcs under GA.

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Longdistance · 06/08/2014 21:43

Walking around, on the gym ball, wiggling/gyrating my hips when stood up. I birthed on my knees upright on the bed, leaning against the back of the bed which was raised.

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ouryve · 06/08/2014 21:43

DS1 - on my back, with an epidural, being continuously monitored as my blood pressure was sky high.

DS2 - just going about my daily business, then went to do my business after a slightly more uncomfortable contraction than would be normal for not really established labour. That was it!

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FairyPenguin · 06/08/2014 21:49

Leaning forward, either on a gym ball, on bed, in birthing pool. Was back-to-back and had SPD so only way to relieve the pain in my lower back. By the time I got to pushing, had to lie down on my side curled up in foetal position as legs too tired.

Second time, I stayed flat on my back with an epidural. Bliss!

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SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 06/08/2014 21:49

DS1 - flat on my back, hooked up to as many monitors as the hospital could find I think. Also had an epidural (which didn't take) and sky high BP.

DS2 - flat on my back, but with less monitors.

DD - I still had the baby monitor on throughout, but spent 90% of my labour in a rocking chair Smile. It helped hugely to be able to 'rock out' the contractions. I was told to get back on to the bed when the pain was so bad I wanted a pethidine injection. By the time I got on the bed & asked for pethidine, DD's head was showing & it was too late anyway! She arrived less than 15 minutes later.

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SourSweets · 06/08/2014 21:52

Hands and knees. In water for a bit, then out. Walked round a bit. Had to be on my hands and knees for contractions though or they were too painful.

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morethanpotatoprints · 06/08/2014 21:52

labour one.
standing, walking to car, sitting in car, arriving at hospital, sitting on the bead, whoops there's the head. Grin
Total labour 2 hours.

Labour two.
swift half at pub, go to loo, waters break.
Stumble to car, arrive at hospital, 3 pushes this time
Total labour 90 mins.

labour 3
waters break, book taxi as dh hadn't expected it would happen, woke kids, called mil, 15 min run to hospital, sat on bed, whoops there's the head, again.
Total labour 30 mins.

Not much pain but all at once, nosteady build up as so fast.
Had more pain having hair pulled through those old caps for highlights at the hair dressers.

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TheBookofRuth · 06/08/2014 21:56

Would've liked to have been moving around for both, but was made to lie down and keep still so they could monitor DCs. I felt much better when allowed to kneel up and lean forward but the midwife didn't agree.

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weyayechickenpie · 06/08/2014 22:05

Spend the majority of it walking around. I felt the pain was worse if I was lying down. I couldnt keep still thought I would give birth standing up. Had a ball thing to bounce on but I just felt sick. Got in and out the bath several times and cryed alot. In the end I had to lie down. I dunno how some woman can spend there entire Labour lying in bed.

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SouthDerbyshireMamma · 07/08/2014 09:27

I walked about for 6 hours of labour and spent the rest of the time on my knees on the bed or on my side in the spooning position lol.

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PastaBow · 07/08/2014 09:33

Majority walking around but both times I had an urge to lie down to give birth and the contractions kind of radiated into my thighs which meant I couldn't support my weight anyway.

Laying on my left side with right leg propped up was a fantastic position for me. DS shot out in two pushes as DD had paved the way

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SweepTheHalls · 07/08/2014 09:36

Gym ball!

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Lally112 · 07/08/2014 09:38

on all fours works best for me.

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MoominKoalaAndMiniMoom · 07/08/2014 09:42

I had an induction on drip at 37 weeks so was supposed to be on continous monitoring, but because of a scar the toco counter things don't work on me, so I was able to dance around the delivery room when I had music on. Then as the contractions got bad and I used gas and air, I got onto my back. Moved about a little bit right before I started pushing, but I pushed her out on my back. She came out in 3 pushes.

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MoominKoalaAndMiniMoom · 07/08/2014 09:43

Oh but I wasn't flat on my back, my head was elevated :)

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Shedding · 07/08/2014 10:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RoseberryTopping · 07/08/2014 10:06

First labour was on my back with an epidural. Hated it.

Second labour was spent in a big corner bath. Loved it.

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roastpots · 08/08/2014 16:31

my baby was back to back so I had to be leaning forward or on my hands and knees - otherwise it was too painful. so i spent about 6 hours in a bath on my hands and knees and then moved into the birthing pool for the last bit

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Crazymama94 · 09/08/2014 12:30

I was on the drip so laid down for the whole time on that. Before the drip I spent most of the time bouncing on the birthing ball

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redexpat · 09/08/2014 14:02

On all 4s whilst dilating, on back in stirrups for pushing, which is actually best for my hips.

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Plateofcrumbs · 09/08/2014 21:14

The only bit of my labour that was hard to deal with was when they tried to make me lay down for half an hour on a monitor. I then insisted I was mobile for the rest (still on monitor) and stood next to the elevated bed - slumped down between contractions and then stood/rocked/swayed as needed with each contraction.

For the pushing stage midwives had me in every postion in the book but DS wasn't playing ball and ended up on my back with forceps.

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