Alternative birthing positions

In this instance I’d be going for a C section 100%. There’s SO many threads on here about people’s experiences of sections id highly recommend you read them.

I’d go either elective c section or waterbirth. Waterbirth is fantastic for gentle movement- much easier to move in water when you are in pain. However chances of achieving this in NHS not great. If you can afford it use an independent midwife- best money I ever spent and I paid in instalments.

I’d have an elective section in your situation.

I’ve had 2 vaginal births. Both of them I was on hands and knees until the last minutes - first one I needed an episiotomy, second one shoulder dystocia. Both required being on my back and quite manhandly.

Also just being on all fours for several hours might be quite hard on your hips. It’s a very physically demanding process.

I've had an emergency c section and an elective c section. The emergency was after 27 hours of horrendous labour. Recovery from both was fine and my elective was a really positive experience.

I have issues with inflammation in my hips which I only found out after birth. Had I known I would have gone for a c-section because the hip pain was was absolutely unbearable. I realise childbirth is extremely painful anyway! But because of the pain I ended up with an epidural so I had to be on my back in the end. You’ll need to avoid an epidural if you don’t want to be in that position.

Two friends of mine had c-sections and they rave about it and were so glad they had them. They weren’t planned but it went fine, they had plenty of support at hospital afterwards and recovered really quickly.

I had two vaginal births and wasn't manhandled in any way. I spent zero time on my back, (apart from being examined) because it was noticeably more painful. I was upright most of the time during the labour, either walking or kneeling, or leaning forwards over a birthing ball.

Both times I actually gave birth in similar positions. I was kneeling up, resting my arms forwards with my top half leaning against something (edge of the birthing pool with DD1, top of the bed that had the head end raised with DD2). Position wasn't something I have much thought to during pregnancy, I just ended up how I felt most comfortable. And in the birthing pool I wasn't even on my back to be examined, they stuck a mirror into the water underneath me, and did it that way.

If the position bothered the midwives, they didn't comment and certainly made no attempt to move me.

Midwives will discourage you from birthing on your back anyway. Evidence shows that more upright positions in labour shorten the length of your labour and reduce your risk of severe tears.
Have you considered a pool birth? These encourage mobilisation during labour. I would discuss with your consultant if this is an option for you.

Section section section!!!

I second this!!

I just don't think you can plan for what position you'd like to give birth in. Yes - in an uncomplicated vaginal delivery you can go with the flow but if assistance was required and delivery needs to be expedited leg supports will be needed. In theses instances a CS may not be the best option if baby is too far down in the pelvis.
An elective CS may be your best option.

Me too
There was no way i could have been on my back

I had all my babies on hands and knees.

I found the pain of contractions much worse on my back, so had my first in a sort of crouch position and my second two on my knees leaning over the side of the birthing pool. I didn’t have a birth plan as such, but midwives were very supportive of me through the process. I will say that somehow injured my coccyx in my last labour despite all of the above (and it bloody hurt!). I feel like you might be safer looking at a planned c-section rather than risk further injury.

You could put it in your birth plan and ask your birth partner to tell the midwives far in advance and then remind them at the end. Rolling you onto your side is no less convenient for them and doesn't require any effort from you when you're in that "I just can't" state. I think DS3 might have been born with me on my left side. I can't remember now.

First I was knackered and ended up giving birth on my bag, legs in stirrups. Had a very long exhausting labour and needed an episiotomy.

Second I had a water birth so I was sat on my bottom with my legs akimbo and had him that way! Was a wonderful experience my water birth, no pain relief and I just trust my body! But part of that I suspect was that my body had done it all before!

I’ve had a planned c-section and it was wonderful. Recovery was straightforward for me. EMCS was not so great, recovery wasn’t too bad but I was absolutely exhausted from labour beforehand, and I wasn’t manhandled during labour, but due to monitoring they did keep asking me to lie on my back which felt really uncomfortable. Given your hip issues I would go for an elective.

I had an emergency c-section but in contrast to pp it wasn't after being in labour so I guess the recovery was much more like a elective section. I had no issues at all- some pain obviously but was moving fairly freely within a week as long as I didn't overdo it. Pain manageable with paracetamol within 2 days.
I would definitely go for an elective section if pregnant again.

I’m not sure you’ll get helpful answers on a UK forum as this can be very cultural. For a ‘normal’ birth in the UK it’s not unusual to birth in different positions. In say, Japan, however it’s practically forbidden to give birth in any other position than with stirrups on your back and so your experience might be very different depending on where you are.

I think an elective CS would be a better choice for you given your background history/hip issues. This is what I would go for, if I were in your position.

For what it's worth, I've had 2 elective CS births, both at 39 weeks, no complications for babies or me, straightforward recovery etc. I do absolutely realise this is not always the case.

Definitely push to discuss with consultant at some point, will prob be much later in the pregnancy

Personally I just think there are too many variables with your vaginal birth, needed to be in specific position etc

Good luck with decision making, just get as informed as possible

I gave birth to my second baby on my hands and knees. The midwife did try to get me onto my back to try and get a better look at what was going on, as my baby's heart rate was dropping a bit, but (apparently!) I said "no no no, no fucking way" and then pushed the baby out in 3 minutes flat so she had no time to manhandle me 😅

However, I take everyone else's point that birth is very unpredictable and if you have pre existing hip problems, a planned c section might be your best shot at having the kind of birth that takes that into account.

Hands and knees. So much easier than trying to push uphill!

I had 2 of mine upright, on my knees, hanging on to DH. It wasn't an issue for the midwives. I did it because it felt easiest at the time.
I think your problem might be that you don't know what will happen on the day, it's not really predictable how you will feel or what might go wrong. So although in general I am a fan of natural births, in your case (that there is a natural birth could result in a serious injury) I think I would go for the c-section.

I would say in your circumstances an emergency section is more likely if you go for a Vaginal Birth (I had an EMCS and tbf I have no idea how it was really as I was put under). Personally I would choose an elective section as I wouldn’t want to risk it.

just to add my recovery was fine and I had no issues, I would say because you don’t personally know anyone who had a section then you won’t know anyone who had positive experiences