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Original poster

Emma Willis Delivering Babies question

52 replies

yomommasmomma · 14/08/2019 17:16

I am sure I am slow off the mark here but I am finally watching this series and I am enjoying it but I have a couple of questions that I wondered if anyone else has a view on.

Why does it seem that all the mums give birth lying on their backs in bed, attached to lots of monitors and don't move around?

Have the majority of them had epidurals?

OP posts:
mistermagpie · 14/08/2019 17:27

I watch the programme and have noticed this. But then I've had two children and gave birth to both lying on my back with my legs up, soap opera style. I had only gas and air and neither baby was in trouble or anything, it's just that when it came to the crunch the midwife told me to lie down and I did! Ante natal classes said you could move around and stuff but I wasn't encouraged to do that either time. So, maybe it's normal?

OccasionalNachos · 14/08/2019 17:31

The first episode of the second series showed one c section, one water birth and one vaginal delivery where she started on her back but ended up kneeling over the back of the bed.

Original poster
yomommasmomma · 14/08/2019 17:35

Mister that's what I am wondering. I had my boys in birth centre so it was nothing like this, different in the labour ward. I just thought women were encouraged to move and do what was comfortable, by the show doesn't make it seem that way.
Good to see they show some different births in series 2.

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Heatherjayne1972 · 14/08/2019 17:46

When I had mine. I was told to lie down on my back even though I didn’t want to - they insisted
I guess it makes it easier for the staff

yomommasmomma · 14/08/2019 17:55

Heather that's dreadful and totally goes against everything we are told about birth. I don't understand why this is the norm.

Jemima232 · 14/08/2019 17:57

It shouldn't be the norm.

It is certainly easier for the midwife but not for the mother or the baby.

sodrained · 14/08/2019 19:10

My two were both on my back and it was easy to be honest pushed with my chin down babies were out in I think 3 pushes each, before I delivered I'd been walking around and everything so wasn't confined this time I'm going for a water birth and I know I can't be on my back for that so we'll see what happens

FiveLittlePigs · 14/08/2019 19:13

I was told to lay down but I totally refused and gave birth on all fours. I also told the midwife to fuck off because she physically tried to make me lie down (I felt really bad and apologised afterwards)

Twenty-four years ago.

pottedshrimps · 15/08/2019 14:26

Most things are done for the convenience of the staff. They don't like anything out of the ordinary and most of their training will have centered round the lithotomy position. Only confident midwives with a modicum of intelligence and imagination will encourage mothers to find their own position.

Pregnant women are very easy to push around.

Original poster
yomommasmomma · 15/08/2019 14:56

It is worrying. I am starting series 2 now so hoping for a bit more diversity

OP posts:
Xyzzzzz · 15/08/2019 15:00

I had to lay on my back cause I was induced and my DD’s heartbeat was being monitored. So I couldn’t move round either.

Original poster
yomommasmomma · 15/08/2019 15:04

I think when they show the women on the labour ward a lot are induced and being monitored hence in their backs. I just thought you could be monitored and move around.

OP posts:
outthewindow · 15/08/2019 15:12

I think it's easier for the midwives and doctors so you're encouraged to lie on your back.
I didn't have a 'typical' experience as there was complications so I can't say for sure.

Hollywhiskey · 15/08/2019 15:17

Don't get it either. I was high risk, induced and on the monitoring because of issues with her heart rate, but no epidural. I was encouraged to move around, offered a ball and mat as well as the bed and gave birth on my knees.
I also find it odd to see all the lights on - we were told darkness is better and when we walked into the hospital room it only had little twinkly lights. The midwife used a spotlight torch thing when she needed a good look. Perhaps it's for the camera views?

ChanklyBore · 15/08/2019 15:18

I’d imagine there is a hospital mentality, no? You go to hospital, you lie in a bed. How many hospital beds are available is on the news, etc. You walk into a room and in the centre of it, with everything hooked up to it and elevated on it and with wires and buttons and lights all directed at it, is an all singing all dancing bed, right? Isn’t the bed the very focus of the room, where you are expected to be, with some kind of a chair, where the visitor is expected to be? Ask someone to draw a hospital room and I’ll bet most would draw that.

Not much surprise people get in the only thing that’s really provided for their use, is it? Disclaimer I have never actually been in a labour ward.

Sianlouise432 · 15/08/2019 15:29

I wasn't given any pain relief until 30 minutes before ds was born so I had absolutely no way of thinking straight and doing anything I planned/wanted to do. I gave birth lying on my back. I was very low risk and had originally been booked at a brand new MLU that was several months late opening (but nobody told me that)

Rainbowknickers · 15/08/2019 15:30

I gave birth on my side with all mine
The midwifes told me to lay on my back and I refused
Something to do with the baby monitor I think-I was too away with the fairies to listen

SpoooyGhost · 15/08/2019 15:33

They talk a good game in the ante natal classes, but when you're one of loads of women birthing it's just - on your back, push, next please.

uchelp · 15/08/2019 15:37

@ChanklyBore exactly. The labour ward I was on, there were no comfortable chairs, no birthing balls, no pools, no couches, nothing to squat and lean on. Just a bed and a hard chair for partner so obviously you're going to lie on the bed

ChildminderMum · 15/08/2019 18:07

I stayed off the bed and moving with mine until I had an epidural. Don't know how anyone can comfortably lie on the bed without a lot of drugs to be honest, it was agony for me.

Mintypea5 · 15/08/2019 18:10

If it's the prob monitor attached to baby head not the bands on bump then they'll have to be on the bed can't move around with those

Daisychainsandglitter · 15/08/2019 19:14

I was made to lie down both times too. The first time I was pretty much forced down and only allowed paracetamol throughout the whole of my labour which I promptly threw up.
DD1 was back to back too so the last thing I wanted to do was to be forced to lie. The midwife at that hospital was a bitch.

Daisychainsandglitter · 15/08/2019 19:15

I was made to lie down both times too. The first time I was pretty much forced down and only allowed paracetamol throughout the whole of my labour which I promptly threw up.
DD1 was back to back too so the last thing I wanted to do was to be forced to lie. The midwife at that hospital was a bitch.

Daisychainsandglitter · 15/08/2019 19:15

Don't know why that posted twice!

Tobebythesea · 15/08/2019 19:32

With both of mine I was on my back attached to monitors. In antenatal classes they talked a lot about the importance of walking around or being active such as on a birthing ball but in reality it might not happen unless you insist.

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