Alternative birthing positions

[PastaBaby2024]

I'm 20 weeks pregnant, first baby. Because I have a pretty severe hip cartilage tear, and now also issues with my tailbone pain and PGP, physio recommended I consider not give birth on my back as my hip could get injured further (women routinely get hip labral tears from birth anyway) leading to a lot of pain post partum. Injuring my hip further would guarantee I need hip surgery as well.

I need to speak to my OB GYN but I know she is generally supportive of different positions for birth.

My mum and a friend who has given birth recently however have said that birth plans tend to go out the window, especially if I have a long labour, and their experience was that midwives tend to manhandle you to do what you need to do to get the baby out anyway. And I won't care about post partum hip pain when I just need to get the baby out. So they think it's unrealistic, I'll likely end up on my back and injuring my hip anyway.

The alternative is C-section and I've heard so many horror stories about it, I'd like to avoid it. I don't know anyone in real life who has had a C section to talk about it. But AIBU to think I could give birth naturally in an alternative position? Or should I just accept I need a C-section?

DP is worried about my hip as I spent 8 months on codeine and intense physio after my hip injury to get me to a place where I could function again without too much daily pain.

FYI I'm not in the UK, I have an OB GYN who I am seeing throughout and she will be there at the birth. I'm seeing her next week but it would be useful to get some opinions before I go in.

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.

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'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’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.

Thanks everyone. You have all been very helpful, genuinely. I probably need to accept it will be a C section and put it out of my mind.

I'm in the Caribbean. My OB is British and has 20 years of experience in the UK before moving here recently. However giving birth in any other way than on your back was a total no no here until a few years ago. Midwives would force you on your back apparently (I am also British and only moved here a few years ago so I don't have a lot of experience with hospitals here). So I am concerned that nurses/midwives are just not going to be that helpful, regardless of how nice my OB is. And there is always a risk that my OB is sick or something on the day and I have to have a different doctor.

There's too many variables with the vaginal birth. I guess I just feel a bit (irrationally!) guilty and want to at least know I considered everything.

Water births are not possible here either, I love the idea of a water birth. I can see how that would be very helpful.

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.

@Notellinganyone thank you! Unfortunately waterbirths are not possible where I live, hospitals do not offer them at all. I agree that would be very helpful.

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.