what position did you give birth in?

[Timeoutofmind]

I gave birth on all fours, and I stood up and walked around for most of my labour. I just felt that the pain was 100 times worse when I sat or laid down, and it just felt natural to deliver on all fours.

Just wondering if I am a minority, as all those on OBEM seem to be on their backs, and in bed throughout the labour, and friends in RL all seem to have been on their backs..

On my back on a mattress on the floor with ds1 as I'd been sat on the toilet during labour and didn't realise I had started pushing

I was on my back with ds2

On all fours with ds3 but spent all of active labour on my back.

I was off my face on gas and air the whole time with all 3 and couldn't do anything other than lay on my back in a daze

On all fours with first baby, in a deep squat in birthing pool for second, second was a much easier birth.

Kneeling and hanging on to the back of the bed which was raised up, Was very active during both my labours.

Supine with my first baby, and I was walking about up until the last hour before the birth and felt the pain was manageable. Until then. And I found it hard to push in that position, practicalky did it till face was blue and baby wouldnt emerge until an episiotomy was done and baby shot right out like a bullet with one push. So with second baby, no supine position for me again. Birthed on all fours, no problem. Baby came out in 3 pushes. Third baby, in a birth pool,birthed kneeling. Baby came out in 3 pushes again. Any position is better than lying down for me. Less painful and more efficient pushing. I think it might have something to do with the shape of my cervix, that's why lying down doesnt work.

On my back with my legs in stirrups, having tried just about every other position this was the only way he was coming out!

Same as I conceived

DS1 stood up with hips out of water in birthing pool after 2.5 hours pushing - DS caught in the air. Failed water birth.

DS2 on my back - broke tailbone.

DS3 on my side - minimal damage.

My boys have big heads.

Ds1- deep squatting on floor
Ds2- on all fours on bed
Both fabulous in their own way!

Had a very active birth all three times but just got too tired through pushing. Each time tried on all fours but got exhausted and had to lie down.

From 1-10cm I was walking around/standing up/bouncing on birth ball, but at 10cm they had to give me an epidural so I gave birth lying down in bed.

On my back with my legs in stirrups, wasnt a great position as I was pushing for about 2 hours.

on my back with both, first was assisted (ventouse) second without help, was just most comfortable for me.
but did most of labour upright.

First time on my back with legs in stirrups. I had no choice, wanted to be upright but his heartrate dipped if I moved into any other position during the pushing stage (cord was around neck and he was getting distressed).

For both labours before the pushing stage, I was upright, walking around and leaning on the bed.

Baby 2 was nearly born with me kneeling on the floor leaning on the bed. I asked the midwife to try and make sure I didn't tear (didn't want stitches again like the first time). She said she couldn't see very well when I was in that position so I leapt on the bed just before the head started crowining - and escaped without stitches. Pushing stage for DC2 was 7 minutes, for DC1 it was 2 hours! I'm not sure how much this is linked to first/second baby or the different positions I was in.

Stirrups both times. Always thought I'd do all fours but stirrups worked for me!

kneeling on my sofa

LOL vodkalorange - before I read yours I was going to post - flat on my back and (1) heavily sedated (2) unbder general anaesthetic - 2 emergency c-sections. Woop woop

The two with epidurals I was on my back, the two with just g&a I was mobile for all of my labour and gave birth on all fours...Well nearly all fours with no.2, got her head out on all fours then shoulder dystocia so had to flip onto my back so they could do the McRoberts manouvre.

On all fours, I felt like I couldn't lie on my back because it felt so much worse.

We had some birth comoplications and at one point the very unhelpful doctor tried to push me over on to my back to examine me (asking me to move being too hard apparently). Cue me hissing like a mad woman that if she pushed me again I wouldn't be responsible for my actions and (according to dp) bearing my teeth like I was going to bite her.

Oh, the dignity of childirth.

First was on my back. Took a while for my tailbone after so knew I wouldn't be repeating that position.

Second; kneeling and holding on to the back of the bed which was raised up. Tailbone wasn't damaged

First one on my back...never again! Next three on all fours with gas and air pipe firmly grasped between my teeth. By my fourth pregnancy I didn't need them to examine me, I told the midwife what was going on! Ha!

All three of mine have been on my back, it just seems to work well for me, the longest I've pushed for was 8 minutes. I'm keen to be a bit more active with this one though and would like to attempt being more upright when I give birth.

In the birthing pool, kneeling/sitting/squatting. DS only took an hour to come into the world once I got to stage 2.

All fours - I kept trying to kneel up and failing because the little sod was OP and I needed to kind of arch my back like a cat.

I always shout at the telly when their just lying there.

On all fours with first, stood up for the second and the midwife nearly missed the catch.

Has anyone ever seem anyone give 'birth' on the telly/film anyway except propped up on a bed looking a bit flushed?