Birth Couches

[madbunnygirl]

Hi, due to give birth in just less than 6 weeks at my local hospital in the attached MLU rather than their delivery suite. Oddly I'm looking forward to the experience

At our NCT class last night we were shown pictures of the unit and while it all looks lovely, I thought the birth couches they used instead of a proper hospital bed (which I'll be honest was expecting) were a bit weird!!

Has anyone got experience of using these? I'm not planning on kneeling or squatting during the birth but they don't look very practical for a more sitting down/back based delivery?

My husband and I are now planning a tour of the unit to put my mind at ease.

I know I probably sound like my mother!

Thanks.

Hello. So are you planning to give birth lying on your back? If so you might want to re-think that a little, it's probably one of the most difficult ways to give birth.

You may be worrying too much about it and once you are actually in labour you will not care at all whether you are on a bed or a couch or the floor.

Saying that I have no experience of a MLU and really wish I did but there are none in my area - I was very envious when I saw the suite a friend of mine gave birth in last week (compared to my tiny bed in a stark white room). Definitely go on the tour and ask the midwives questions, I'm sure you will feel much better after that.

I meant a supported sitting up position, certainly not flat on my back - was trying to describe how I imagined it being just not very well!

By the time I was in active labour I wouldn't have cared what I was giving birth on

I second the pp. Lying on your back closes off the birth canal because your coccyx curls up in the way, plus gravity can't help you. The two minutes when I was flat on my back to be examined were an excruciating part of an otherwise manageable labour.

Flat on my back is pretty much the only position I wouldn't plan to give birth in. It does work for some people, but I'd recommend that you reconsider. Good luck

X-post - but sitting is functionally the same - your coccyx will impede the birth canal. All fours, squatting, kneeling over the bed etc is a much more open position. I was all fours for every moment of my labour, from the first contraction (it was all quite fast). Except the transfer to hospital anyway, and being examined ta doctor.

I wouldn't be happy with that set up to the point I would transfer my care elsewhere.
For some of us we NEED to lie on our backs to cope with the pain surely the whole go with your instinct and trust your body should cover everyone's needs and not just those who want to squat on rock on their knees?

Regardless after the birth most woman are tired and want to lie down with their baby not sit on a sofa.

For one thing those of us with PGP pain may not be able to squat etc.

You can't plan in advance what position you will give birth in and there are all sorts of things you can try and do, the shape of the sofa really is nothing to worry about, really.

After doing NCT I assumed that the optimum for a baby coming out would be a water birth on as close to all fours as possible. When it came to it, the thought of getting into water was the most dreadful and terrible thought that I could possibly imagine. All fours did nothing to help to bring the baby down and I ended up giving birth (if you can imagine this), with my husband sitting on one of those plastic waiting room chairs and me crouching in front of him, facing outwards to the room and using his legs as support. So, basically a sitting position with space for the midwives to catch the baby underneath me.

Second baby, tried all fours again (didn't even bother thinking about the pool), and actually, best position for getting the baby out WAS on my back!

Honestly, don't worry about the shape of the sofa. You can't plan.

Hmm. Just had my third. The first two came really quickly and I have birth in a typical '1950s' lying down (propped up) position because it all happened so quickly. This time, I thought I'd try kneeling to make it easier. Didn't work for me. The second I got into my 'normal' position it was much easier and the baby was out in 3 pushes.

I gave birth on one! I was kneeling though and wasn't on my back throughout the whole thing

Saying that, lay there after my DD was born was lovely (hate hospital beds)