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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

who gave birth lying on a bed in hospital?

160 replies

ratclare · 27/10/2006 15:43

why do they make us do this ? surely standing or squatting would make this easier ,what with gravity and everything . I am a nurse and i would only make some one have a poo in bed if there was no physical way of getting them out !

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MadameMorticiaMills · 27/10/2006 16:28

I did with DS1, tbh I was so spaced out on pethadine I probably couldn't have stood up anyway, however I gave birth to DS2 on all fours on my own bed, in my own house. No comparison, a fantastic experience, even though he was nearly 4 lbs heavier!

katierocket · 27/10/2006 16:44

LOL SD.

PferPferPumpkinEater · 27/10/2006 17:37

I was laid out flat with ds1 - hurt like hell.

DS2 however.....I only spent about 5 mins on the bed as my crawling on hands and knees into the hospital, then the lift - to the wrong ward - back to the lift to correct ward, then very slowly into the labour room at the far end of the corridor was quite steady. Climbed onto the bed, gave a shove covered everyone there when my waters broke then out popped ds a couple of shoves later.

gscrym · 27/10/2006 17:57

They made me lie in bed because they attached a monitor to DS's head. Before this, I was told not to go on all fours incase I fell off the bed, got told off for moving around and huffed at because I wanted a drink.

munz · 27/10/2006 18:00

standing seemed better for me but once i'd had the epidural they said I had to lay down - I wasn't even allowed to kneel up

VoodooBanana · 27/10/2006 18:00

same with me. I wanted to be active but being induced gets those silly ideas out of your head!!!

Bozza · 27/10/2006 18:02

Well expat I was 9cm on arrival too - but DS was still not born for several hours. I think though that he might have arrived a bit sooner had I not been laid on my back with my legs in stirrups. After all DD was born with a 5 minute second stage at home with me stood up leaning on the bed. I know she was the second and all that but surely part of it was position - and the several trips up and downstairs I made while in advanced labour. Stopping midway for a contraction!

redbullbloodandbump · 27/10/2006 18:04

had no option in it, was told get on the bed knees up to chin, hands under legs and push

DumbledoresGirl · 27/10/2006 18:08

Me me me and me (4 times)

And can I just tell you that it isn't all bad news doing it that way. With my first 3, I dind't want them any other way, but with my last, I decided to go for all the funky positions when it came to pushing. I tired standing up, squatting, kneeling on floor, kneeling on bed, nothing doing. A baby that should have been born after a couple of quick pushes (No 3 was) just wasn't coming. In the end, the MW suggested I tried the "stranded turtle" position and ds3 popped out as easy as anything! As MW said, each baby is different and sometimes, that position is just what works.

So don't dismiss it out of hand!

lulumama · 27/10/2006 18:12

i think that ,as i said earlier...that being ALLOWED to listen to your body while in labour enables you to find the best position for you and your baby...each time!

it is so that so many labouring women are told to adpot a certain position or forced to due to induction/monitoring etc....

LittleScarer · 27/10/2006 18:19

I lay down for about a minute during my labour, right near the end. I had been kneeling but they needed to check the heartbeat and couldn't get it in that position. I lay on my back and just after they heard the heart I had a contraction and it definitely the worst one (but then I was pretty far along!), it was the only time I really made any noise.

I was at home and was generally standing or sometimes on all fours for the rest, it was reccommended and it made sense.

MoosMa · 27/10/2006 18:21

I was induced at 42 weeks, DD was OP. I had managed to get her facing the right way round but they made me lie down on my back after the pessary and she flipped over. This made labour long and painful (stayed at 5cm for 5 hours) and ended up having an epidural so had to be lying down with legs in the air for the last bit.

All told it took 26 hours, I had 2 hours of pushing, a double episiotomy, and they used the ventouse (which left a scar on DD's head where it popped off mid pull). I really wish I hadn't laid down...

MKG · 27/10/2006 18:26

I was induced but had walking drip and walking monitors. I laid down most of the time because I had terrible chills during the second stage of labor and had about six blankets trying to keep me warm. I did do most of my pushing while lying on my side though.

JoPG · 27/10/2006 18:27

I did, tbh I was so knackered after such a long labour that I just couldn't stand up anymore. Didn't find it too bad, and managed to push baby out without any assistance each time.

mears · 27/10/2006 18:28

Well you know, as a midwife. I am really often disappointed because I need to bully women to get off the bed. I love it when someone comes in with a specific birthplan, assuming it is something out of the ordinary when it is really demonstrating knowledge of how nature works. The vast majority of women that I admit in labour haven't a clue what they want and head for the bed as soon as they can. It is so ingrained.

How did I have my babies? Propped up in bed

Greensleeves · 27/10/2006 18:28

I didn't know you could do the pushing bit other than lying on your back with your knees in the air. I was made to by the midwives both times. The first time was unspeakable. The second time was marginally better, but shoulder dystocia, so they rammed my hip up into my chest and I ended up with another PPH and another 3rd degree tear to match the old one.

If I have another one I'd like a water birth, at home, with a doula, and music, and freedom of movement. No chance, unfortunately.

lulumama · 27/10/2006 18:32

ingrained is exactly the word, mears,,,

virtually every image of a woman labouring in a magazine or a tv drama show her in bed !

and never mooing like a cow, grunting, squatting or on all fours...or making a fuss..or doing anything unladylike!!

Greensleeves · 27/10/2006 18:32

mears, if you don't mind my asking, is it well known among midwives that SPD makes it harder to labour on your back? Should I have been made to lie propped up on my back for 24 hours not allowed to move, after 6 weeks wheelchair-bound with SPD?

I am not being confrontational, honestly , I've just always wanted to ask a midwife, and haven't managed to.

Greensleeves · 27/10/2006 18:33

6 months, sorry, not weeks

quanglewangle · 27/10/2006 18:35

There was a fancy bed that I was desperate to use but I just couldn't get the hang of it even though theoretically it could be arranged in any positon you wanted. Couldn't get comfortable anywhere.

Then the midwife, with great difficulty, persuaded me to have a go with stirrups. They were great for me, something solid and immovable to brace against. I won't hear a word against them.

Charleesunnysunsun · 27/10/2006 18:49

I did but i had an epidural and couldn't feel my legs to get up.

californifright · 27/10/2006 18:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mears · 27/10/2006 18:56

Greensleeves - the midwives where I work certainly do. I collated information to stop midwives putting women's feet on their hips when they were pushing as it is not only bad for midwives' backs but bad for women's pelves, especially with SPD. We try and avoid epidurals in women with SPD, but if that is their choice we measure how far they can part their knees prior to the epidural so as to avoid over abduction of the knees once the epidural is working. Better to labour on your side in bed if that is where you choses to be with SPD. Lying on your back prevents the sacrum from sliding back to allow the baby to descent which in turn can lead to shoulder dystocia. Unfortunately, if you are on your back, raising the knees )McRobert's manuoevre) is the best way to make room for a baby to be delivered where there is shoulder dystocia. Best place for a woman with SPD is in the pool IMO. Excellent plan you have there

TheDaVinciCod · 27/10/2006 18:57

me ds1

id wathced too much ER

ds 2 and 3 on all fours

is that tmi>

Bozza · 27/10/2006 18:57

I think with DS I somehow got the idea that it was more dignified to be laid on your back. How absurd was that? With DD I planned in my head to try all fours but ended up stood and it was sooo much better.