Did anyone give birth in stirrups?

[LongNeck]

Against my wishes, I was made to give birth in stirrups as I was told by the midwife that the baby was distressed and this was the only way it would come out. Another midwife I told this story to was horrified and said stirrups were never necessary for a safe birth when no forceps or ventouse are involved. Has this happened to anyone else? I'm feeling awful about it.

Did baby need monitoring during labour? My midwife was trying to get me round on to my back so that she could accurately monitor the heartbeat, which was difficult while I was moving around.

I was in stirrups with DS2 and the midwife kept pushing my knee back and out. It was so painful that even in full blown 10cm dilated pushing labour I still remember my hip being sorer. It didn't help either.

I did for my first two, I had no choice either, I was overseas and it was non negotisble, as were the episiotomies, no pain relief, and not being able to move off my back for the duration on the labour.

After losing my dc4 to stillbirth, the things that used to bother mean out my first two births, no longer do. The children from those labours were delivered safely into my arms, THAT is really what matters.

The pain of those labour ended, but the agony of losing a child keeps me awake every night.

Try to let go of what happened, it is in the past and cannot be changed. By all means asked to be debriefed and complain, if you think something should have been done differently, but then try to move on. Look at your beautiful baby and focus on that joy instead of what could have been different

You initially said the midwife said there was fetal distressed. Often if baby isn't coming and delivery needs to be expedited, first line would be lithotomy, this often helps baby come before needing an instrumental

Yeah with dd1 and the dt's. Both births forcep assisted due to heart beats dropping. I suppose its safer.... for the obstetrician to not get kicked in the face from the sheer torturous pain

They key thing is that you didn't want to, and you weren't given an explanation. Also that you felt your feelings about how you felt comfortable were not listened to throughout.

You can ask for a de brief session, and can tell them how this made you feel. It may be explained why the on your back position was thought necessary, but you shouldn't have felt ignored throughout.

Are you still receiving midwife care? Talk to your HV or you can contact PALS at your hospital.

Completely agree with Offline. You were made to do something you didn't want and haven't been given an explanation for it.
Go and ask.

To be fair to the midwife, my midwife requests that you are in bed on your back. She said it was way easier for her to see what was going on. To say when to push. When to stop etc.

She was v. experienced and said that being able to see better helps her to ensure that the mums bits are kept as in tact as possible!!!! Sounded plausible....

No epidural, not assisted delivery - DC3 was born eith my legs in stirups. I wasn't asked, it just happened.

With hindsight when I could reflect, I was glad it happened.

During transition and without pain relief I lost my mind with panic. Every instinct for ever not if me wanted to curl into a ball until the pain stopped.

I knew I should push, I had that instinct, but flat refused. I had DH and two mw forcing my legs open because I was using all the strength I had to slam my legs shut right.

It was the action of a my legs being put (forced would be the right word, I was refusing everything) that triggered me 'giving up'

That sounds awful, like breaking one's spirit until they give up. But absolutely the right thing. In that moment I needed someone to go take charge, be decisive and authorative.

The moment my legs want into stirups and I 'gave in' (in so much as I accepted I could no longer refuse to have this bsby), I suddenly felt much more empowered. No longer was the pain controlling me. I started pushing immediately (now the battle to keep my legs shut was over) and I had the natural birth I wanted.

Conversely, the stirups helped me to feel more in control over what was happening to me, not less.

She did say the baby was distressed but if that's right, surely a doc would have been called? With my first birth there was foetal distress and the consultant was involved throughout. I think it was more convenient for her that I didn't move around so she made me feel like I'd put the baby at risk if I didn't. I had a horrendous tear so it didn't avoid that. I guess it's the reaction of the community midwife that has really bothered me. All you hear before birth is that being mobile is better and speeds things up but then other people say that stirrups speed things up. I guess I need to look at a debrief to find out what happened, I've been discharged by the midwives now.

I did with DC1. I needed a low forceps delivery to help him out as he was getting distressed and I couldn't feel to push with the epidural, so it was the easiest way to keep things opened up, as it were.

I think a debrief would be helpful to you.

Congratulations on your baby

A doctor wouldn't necessarily be called for fetal distress... Midwives can deal with this and only call when necessary they intervene... Ie. For instrumental.
Lithotomy does increase the risk of increased perineal damage/trauma.

Lithotomy is generally an awful position and should only be used when everything else has been exhausted or considering doctors being required.

mummyme it sounds like you know what you are talking about - can I ask your opinion?

In my last labour I stood/leaned against the bed until the transition stage which was comfortable and things were progressing well. I was then encouraged to lie on the bed. Everything slowed down and I couldn't get the hang of pushing in that position. In the end lithotomy was used and then forceps when things weren't progressing and there was fetal distress.

With hindsight I strongly feel lying on the bed was not a good position for me - next time round is it reasonable to ask not deliver in this position?

I gave birth in stirrups but was actually my choices as lying on my back was the only way I could push properly and I had my DH holding one let up for me anyway as it seemed to help! I guess it's very different if you didn't want to though and felt forced, sorry :(

Why would you ever give birth in stirrups anyway? Surely it's totally counter-intuitive?

You'd be better stood up and hunched over as a pp said surely? Gravity helps?

I did, after pushing for nearly 3 hours and having been in labour in hospital for 10 hours before that (not to mention the 24 hrs at home first). I had tried every birthing gadget available -was in fancy new midwife-led unit. The shift to my back and legs up, plus small episiotomy (the relief from the touch of local for that was amazing) shifted DD from however she was wedged and she more or less slid out on one more push. Sorry, OP, that it wasn't right for you, but it doesn't have to be bad.

Yes, I was forced into stirrups against my will even though I had SPD. I was screaming saying that it was hurting and trying to take my legs out of the stirrups and the midwives held my legs down. I'm pretty sure that's what fractured my coccyx and meant I was still having problems with my hips well over a year after the birth.

Lithotomy (stirrups) is not helpful in the slightest for women with SPD as it risks the hips being opened too wide. I'm sorry to hear your experience Pickled. I suspect it has contributed to your recovery from it.

I did too. I've never questioned it tbh, I went with what the midwives thought was best & gave birth to dd after 90 minutes of pushing. No forceps but had to have an episiotomy.

It's ok, I'm planning a home birth this time, no stirrups in my house

Yes I did. I found it helpful though. I wasn't really sure what was going on and the midwife really had to take charge quite forcefully, but I didn't mind this. For whatever reason, I could only get comfortable on my back (I know this goes completely against everything that's supposed to happen and also slows everything down), so maybe that's why they helped.

Same as balloon here. I was the most comfortable on my back in labour for some reason. When it came to pushing, I started by holding my legs up but the act of holding on to my thighs meant I wasn't focusing enough on pushing. As soon as they asked if I wanted to rest my legs I just wailed "yessss I'm so tired!" Up in the stirrups I went and three pushes later she was out. It gave me something other than myself to push against, let me rest my legs on something and seemed to open me up more. I really feel for those of you that felt forced into it though, my midwives were lovely and left me to get into my comfy position and that just happened to be in 'old-school birthing position'

Yes. I found them quite comfortable. I did not find moving around remotely comfortable and it was a moot point because I couldn’t anyway. DD was back to back and the pain was beyond indescribable. No way could I move around and deal with that pain.