Child birth positions

[strawberrybodybutter]

Currently 24 weeks pregnant with my first and starting to think about labour. I've read about active birthing, think it's something I might quite like to try. Was wondering though what do most people do? Do people generally give birth on backs? Or can they use different positipns? I have no idea and can't bring myself to watch one born every minute! 🙈

I gave birth on all fours on a big mat on the floor of the midwife unit attached to my hospital. I hadn’t thought about it much before the birth, just got into the position that seemed to be the least painful. The poor midwife had to crouch underneath me at the end in order to deliver the baby, she didn’t seem to mind though!

I think a lot of it depends on your situation. If you have monitoring or an epidural, it can limit your options. You may also need to try different positions to help things along.

In the early stages, I couldn’t sit down at all. I was standing in my kitchen and sometimes leaning on the counter and that was about all that felt manageable.

I’d looked up loads of positions but hardly tried anything. I hated the ball, didn’t want to go near the bed etc. I had a waterbirth and all fours worked best for me, though I switched between that and sometimes sitting and leaning back with my knees up when I needed to be more upright.

I had an epidural and gave birth on my side. So much easier! I would try and avoid giving birth on your back if you can, it’s the hardest position to push effectively in. Squatting/on all fours is better.

2 on my back and the last 2 kneeling whilst leaning on birthing partner and holding their shoulders. Found the kneeling position far easier (one in water one not)

My midwife actively discouraged me from lying on my back during birth. This was in a MLU/low risk pregnancy/monitoring not needed (they had a hand held doppler they checked the heartbeat with regularly)/no epidural etc though. I was in a large room that included a pool/mats/ball/rocking chair etc. There was a bed but they preferred you didn't use it so you could have post birth cuddles on there!

I spent most of it on my hands and knees/kneeling but leaning on something in front of me for support. Ended up pushing/delivering on a birth stool (I think he was descending quite slowly and it was suggested for gravity).

All 3 of mine (most recent 3 weeks ago) I gave birth standing up, leaning on a birthing ball which was on the bed. It worked really well first time so I did it with each birth.
I spent a lot of time walking around as well in the run up to the pushing stage, and didn’t lie down much at all.

I knew perfectly well that lying on your back is the least productive position for birth, but ended up doing it anyway - I did try going on all fours but found I couldn't support my own weight with everything else going on and my legs kept buckling under me mid-contraction. I think maybe that's one of the advantages of water birth (I wasn't able to have one as I needed continuous fetal monitoring) - presumably it's easier to be in positions where 'on land' you'd be fully supporting your own weight?

Oh wow! So not what I was expecting to hear and totally different to my preconceptions of what most people do, I think I am basing a lot of what I know on what older relatives have told me though!

If you lie on your back , you're basically pushing baby upwards and it's hard work.

I had both of mine at home. First I was on all fours, second was born in a pool so I think I was kind of sitting.

If you make sure you keep moving, your body will tell you what will work! Make sure your birthing partner encourages you to stay mobile - I was way too chilled in pool / with gas and air with DC1 and labour failed to progress.

With DC2 I made sure I stayed upright and pacing around, hanging off DH shoulders, head bent forward was 'my' contraction position.

Then when I was in the pool, I knelt high up facing the edge with arms / body flopped over the edge and then stuck my bum back / up for pushing so sort of all fours.

DD swam up between my legs and I sort of knelt back on my heels and guided her up towards my chest. Twas best moment of my life.

Also, you don't necessarily push much at all. With my first I was probably pushing before I was ready and it took about 90 minutes. Second one wasn't hanging about and only took a couple of pushes which my body did for me.

Go with what feels best at the time which will most likely not be on your back. In saying that they tried to get me on all fours in the birthing pool but I preferred being in like a crab position with my bum off the floor! There are no rules.

I gave birth in a MLU and i was on my side on this huge bean bag...baby was back to back and came out oblique and the midwife told me this position would help. Had no pain relief except gas and air so I guess it did help.. good luck!x

With all 4 of mine I wanted to be up to give birth but I was made to get on my back for the pushing bit each time. Had to have stirrups for 2 of them.
No pain relief for any of them and only monitoring for the last one. My hospital clearly don't like active labours.

I'm 35 weeks pregnant, OP, and active birthing is very much encouraged by all the midwives and both hospitals in my area - to the point where they'll come get you up if you're lying in bed during labour!

Gave birth to DC1 on my back as I was induced with drip etc. and DC2 I gave birth on my knees holding onto the edge of the birthing pool (all happened very fast and wasn't a conscious decision!) DC2 was easier by far , even though he was over 9lb!

@FusionChefGeoff awww that sounds really beautiful!

I've yet to have antenatal classes or visit the ward so will find out what they encourage there. They have 3 birthing pools so I hope they encourage other methods as well 😊

I wanted to be on my back with my first. Only way I could endure it. I'd planned an upright, mobile, active labour too. She was badly positioned though so I just had to go with the least agonising position. When it came to pushing, I tried every position available, squatting, leaning, kneeling etc but she got stuck so after 8hrs fully dilated. I had a cs!

With my four, I spent the early parts of my labours walking around, on birthing balls leaning forward onto a bed or my spouse, on the edge of beds leaning forward on my spouse, sitting in a shower leaning forward with hot water on my back (I tried baths with my first as everyone raved about it but I hated it), lying on my side when shattered with a hot pack on my back and/or pubic bone. I loved my hot packs during labour, would highly recommend having a few -- in my last labour mine broke and the midwife made a makeshift one! (not sure how, I was just glad for it). Hot packs, biting the gas and air mouthpiece even when I didn't want to breathe it in, pressing my head into my spouse's shoulder, I found various ways to cope through that I hadn't prior to my first.

For all four of them, once I felt the urge to push, I just moved onto all fours and pressed the top of my head into something - with my first and fourth in hospital the bed was bent almost L-shaped so I pressed into that, my 2nd was born at home with my kneeling on a chair with my head against the upholstered back (my poor husband had put stuff down on everything else in the room and I gave birth on the one thing he didn't) and my 3rd was born with my kneeling on the floor pressing my head into the side of a bed. 3 out of 4 were born like that, with me on all fours, my youngest got his shoulder got stuck and I got twisted to my back by the midwives to move him and he was born while they did that - it was weird kinda giving birth while being held up, though not as odd as my 2nd who was part born - head out but her shoulders weren't with her face to my front and then she twisted herself sideways while I'm holding her head and spat out amniotic fluid (at her father!), the rest of her was born on the next push contraction but that was very tired strange minute. Lots of people find different but good for them positions and lots of weird stuff can happen...hopefully it all goes well for you OP!

Both times I had an overwhelming need to be leaning forwards or on all fours. The first time around I was made to lie on my back for various things (monitoring, internals) and it was the most uncomfortable thing. Second time around I was in the pool and allowed to get on with it.

I gave birth on my knees, on the sofa, leaning over it. I'll keep that sofa forever!!

Thank you everyone for sharing your stories! Made me feel better and a bit less daunted, I'm hoping I will get to move about and do whatever I feel like doing so fingers crossed I can!

Apart from when I was mainly on my feet whilst waiting to get onto MLU I was on all fours, I was like that in the birthing pool and when I got out to continue pushing. I was on all fours, bum in the air hugging a giant bean bag :) it felt the most comfortable for me. The midwife did put me on the toilet though to get the head out, and that worked really well, then I waddled back to the beanbag for the final push :)

Might depend if you have an epidural and monitoring, it's more difficult to move with a catheter and if the consultant decides you need assistance you pretty much end up on your back. Just do what you can to move about while you have the opportunity.