Birth positions.... what worked for you?

[Mommabear20]

I'm due my third baby in a few weeks, both previous births I've been laid on my back in bed, and while I had a reasonably easy time both times, I'm wondering what different positions people have found to actually be helpful.

I feel my contractions in my hips and upper thighs (apparently my nerves are messed up 😂) so never given much thought to any position that required weight bearing in my legs, but willing to give them a try!

On all fours but with my arms and upper body up the top of the bed when it was more upright.

DD1 in a birth pool. DD2 on all fours.

Kneeling up in the birthing pool, leaning on the side. My labour was very fast so I didn’t have time to experiment, but even before I got into the pool this was the only position I could stand.

I think it depends on the position of the baby. Mine was back to back and it was agony to sit down or lie down. So I was standing/ on all fours in pool for most of it.

For the actual final part of delivery I was lying on my back though.

I think you’ll just know whatever feels most comfortable.

following as interested too. With DD I was on my side and tore ever so slightly. I have heard being in an upright/all fours position can help avoid tearing. Not sure if this is true or not

Thanks for all your replies!
Hope those of you that gave birth on all 4s, how easy was it to move to the bed/ laid down for skin to skin and stitches after delivery?
I loved being able to have baby on my chest straight away, when I gave birth on my back, so don't want to be in a position that is tricky for quick skin to skin

For DS 2 I was standing up, bracing myself with my arms against a chest of drawers or a table or something. It was a midwife led unit so the room was more like a hotel room than a hospital room. It was so much quicker and less painful than with Ds1 when I was mostly lying on my back then for the actual birth I was kneeling on the bed kind of on all fours but holding onto the railings at the top of the bed. Also I got to see DS2 slide out, I couldn’t see anything with DS1.

Standing but with my top half leaning on the bed with both of mine. Skin to skin was quite easy - midwife grabbed baby as they came out, I climbed up onto the bed and baby straight on my chest 😊

I can’t remember how quickly I got DS2 for skin to skin but it was quicker than DS1 who had to have some tests. The stitches were done with me sitting in a chair for DS2 so perhaps that’s where I was holding him.

Dc2 was so instinctive - the back if the bed was upright, and I was facing it, Arnside and head hanging over the top (if I recall there was a bar on the back I could grab). Knees pressed into the fold bit where the bottom and top of the bed met.

Midwife had me turn towards her right at the right moment and that movement brought ds right down and out.

Ds1 - on my back on a hospital bed. Easy 2hr labour, no tearing.

Ds2 - I'd been sitting on my bed reading when my waters went, called out to H who was downstairs, a bit of shuffling about the room, sitting on the bed then stood up to enable him to put the waterproofing on the bed and gave birth while standing with my knees slightly bent and one hand supporting myself on the bedside chest of drawers. Other hand guided baby out and then sat down on the floor with him on my chest and big towels wrapped around us.
The carpet still has a very slight stain and he'll be 17 in January.
15min labour, slight grazing.

On my side with a leg supported by midwife for one and on all fours over a ball for the the other.