Why do many women still give birth on your back

[Reallytired]

Last week I saw an obstetic physio for SPD. I was told that I should avoid being on my back during labour as there was a strong risk of further trashing my ligaments. I have been advised to give birth in a supported kneeling position. (Which is fine by me as I used that position successfully with my son.)

I was also given a leaflet on birth positions and it says there is a greater risk of incontinence problems after birth if you give birth on your back.

The most common reason for people not giving birth on their back is that it is working against gravity and slows down birth. (Ie. the active birth arguements.)

So with all these really strong arguements against labouring on your back, why do hospitals put so much pressure for women to give birth on their backs?

i was on continuous monitoring with dd and i was allowed off the bed and to kneel.

just laziness on the mws part to pretend you can't, it means they have to adjust it alot but it can be done.

I "just felt like it" with all 3 of mine too - had intended very acive labours, but found birthing ball and stool awful, early-mid labour liked standing, swaying hips from side to side but once in transition and pushing on my back was only comfortable place. Was made to move onto my side by a midwife but hated it, moved back to my back.

i really wanted to be on all fours and midwife kept pushing me down onto my back. og again now and am gonna tell her to piss off if they push me downt his time

I was made to, because it was easier for them. They needed to monitor the baby and if I moved, they lost contact. so they made me lie on my back all day.

I gave birth on my back as I was turned over encouraged to do by the mw team. I wanted to remain squatting but I guess it was easier to control me help me more effectively with my business end in the air for all to see if they chose, so to speak. I did get to see her being born that way which I wouldn't have if I'd given to birth to her the way I wanted - backwards, squatting, simply as it eased the pain. Gravity, anyone?

I probably sound a bit bitter about it all. I'm not really .

I wonder what people mean by "on your back".........do you really mean flat on your back or a sort of reclining/ supported sitting position? The only times I've ever seen anyone flat on their back was when we had to do manouveres for shoulder dystocia (when the shoulders get stuck, although that would not be the first position I would try) or when someone is wriggling around, throwing pillows and getting in a panic! As others have said, the uterus causes too much pressure on the major blood vessels and reduces oxygen supply to the baby.
Regardless, I would be one of the horrible midwives encouraging you to move around, change position, crawl, squat or whatever was comfy at the time.
If you have agreed to monitoring for whatever reason then lying on your side is a great position but it is perfectly possible to monitor in most positions, on a ball, standing etc. unless you have a lot of extra flesh on your tum and then a scalp clip could be used but that's a whole other issue! By the way, scalp clips are not recommended for pre term babies, they are too fragile.

Women need to be encouraged to give birth in any position they feel comfortable in - for some that will be flat on their backs.

I reckon the reason why recumbent positions are so popular in the UK is because so many mums have pain relief that makes them too exhausted/immobile to be upright, but also because a lot of midwives like women in these positions - they find it easier to see what's going on.

I was encouraged to despite no reason (as far as I can see - no monitoring or interventions). I questioned it at the time, but was 9cm dilated and in no position (pun intended) to get into a discussion about it.
Birth was fine, good even But the pushing stage did seem very long with DS stuck beind a 'lip' - I am going to go through this in my birth plan this time, and will need to be given a very good reason for it to be convinced to do it again. Otherwise I'd like to try kneeling or squatting I think.
Can anyone think why my MW last time (helped me have a natural birth, very little pain relief, no monitoring or unneccesary interference from her, no one else involved) would suggest that?

all 3 of mine were in a reclined position in a pool, just because that worked best for me! Itried other positions, but was happier reclining

trafficwarden - I guess by "on my back" I meant reclining on pillows, certainly not flat on my back. I know there was a reason I was made to move onto my side but couldn't remember what it was - you're right, it was because the oxygen to the baby wasn't good enough. All 3 midwives of my deliveries have tried to encourage other positions, (was only on g&a for pain relief) I just don't find them as comfortable. Maybe I'll try harder this time.... (due in June)

When pregnant with DD1 I came accross a contraption in the labour ward which I remember as like the stocks (!)
so there was support for your arms and legs and you gave birth basically standing up. Apparantly hardly anyone used it and I didn´t give it a go either (darn!)

Where was that Sachertorte? In the UK?

My midwife recommeneded I tie a towel or sheet to our bed (it's a four poster and I was having a home birth), to kind of hang off of during contractions. I used it for a couple of contractions.

I'd have given the stocks a go! When I was having really painful contractions ot helped to loop my arms around the banisters and kind of hang - sounds similar

I was comfortable on my back and when it came to the actual pushing point, things needed slowing down a bit

i was practically forced on to my back. I had SPD too, still do 7 yrs on, and there was no way I would have been able to support my body tho, on all fours, or squat. It would have taken an army of midwives to hold me upright, and the pain was too bad and pressure to much on my pelvis.

my midwife made me go on my back cos she had a bad back.

piratecat, that is awful. I'm horrified to hear tht you have spd seven years on.

I have been told to use supported kneeling. I am not going to be supporting my body. I will have loads of pillows to do that.

"my midwife made me go on my back cos she had a bad back. "

I find that terrible. As a patient your needs should have been first.

not gonna hijack but it was horiffic, and i made a formal complaint, but it's haunted me.

I gave birth to ds1 on my back because I had been induced and was attached to a drip and monitoring equipment. I had protested but also it was a very long labour and by that point I was very tired.

This time round I ended up with an emergency cs because baby's heartbeat dropped scarily towards the end of the first stage of labour I was 8 cm dilated, about 12 hours after being found to be 3-4 cm and having contractions.

like some others, I was knackered (and quite ill), but midwife kept suggesting I ought to be upright. (she was quite nice about it though)

there is a sort of assumption that you ought to want to be upright and that if you do lie down it must be because you are bullied by silly midwives. Not in my case.

I always labour standing up and when I need to push I lie down it feels right that way i tried squatting and all fours I hated it.

because my legs were always to wobbly..they turn to jelly as soon as i knew it was the 'real' thing.....felt more secure on my back (x4)(and a x2 for c-sec) that way for some reason.