Squatting to deliver - Any tips?

[mama2moo]

I had dd on a bed, lying upright a bit. She got distressed and it was really tough pushing.

This time (due tomorrow!) I want to stay upright if I can and like the idea of squatting.

What I am wondering about is what happens when the baby is delivered. Do they cut the cord and then you go onto the bed for the rest?

Are there any tips for this or other positions you recommend? Thanks

Ask midwife ?

Ask if they have any birthing stools.

I assume they must put something underneath you to catch the baby... I want to do this position, hopefully in a birthing pool, otherwise squating on dry land, would like my DP sitting behind me so i am in between his legs in front of him, with my arms resting on his thighs.....

Sorry cant really help.... someone should be along with the knowledge in a mo...

I was squatting when i had DD. The midwives hands were they to catch the baby.

She came out the cord was round her like a seatbelt so it had already been cut, i sat down i think they'd sppread one of those green sheet things down. I was going to deliver the placenta there on the floor but it took a while so i'd moved.

there* to catch the baby

I love delivering in supported squat (am midwife). It brings the head up nicely and really opens the pelvis. I catch the baby and place it immediately on mum's chest (so it doesn't touch the floor), then replace the gunky stuff underneath her with clean stuff and get her to sit down. Then sort the cord out and deliver placenta whilst she is sitting down. Then she can go up onto chair or onto bed, or even lie on a birthing mat for breastfeeding and cuddles. The only faffy bit is getting Dad out from behind her if he wants to cut the cord.

Thanks both. Interesting to see that you midwives like the postition as well.

I am going to give it a go and see what happens

I'd like to give birth in a squating position but i've been worried about my legs not being able to hold my weight. I can't really imagine what you are describing when you say "supported" squat. Are there any pics of this on the internet?

I was on the bed, but squatting on it, supported by DH on one side, who had his arm around me, and the midwife on the other, who also had her arm around me - they were both helping to support me in the squat.

When the DC were delivered, it meant I could just sit/lie back on the bed, and be supported.

It was great and I can highly recommend it.

Our mw also recommended this in ante-natal classes as a natural way to aid gravity and open the pelvis. In our hospital there is a bar that attaches to the bed and you stand with knees bent/squat on floor while holding the bar. She said having arms slightly raised was quite important too as this also opens up the diaphragm and can alleviate pain.

Oh - it wasn't quite a full on squat, more of a standing with knees bended.

I am hoping to go for this position too but am slightly worried about how my legs will support me too!

be warned, the hospital where i had two of my three couldn't allow mothers to birth anywhere but on the bed for 'insurance' reasons

they allowed differant positions on the bed so i could kneel or lie, etc but squatting would have been a bit dangerous i think.

make sure you check with you mw if you'll actually be allowed to do it. obviously that doesn't apply if your having a homebirth

My Dsis delivered her third baby this way, with her DH behind her so she was holding onto his thighs and he was helping support her with his hands too. This was in France, where they still prefer you to give birth on the bed but she had a very forward-thinking mw There was another mw there who was hugely impressed with how easily DSis gave birth and said she would recommend it to other women in the future.

Mind you, I think my nephew was going to be a quick birth anyway!

Good point Tulips.

Ours allows for squatting but not for being on all fours.

i squatted for both deliveries, at the time i couldnt think of anything worse than being on the bed and got very cross when i had to get on to be examined. with dd i was on my knees on a mat leaning over a low bed, for ds it was better the bed was raised so i was leant over without hurting my back and ds was born on to a bean bag with no intervention. the midwives just stood slightly back whilst he plopped out (safely!) on to a big bean bag! cord was cut there and then, was then put on to bed.

I delivered ds2 on my kneeling on the bed with my hands holding on the headboard. Was a really comfortable position and I think I only needed to push twice

I tried this both times but found my legs got wobbly with the effort of standing up (v long first labour probably was the problem there), am I just a wimp? Think the idea is really appealing though, if I just had the strength

I was standing with ds2. They had a pillow on the floor to help catch baby and fluid! I got on the bed after he was born to deliver the placenta(took 2 hours , ugh!)

I was leaning backwards with my hands up round dh's neck. Mw wanted me to lean forward on the bed but I kept leaning back. My legs buckled a few times and dh supported me. Again Mw kept telling me to lean on the bed as opposed to dh.

I didn't choose this position prior to the birth, I just didn't get round to getting on bed for a while, then when I did I got up again soon after.

i wasn't allowed to get off the bloody bed 8 yrs back.

narrow bed, me with spd. total horrid expereince.

I've used a birthing stool for a supported squat which was brilliant (this was in Australia). Gravity and an open pelvis.

I asked yesterday if there was any chance of borrowing a birthing stool to use for my homebirth and the mw said they didn't use them any more and didn't have them. I was a little shocked. They've been used for thousands of years!

Now I'll have to improvise something.

I can't believe there are hospitals that restrict you to the bed for delivery. Where are these places?

Giving birth on your back was introduced by Louis IX (?) as he wanted to see what was going on, prior to that it was always a more natural position, possibly squatting or standing up.

On your back is the least natural position no? (or possibly on your head!)

flyby.... Ireland in my case

Standing is best position, ime . Def. not squatting.

Gosh I'd like to see them stop a labouring woman from assuming her favoured birthing position! What on earth would they do if you refused to budge??

Thanks all. Can they examine you in a squatted position? I hate the idea of getting on the bed - I needed gas and air with dd just to get on it!

use a medicinal ball to support your weight - will take the burn out of your legs.

Give birth in water if you can - water helps support the squat.

Good luck.

I delivered my second baby this way and it was much easier. I think gravity helps and I felt much more in control!

My first labour was awful as I was in agony from 1cm dilated. I had an epidural and was in labour all night long. DS was 10lbs 3ozs!

With my second labour I found that if I lay down on the bed, my pains were unbearable but if I stayed standing, I could handle the pain. Not sure why! Just used bath during middle stages and then moved on to standing. Gas and air 2nd time round! Good luck!

I'm due in just over a month with 1st child, so frantic reading all the tips I can!

I am wondering if it's okay to get into all these positions if the woman is high on gas and air or has had pethidene (sp?) injection?

I can't have an epidural (for medical reasons) so will be having the two above as pain relief.

Do these things stop the woman from being able to move about freely?