Anyone planning or had an active birth?

[Leviathan]

I'm currently reading Janet Balaskas "New Active Birth" - a lot seems to make sense - choosing the position you are in- especially squatting, upright, all fours etc; using yoga; walking around and generally doing what feels right...

If you have wanted to do/ done this, how are midwives, hospital staff etc responding? does it depend on area, whether you have home or hospital birth etc?

I can't see myself lying on my back with my legs in stirrups?!
xL

Hi. I'm a great believer in doing what your instincts tell you at the time. This may be walking and standing and being active, but it may not be.

First time around I had a horrifically painful first stage, which was made much much worse by being bullied into being active, walking around etc to "speed" things up when my body was telling me to get on the bed and lean against the pillows on my front (which would have been v sensible since it turned out DS was OP).

This time (3 days ago) the pain was so much more manageable that I didn't realise I was in proper labour. I did most of my labouring at home (only got to hospital just in time) and found walking, standing and sitting forwards all very helpful for the pain. Having said that, for the 15 mins that I was in hospital before pushing, when I had gas and air, I then found lying on my side and resting to be the best position. I did the pushing in a half sitting position and didn't feel the need to do anything else. Mind you, it all happened so quickly I was still in my normal clothes as well!

So basically my advice to you, OP, is not to feel pressured in any way and just do what feels right at the time. Not every labour fits the pattern, neither the MW's preferred pattern nor that of the active birth gurus. Only you know what you are feeling. HTH

Oh btw, I would personally avois writing a preference for active birth into your birth plan, simple because of my own experience of the hospital then following it through to the letter and me being so deep in a pit of pain I was powerless to say anything. I didn't bother with a birth plan this time, but if I had it would have contained one sentence - "Barring medical complications, please allow me to manage my pain and progress in whatever way feels right to me at the time".

Don't assume that the midwives are going to be negative. When I gave birth, they kept urging me to walk around and be more active- unfortunately, I was tired and not very well and really didn't want to. What gaelicsheep says is right: see how it goes and go with your instincts.

Massive JB fan!!!

Two active water births here - one hossy, next home. Amazingly supportive mw's. Hoping for another amazing active home water birth within the next week.

Your body knows what to do - just still yourself to listen xxx

Just make sure they know when you arrive that you don't want to end up on the bed! I was attached to a monitor as there was meconium when my waters went and they had to keep an eye on the baby's heart rate. I made it clear that I wasn't going to be lying down, even though I was attached to wires, and they cleared the bed out of the way and fetched bean bags and mats and stretched the wires out so I could move around. I'd spent most of the time standing and didn't want to lie down at all.

With my 2nd, I just wanted to lie down but the midwife kept encouraging me to get up, trying to make me stand or go on all fours. tbh I was in too much pain to move anywhere and was most comfortable on the bed.