Birthing position

[MimiDaisy11]

I'm pregnant with my first so interested to hear about this from women who've given birth. Which position did you find best? Did you do it differently for different pregnancies? I've read that one where gravity can help can be useful and that despite most material/media etc showing a woman lying on her back that's actually not a good one to go for. Opinions?

1: laid down. Awful labour ended up with an epidural and baby arrived in poor condition. 27 hours.
2: Water birth, a meditative, dream like birth. 4 hours.

1. Lying down with a very strict midwife. 6 hours but the only time I haven't needed stitches.

4: Another water birth, another beautiful experience. Maybe 45 minutes...maybe less!

I always recommend water births!

I was adamant I was going to give birth in some kind of kneeling/all fours position. Seemed natural and comfortable and is supposed to be a good position for giving birth. Was wondering why on Earth anyone would want to give birth lying on their back. When I was actually giving birth for some reason I really didn't want to be on all fours and I really wanted to stay on my back, I remember it feeling quite comfortable when I put my legs in the stirrups which probably sounds ridiculous. I had to give birth on my back anyway due to monitoring but even before that I had to stay on my back as I had really painful contractions everytime I tried to turn round.

First one I laboured mostly in the shower then gave birth kneeling with one foot up (like a proposal position) leaning onto a bean bag. 25 minutes pushing, around 6 hours total labour.

Second one had a water birth, kneeling in the tub. 3 hours labour, maybe 5 minutes pushing, only got to hospital 45 minutes before my son was born.

Definitely think that the upright position helped me have straightforward births.

I stood for most of the time but actually give birth on my back as I had an episiotomy. Was only actually pushing for about 10 minutes though.

You’ll know at the time what feels best, don’t worry about planning it too much.

Thanks for the replies. It's good to read a variety of responses.

While dilating, I was happiest laid on my right side in the bed. I tried moving around and adopting different positions, but nothing "worked" for me other than laid on my right. For the birth itself, I was mostly on my back, but slightly left tilted. Either my mum held my right leg, or I had a stirrup to brace my foot on, I don't remember. Left leg was on the bed I remember that. My husband helped keep it bent. Baby arrived with no assistance, and I had a minor second degree tear.

DC1 - adamant I would not give birth lying on my back, ended up giving birth lying on my back because that was what felt right at the time. Worked well.
DC2 - half sitting position in the tub, very uncomfortable but no one suggested a different position and I was beside myself, couldn't think straight.
DC3 - crouching position. Super fast and easy pushing stage - no idea if that was because he was my third or because of the position. I would definitely do it again that way.

DC1 - was on my back because heart rate kept dropping and ended up with ventouse delivery.

DC2 - active pretty much throughout because I had DC1 to look after! A lovely midwife and student midwife encouraged me to be upright and I stood at the side of the bed holding onto it. Was a much easier birth but was a lb lighter than DC1 so I don't know if that had anything to do with it too!

Both of mine I was on my back.
1st was horrendous took ages.
2nd was great 2 pushes and he was out and no stitches.
Being on my back felt right

So to sum up, the best position is the one you feel like using, and that can change at different points in labour (caveat being that lying down on your back is usually the worst position to labour in. The reason it came about was to enable a French King to see his kid being born ).

I was on all fours for both well for the actual bit where they came out. I moved alot in labour

In stirrups. Which I was really resistant to because I'd read so much stuff saying, you know, being on your back is all wrong, and they're positively inhumane, and whatever. But the midwife kept encouraging me to give them a go - not in a pushy way, just explaining why they might be helpful - and indeed that proved to be the case.

1st I was on continuous monitoring and had to be on the bed. Gave birth on my back. Hated it. Knew I hated it at the time but it was too late to move. It took no time to get baby to crown but then she got stuck. I naturally wanted to move but they wouldn't let me. They made me hold my own legs which I thought was barbaric, I had zero spare energy for that. I blew a load of blood vessels in my face and neck from the pushing (it got a bit panicky).

2nd was an unplanned water birth. Loved it. So easy to move around for each contraction. Waters broke and was in a sort of kneeling/squatting position but didn't have time to think about it as baby was born 4 minutes later. And he was much bigger than my first.

I have it in my birth plan that for this baby I will NOT be on my back.

I was on all fours for almost all of active labour but delivered while lying on my back, propped up, in the way people are usually shown giving birth on TV.

Standing it crouching is how I probably envisioned giving birth. In reality by the time it came to pushing, I'd been continuously awake for nearly 36 hours, in immense pain with contractions and pretty much knocked out by diamorphine. I was too tired, in pain, drugged to do anything but be horizontal.