What position did you/ do you plan to give birth in?

[ALS94]

Just because I’m interested… I’ve heard squatting and hands and knees are the most comfortable positions as they open your pelvis more and gravity helps but I don’t know anyone who has given birth on anything apart from their back.

Is this common? Do the midwifes restrict your movement during birth?

This is correct. Midwives encourage it. Do whatever you want at the time, and what comes naturally

I stood or walked the majority of my labours then birthed on all fours. Gravity is your friend

Sorry I didn't answer that properly, that is the ideal position and midwives encourage it. Many end up on their back because of and epidural (amd of course as that's the 'normal' position we see on TV that's what we've been used to seeing

I had all 3 babies on all fours. I knew from the start I didn't want to be "perched" up on a bed and used a mattress on the floor

Talk to the midwife once on labour ward. They would recommend you are more mobile and be in a position that is comfortable to you.

I found contractions more bare-able standing leaning onto a worktop. Sitting or lying on my back was so painful. Lying on my side not so bad.

My labour was assessed as high risk once we got to the labour ward and was on constant monitoring but we did it in a way that I could still stand up/move around as long as I was in range of the machine.

For pushing ended up on my back in stirrups in agony as they couldn't get a reading on the monitor if I was kneeling. Ended up with interventions that I had wanted to avoid.

So in early labour you have time to talk to the midwife about what you want

Unfortunately both on my back (well, semi-recumbent) in stirrups, because were ventouse deliveries. Both awful and will remain forever gutted about them and it's a major factor in me thinking that we probably won't have any more kids.

Dd1 - on my back. 3rd degree tear.

Dd2 and 3 - leaning on side of birth pool, on my knees. No cuts or tears and much much less painful. Obvs many reasons for that not just the position

I had an epidural and also fetal monitoring straps for the whole of my labour so I wasn't allowed to get up or move at any point. It was soo horrid!!! I'd always heard when in labour to get into whatever position feels right but I wasn't allowed to move at first and then I couldn't move after the epidural 😫

On my back. I was surprised he how quick and easy it was. I was examined for the first time since arriving at the hospital and 20 minutes later he was out and in my arms!! It'll be a year ago tomorrow!

With both wanted water births
first one ended up epidural so no chance
second one completely natural and culdnt walk or sit down in full labour so refused waterbirth in the end.
Was laid over the mattress but stood up 90 degree angle
only comfortable upright!
eventually manged to lay down to push her out was scared she wuld drop on the floor
(probably not)but at least ny waters went when i laid flat and out she came.

I had DD last week and I instinctively turned on to my hands and knees and she was out in one push, no tears/stitches despite her being a heavier weight (8lb8oz) than DS. I had DS on my back and had second degree tears and a lot of hip pain afterwards from being in stirrups to open up me up.

Flat on my back both times, both emergency c-sections .

Rewind... first labour I wasn't very mobile and then from 21 hours - 33 hours of labour I'd had an epidural so laying flat.

Labour 2 from 5 minutes in - 3 hours in (minus car journey to hospital) I was walking round contracting every 2 minutes. For the last 3 hours I was laying on my left side waiting for theatre as I was determined to have the c-section I'd originally planned (before I went into early labour) and if I'd have moved, my front waters would have broken and I'd have been made to push baby out as a vbac, which I had no intention of doing.

Listen to your body, it generally knows the right position.

1st was born in the pool, I had been on all 4s (in pool) just prior to delivery then moved into a squat as I started crowning.

2nd baby was I delivered (unexpectedly) whilst standing up, I had just arrived at hospital and didn’t even think I was in labour, thought it was Braxton hicks (irregular painless contractions) but was 10days over do wrong in to get a check up!

First one sort of semi squatting/sitting on a birthing stool, I had a very long labour with a posterior baby and kept losing the urge to push in any other position. Second one, water birth - also posterior baby but sooo much easier, I was sort of reclining against the back of the pool.

With my first, I ended up on my knees, reaching over the back of the bed and hanging off.

So like my knees were placed on the bed itself, but the bit that reclines, I was leaned over that.

That was how I wanted to have my second but he wouldn’t play ball. He was back to back and kept sitting on a nerve which made my leg cramp. So I ended up on my back for him

Both times on my back. That was the last thing I imagined but it got the job done lol.

I gave birth to her head while on my knees leaning against the back of the hospital bed. They had me move onto my back and stirrups for her body because we had shoulder dystocia and a dr needed to get her arm up to free her 😬 Most frightening move of my life, was convinced I would snap her neck with all the morphine and gas and air!

Planned all fours couldn't get comfy at all. Couldn't get pushing. Ended up on my back one foot in stirrup one around DH neck

Second baby planned section after so much damage from first baby so flat on my back!

Midwife was very supportive of anything!

My friend birthed her baby squatting between her DH knees.

I just did whatever felt most comfortable at the time which was definitely not lying down. Spent the first half on a birthing ball and then was in the pool and moved around in different positions. Midwife did not restrict movement at all and just worked around whatever I was doing or would just ask me to shift over/turn around temporarily so they could do their checks.

On my back, in stirrups. Was a ventouse delivery with an episiotomy as baby was getting stuck on a bend/hill of sorts (can’t remember exactly what they said). Tried on my knees on the bed holding on to the top of it, on all fours, you name it, but on my back is the only way that got her moving 🤷🏻‍♀️

I just followed my instinct and gave birth to all kneeling, on the floor, while leaning against something.

I decided to have an epidural other than that up to them to tell me is what I went with

There is the plan one makes and then the plan that happens