Birthing positions What are the various kinds of positions to try during labor?

Positions for Labor and Birth


Why are different positions important?
Changing positions and moving around during labor offers several benefits. The benefits of changing positions during labor and delivery include:

• Increased comfort and reduced pain for the mother
• Enhanced sense of control
• Helps with frequency, length and efficiency of contractions
• Effects of gravity help baby to move down more quickly
• Ensures a continuous oxygen supply to the baby
• Can reduce the length of labor

Resting During First Phase of Labor:
Side-lying. Try placing pillows between your knees for comfort.

Semi-sitting. In bed, on a couch, or leaning against your partner with his arms around you.

Sitting with one foot up. Asymmetrical positions help enlarge the pelvis on one side and change the shape of the pelvis, which helps the baby find the best position.

Rocking, Rhythmic Motion: In labor, it just feels better when mom rocks and sways in rhythm to her breathing. Partners sway with her or do massage in rhythm with her breathing, or sing in rhythm.

Activity: Walking, climbing stairs or lunging are all good choices. Activity helps the baby to descend and helps the baby to rotate into position for birth. In early labor it is fine to be active occasionally, but don't exhaust yourself by walking all through early labor. Walking is more effective during active labor and transition when the baby has descended far enough to put pressure on mom's cervix and encourage the cervix to open.

Positions for Back Labor
Thes positions are helpful when the mother has back pain, irregular contractions or is progressing slowly.

Leaning Forward: Many women, especially those with back labor, find it most relaxing to lean forward during contractions.

• Straddle a chair
• Lean against a wall

Hands and knees / kneeling.
This postition can relieve back pain and help a posterior baby rotate. It also allows easy access for backrubs and counterpressure massage. Getting on your hands and knees makes it possible to sway side to side, rock back and forth or do pelvic tilts to aid in rotation and increase comfort.

Having knee pads or kneeling on something soft will prevent the knees from becoming sore. You caan rest your upper body on pillows, a chair or birthing ball.


Positions for Second Stage of Labor:

For the second stage of labor an ideal position would:

• Open the pelvic outlet as widely as possible
• Provide a smooth path for the baby to descend through the birth canal
• Use the advantages of gravity to help the baby move down the birth canal
• Give the mother a sense of being safe and in control of the process
  

Try out a position for a few contractions. If it works, stay with it. If not, switch to a new position in between contractions.

Semi-sitting. For this position , use pillows underneath the knees, arms, and back. During contractions, you can wrap your hands around your knees and pull the knees up toward shoulders (as in squatting). This is most common in a hospital setting. Benefits for caregivers include a good view of perineum and vagina, easy access to perineum if an episiotomy is necessary and easy to do on a birthing bed.

Lateral / Side-Lying. Keep your back curved and your upper leg supported by partner. This position is gravity neutral and good for a fast second stage. Laying on the side may be a comfortable position for mom.

Kneeling positions. These work fine if you have no pain medication, or narcotics only. If you have an epidural anestheticm these may be possible with a light epidural. You can ask your caregiver if it would be possible to try these positions, but you will need help getting into these positions. Once you are in the position, you will need to be 'spotted' (have one person on each side of you, making sure you stay balanced and stable.)

Kneeling. Place your hands on the bed and keep the knees a comfortable width apart. You may also keep one knee up if it is more comfortable. This position is good for reducing tears and episiotomies and may be restful for mom.

Hands and knees. Arch your back occasionally for increased comfort. Being on your hands and knees is great for back labor, big babies and posterior babies. Many women find it to be the most comfortable.

Upright positions / Squatting. These will not be possible if you have had an epidural, because with an epidural, you typically can not get up out of bed.

Sitting. You may find it comfortable to sit on the toilet, on the thighs of your support person or on a birthing stool/chair. Sitting helps to open the pelvis and is gravity enhancing. Because it is a natural pushing position, many women find it to be very comfotable.

Squatting / Supported Squat. Squatting will open the pelvis to its greatest potential and is gravity enhancing. This position provides a great sense of control for mom. During squatting, the average pelvic outlet is 28% greater than in the supine position. Stand or sit back to relax in between contractions.

Comments: Birthing positions

Comments 1 to 24 of about 32.
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907 - 14 days ago.
Have any of you done a water birth? What was your experience?

gr8scottswife - 16 days ago.
Has anyone tried hypnobirthing? If so, what are your reflections?

TNMom - 20 days ago.
I delivered all 3 of mine standing up--GRAVITY!! My OB says unless the the baby or I am having problems, she has no problem with delivering this one in that position. It's GREAT!! I didn't tear at all with my last two.

bethcrook - 21 days ago.
For those ladies who didn't know about the other positions out there besides laying on your back, I HIGHLY recommend watching 'The Business of Being Born'! It's a documentary done by Rickie Lake and you can get it through Netflix. It's an amazing video! They have a website too, just do www and businessofbeingborn dot com

M.M.Masi - 31 days ago.
From what i've read if you are getting an epidural you can guarantee being on the bed on your back. I had my daughter vaginally with no problems. When they told me I could push i grabbed my ankles and 2 pushes later she was out. I was the talk of the floor. No one had ever seen a woman grab her ankles and push out a baby with such force. The dr. almost dropped her on the floor because they weren't prepared for such a quick delivery. But after waiting 5 hours to dialate my last 1/2 a centimeter, I wasn't going to wait much longer. lol

kelupstate - 31 days ago.
I'm a first time mom and really wanting to have a natural birth. It makes so much sense that lying on your back would make for a harder delivery, I mean why wouldn't you want gravity helping you out. I was wondering if anyone had experience having an OB and not a midwife and giving birth in a different position than lying down. I haven't asked my Dr yet, but intend to at my next appt. whether it's an option. I guess I'm a little clueless about the whole birthing thing but I have been under the impression that OB's aren't open to other delivery options most of the time.

sugarmomma - 31 days ago.
OMG are you kidding me! That is the craziest thing I've ever heard and I wouldn't be surprised if it actually happened. Jeez... get the frickin king outta my delivery room!! Yep I plan on trying the squat position too. Hell, I dont even poop laying on my back.

CrystalBall77 - 31 days ago.
I am definitely doing the squatting.. well if it is comfortable.. I read somewhere that the reason women lay on their backs to give birth is because LONG AGO.. a king wanted to watch his child be born so he insisted she lay on her back.. and apparently that is kinda how it stayed.. if you think about it.. it is somewhat unnatural.. if laying on your back during pregnancy affects blood circulation to the placenta and fetus.. then would birthing on your back have the same affect.. logic tells me so.. I think that when the baby is ready to come out.. well any position that is comfortable should be what the mom to be gets to do.. she is the one giving birth.... not the Dr's or the DH's.. so give birth in a way that feels natural..and don't forget to breath...lol

nikosmommy - 38 days ago.
I had SERIOUS back labour with my first baby. I found that sitting backwards on a chair was the only position I could tolerate... (no walking, laying in bed, etc.) Then I moved to a birthing stool for the last few hours of labour and through most of the pushing. The doctor had me get up onto the bed and lay in the traditional position right before the baby was delievered. I definately recommend sitting on a birthing stool to provide counter pressure during back labour!!!

Scooby-doo - 41 days ago.
Could I still walk around and do pretty much anything I would like until I can't stand the pain?

buggaluggs - 41 days ago.
Heather I had my first on my back (ouch, the doc was right when she said it's the most painful position), the second kneeling and the third on all fours. How #4 will come into this world I don't know. But I found kneeling and on all fours relatively easy. I can't comment on the balls or the bars and whether they're provided (ring them and ask), but you can use anything for support - the bed, chairs, your support person. Whatever gets you through it!

Heather-08-01 - 42 days ago.
Wow, I feel so uninformed - until now I really thought that women always did the actual delivering part sort of like you see it on TV - laying down on their backs. I knew about different positions during labor, but I guess I just thought when it got close for the baby to come out I would be laying on my back. Do a lot of hospitals provide birthing balls and bars?

luvmyboys - 64 days ago.
I delivered my last baby on hands and knees. It's just the way my body felt best. I tried semi-squatting on the bed and squatting on the floor, but they were too painful. I delivered a 10 pound baby and I later read that hands and knees position is the best for opening up the pelvic floor the most and good for large babies. It's amazing how our bodies know just what to do.

MissyE - 102 days ago.
Epidurals and half sitting up- worked really well for me with having my first little boy and I intend to follow the same route with this up and coming little boy- I'll let everyone know how it went after littlest one finally gets here in a couple of weeks.

fatlady - 124 days ago.
Having triplets yet hoping for a natural birth!

liddy - 144 days ago.
LOOKS FULL ON ME ONLY 5 WEEKS GOT A LONG TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT.WELL I THINK IT'S GREAT SO MUCH ON THIS SITE.LIDDYXXX

A - 163 days ago.
I just found out I'm having twins! If I have a vaginal birth (which I hope) what's the best birth position? Thanks!

Rabekah - 206 days ago.
Deklanasmommy, Thanks for the great professional advise! It's good feeling knowing you are in control.

Rabekah - 206 days ago.
Deklanasmommy, Thanks for the great professional advise! It's good feeling knowing you are in control.

nzmum.no.5 - 230 days ago.
I had text book deliveries so far. No drugs no tears and quite fast, infact my 2nd baby was delivered by my husband in a birthing pool at home, she came out ten minutes after the midwife left telling me I would properly deliver the next day. All my deliveries have been the same waterbirths on my knees leaning forward. I inserted evening primrose oil for about 3 weeks before i was due and i think this helped in softening up the birthing cannel so I didn't tear. I loved the water because it acted like a pain releif and I feld protected in it, and my babies came out clean. I have had three home births but for this one I might choose to go into hospital so I get a break from the kids.

bellybean - 261 days ago.
In my last pregnancy I decided i wanted a active Home Birth, sadly that didnt work out due to having blood in my waters and needing to be monitored in hospital. But I did get an active birth towards the end of Labour and deliverd Standing up leaning on my partner. Was FANTASTIC! Much better than my 1st labour where i was lying on a bed. Birthing Balls are great too, i was bouncing around on mine before i began pushing. x

DeklansMommy - 272 days ago.
I am planning a water birth at a local free-standing birthing home. But for my son, we had a hospital birth. Hospitals will allow you to bring your own birthing ball if you'd like (you can use it for exercising post-partum, too!) or birthing stool. Being a nurse, I can tell you that, unless you have an epidural, you're pretty much free to do what you want. It's just a matter of convenience that hospitals keep you in bed. If you ask, they will disconnect your monitors and let you walk, or keep your monitors on and let you kneel or use a ball or stool or whatever. As long as they can periodically put everything back on and monitor your baby and you for a few contractions, that's all that matters. So don't let them push you around, or make you think that you don't have any options!! You're the boss when you're a patient in the hospital (you are, after all, a paying customer), and you're the one going thru the painful process of bringing a child into the world. YOU choose what's confortable for you!! ;)

firsttimemommy - 295 days ago.
wow i never knew there was more then one postion for having a baby! thank goodness for this site..im really interested in water birthing though and i dont see to much about it anymore do they still allow it or not? let me know ladies!!

sherry-04 - 324 days ago.
Hey gurls i jus had my baby on friday june 15th and baby girl..named her raynna she was 7 lbz 7 oz...when i was pushing i had to be on my side they didnt want me to lie on my back they didnt tell me why though but i thought it was better more comfortable then my back and had a bar in front of me with a towel in front of it to pull my self up when i needed to push once i started pushing i couldnt stop lol but it wasnt hard it was soo awesome too see my baby after she came out :D:D

aprilraine - 326 days ago.
I wish that the hospital Im' delivering in offered a water birth, or even a birthing stool or ball.. but they dont. so I have to stick with the very uncomfortable looking hospital bed and stirrups :(


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