pushing on your side?

[scottishmommy]

Thoughts? 9 lb dd shot out like a cannonball and took everything with her! I've read that side lying is a great position to avoid tearing in. Anyone tried it?

[47chromosomes]

Birthed my second DS while laying on my side. I was just too tired to do anything but lay down at the time, and laying on my back was resulting in a few decels. Side lying seemed to get rid of those decels effectively. I did not tear at all. He was 8lbs 8oz. But then, I did not tear--on the perenium, but did internally--with smaller DS one, either. I did not find that it felt any less effective than hands and knees, which is the other position in which I have birthed. DS2 was born in about 30 minutes of pushing, which was the same as DS1 I think.

[treeoflife3]

I layed on my right side as it was the only place I felt comfortable during the pushing stages. I tore just a little bit. From what I understand, the rec for side lying is on the left but I think I tore because I didn't do any type of massage nor could I slow down and breath her out at the end... my body basically forced me to push her out pretty hard and fast.

It was easy though, laying on my right side. I wanted a water birth but I couldn't find a good position in the tub that night so on my side I went!

[homemademom]

I lied in side lying position with one of my babies, no tearing and no stuck shoulders (which has been a problem with my others). She didn't come out particularly fast, though not slow. I think 15 minutes total pushing time.

[EMAID]

I had the opposite experience. I was forced to lay on my side during my first birth because my baby was not engaged and my water was broken. I ended up with substantial tearing of both the perineum and the labia that required a lot of stitches. I bled for 6 weeks. Not saying there may not have been other contributing factors, and the situation I was in pretty much required laying on my back/side to prevent cord prolapse (and after the head was down, due to complete exhaustion), but I would not do side-lying again unless there was a medical reason for it.

[cileag]

I like side lying for reducing tearing---I also like it because if you birth in the hospital, it's an easy "variation" that I feel significantly opens your pelvis by getting you off that semi-sitting position, and yet most MDs are comforable with it. I often find that moms with an epidural make great change when we switch from side to side during entended pushing. It does seem to increase the feeling of pressure however, depending on how far on your side you are.

I think it's definitely worth a shot.

[MegBoz]

I pushed out my DS lying on my left side. 45 min total pushing, much of it on hands & knees, but there were decels & side-lying resolved it. (I got back up on H&K, but decels came back & my MW said, "Meg, you may like that position, but baby does not.")

I had a very minor 1st degree tear, but I pushed through crowning. I didn't realize he was crowning & no one reminded me to pause & breath him out.

I met with another HB MW who agreed it's a good position to reduce tearing.

[Galatea]

I did with #2 b/c he was coming so fast. I didn't tear, but I didn't with any of my babies, so I don't know if it helps. It didn't slow him down at all, but it was pretty comfy.

[St. Margaret]

I birthed like that, on my right side. It was just how I curled up while transistioning, and I sort of just opened one leg up and over (propped up on my fab OB's shoulder and my doula helping a bit...DH likes to say I birthed DD upside down!)... I think mostly your body will tell you how to go... DD came pretty fast for a first timer so while I was always, I'm not gonna be in bed to birth! it was probably best, let me relax and not tear.

[Detcb]

I birthed DD on my left side. She came fast! I started having uncomfortable contractions at 11 PM and arrived at the hospital ready to deliver at 1 AM. While we were at home, I vocalized and let my body do the work. When we got to the hospital, they checked me and she was crowning. So they told me to push and she came out all at once! I had 2nd degree tears. I think that if I hadn't been told to push my body could have kept on doing what it was doing and maybe I wouldn't have torn/ torn less.

[shells_n_cheese]

I was pushing on my left side, my DD had a 4 min. shoulder dystocia though, and I had a 2nd degree tear.

[chattyprincess]

I just delivered my second dd and did it left side lying...no tears of any kind and felt wonderful afterwards...I think with all postions there are upsides and down sides and really you just get to the place that you need at that point in labor..