Tell me about birthing stools

[Thalia]

I tried searching for threads about stools, but couldn't locate any. I'm sure they are out there, so apologies for posting this.

Could you tell me about your experience with birth stools? Did you use one? Did you like it?

My midwives used to have a couple but don't at the moment, and I'm wondering whether it is worth trying to find one to use. Because of problems with my feet, I don't think I could hold a squat on my own for a long time, supported or unsupported, and I'd like to have all the options available.

So, what are your thoughts?

[laughymama]

No experience yet...I've sat on my midwife's during this pregnancy though just to see what it was like. I love the idea of it so I think I'm going to try it out. It was WAY comfier than I had expected.

My knees are pretty messed up and I doubt I would be able to squat for long either. The stool sounds lovely.

Hopefully some experienced mamas have some info for us!

[loveneverfails]

Hated it because it was too high for me. Felt like giving birth while sitting on a fence. Never using again.

[kitkat5505]

I used it for a short time my last labor and hated it because I didn't feel like I was in a good position for me.

[laughingfox]

I delivered DD2 on one. It was not made for my height, and my right leg was pins and needles from it, which was so uncomfortable, annoying, and distracting. It also made my sciatica flare up for the first time in years.

That said, it was a handy tool since I needed to be vertical (doppler showed that her heartbeat was the best when I was vertical), so if I had it to do over again, I'd totally use it again.

(I also delivered DD1 squatting, but I was underwater and didn't need the support of a stool.)

[MyFillingQuiver]

I just used one on Monday for the first time.

I pushed for just under 15 minutes-typical for me...my rear/hips got sore by the time he was delivered and I was ready to get off. I think that was the hard surface though. I found it to be a good height and position-I'm fairly tall at 5'9.

The one thing I learned about from my first homebirth was that labor/delivery options really helped..turned out I HATED water, when my big bathtub is typically my favorite place to relax!

[coldandsleepy]

I used one and liked it during my son's birth. It was more comfortable and more effective than pushing lying down in the tub (which was what I was doing initially) but not as good for me as pushing on all fours.

Good pushing position is one of those things I think you really can't predict (though there are some things that just don't work for most people, like flat on the back!) but I'd want to have a birth stool around as an option.

[Gena 22]

Originally Posted by coldandsleepy

Good pushing position is one of those things I think you really can't predict (though there are some things that just don't work for most people, like flat on the back!) but I'd want to have a birth stool around as an option.

Yeah that!

I'm tall too, just under 5'9" and the birth stool was a lifesaver. It was just the way I envisioned pushing, and it worked perfectly for birthing both my twins.

That said, I never tried all fours. That might have been good too.

But I loved the stool, it was a big help. As a first time mom I pushed no more than 20 minutes or so for each babe, maybe less, and no tears.

Don't buy one. Ask around and borrow if you can.

Good luck!

[Thalia]

Thanks, this is helpful! It sounds like it is worth having one around, just in case. With my first, pushing only took 14 minutes, but I pushed REALLY hard (my own choice) and broke a lot of blood vessels in my eyes, and had a 2nd degree tear. I was sitting semi-upright on the bed at the time. The tear wasn't a big deal, but I'd like to have some options for both laboring and pushing this time around.

I would definitely not buy one for the $150-$350 prices I am seeing online. However, somewhere on the internet there was a suggestion to get a med supply shower chair with adjustable legs and a cut out in front as an inexpensive birth stool. The one I found was $34, and adjusts as low as 13", and could even be used in the hospital labor tub. I'm going to see if I can donate it to my midwives practice if they want it afterward.

[rightkindofme]

I tried one and I found it horribly uncomfortable. I was able to half squat in the tub and that worked well enough.

[Thalia]

Got my stool! Now just waiting for baby.

[SilverFish]

i used one during my labour. was supposed to have a homebirth with a tub, but that didn't work out. the hospital had a tub which i used during contractions, but wasn't allowed to deliever in it (and since we were dealing with potential preemie issues, didn't want to fight them on it). next to being in the tub, i liked the toilet best, and transfering to the stool just as dd was crowning was the closest in position to being on the toilet. i liked the stool better than any other position i tried... i was having terrible heartburn and found many positions seemed to aggravate it.

i will say that i had pretty bad tearing which i honestly think was partly to do with the stool. i could feel as i was pushing that i was pushing too hard and that the squatting position was being really hard on my tissues. i don't think i would use one again unless i didn't have access to the tub and no other positions felt comfortable. it's not a bad tool though.