What position did you give birth in, and did it work for you? - Page 2

[Smokering]

Hands & knees felt best to me. No one coached me at all. But then DS' HR was dropping, so my MW had me get on my left side - in addition to them giving me oxygen. I felt like it hurt more & I didn't have as much power in my pushes. So when his HR recovered, I got back on H&K but then it dropped again. MW said, "Meg you may like that position but baby doesn't." So I got back down & pushed him out that way with the MW, then DH helping hold my right leg.

Side-lying is supposed to be good to avoid tears & I'm glad such a simple 'intervention' (if you could even really call it that) easily resolved the non-reassuring hear tones, so I was happy with that.

That's interesting! I always heard side-lying was meant to slow the pushing phase down (which is why it's good for preventing tears - gives the mother time to stretch), but with dropping fetal heart tones wouldn't they usually want to get the baby out as fast as possible? Or did they figure there was just something about the hands and knees position that was specifically upsetting the baby - like pressure on the cord, or something? I've been reading a lot of Ina May Gaskin on the topic of positions recently, so I'm curious. :)

[Raingirl]

With my first I loved pushing on my knees and elbows leaning on a padded stool (this was in water). I had my chin to chest and had a good push going. This was my first so I pushed for about an hour like this. After a bit of crowning, I knew I was getting to the point where I needed to be able to not push, so I sat down in the pool and reclined back (and put my head back for the most part). Somehow the urge to push was much more overwhelming in the elbows and knees position. The switch was just right, and I was able to ease her out real slowly with hardly any pain! I did have a minor tear though.

With my second, my labor was very different (2 hrs vs. 24) and my contractions were paralyzing and continuous. I ended up just birthing in the position I happened to be trying at the time to cope--on my side on the bed, my DH holding my leg. At the time I remember thinking I wanted to be a different position, but by then I couldn't move. Midwife said that in five minutes I went from 7 to 10 cm (ouch) and in the next five minutes from -3 station to baby being born. The crowning HURT this time (head in one push, and body in another push) so it seemed too fast for me. But then, I had no tearing.

I recommend doing what you feel like at the time, if you know what that is. If not, be open to suggestions. With my first, I did my own thing throughout my whole labor and was very zen. With my second I felt very overwhelmed and needed the MW to tell me exactly what to do at every point. Afterward she said she'd never seen anyone so "obedient", nor had had each of her instructions work perfectly and immediately--from the breathing to the afterbirth. I'm glad we were in sync and she knew what she was doing! :)

[Magali]

Both my kids were pushed out while flat on my back.  I tore a bit each time, but I'm all healed up with no issues.  My ds I pushed out in 20 mins and my dd took about 5 mins.  I had epidurals both times and pushing was easy easy easy. With my dd I was determined to not push flat on my back after reading up on MDC (even though it worked so well with my ds), and got into a sideways position that irritated my Dr.  I did a UP/ hospital birth and hadn't discussed positions with the Dr. beforehand so I wasn't all that upset that she wasn't happy with me on my side.  I said fine lets do it your way and got on my back and pushed dd out in 2 pushes lol.  She aplogised to me afterwards about not wanting me to be on my side and I told her quite honestly that it was all good.  If I had difficulty pushing it would have been a different story and I would have insisted we try other positions.

[kittywitty]

Kneeling with #4 helped since she was posterior. Hands & knees with #5 was MUCH better. Wish I could have caught, though. I should have told dh to make me squat so I could catch!

[Blanca78]

Thank you all for these great replies! I have my first meeting with my doula next week and plan to ask her about positioning. It also sounds like I should check out what Ina May Garten has to say. Honestly, I kind of doubt I'll be squatting anyway, but what's my doctor going to do, wrestle me to the bed?

[lifeguard]

I spent most of my labour including pushing on hands & knees or standing with my arms on the bed. I tried squatting & walking & lying down but none of them worked for me. I ended up actually delivering on my back though 'cause we ended up using forceps.

[porcelina]

I pushed out DS1 while on my back in the hospital with an episiotomy, but did left-side lying between contractions since DS1 was having trouble with hear rate. I had a second degree tear.

I pushed out DS2 from left-side lying in a natural birth center birth. I labored on hands and knees, but then contractions were too intense for me to hold my body up. This was the position I collapsed into. I had only a minor laceration on the outside of the labia. It definitely held true for me that you tear less in that position! It was also the most comfortable for me at the time.

Don't worry now about what position you want to be in. Just follow your body during labor.

[Monarchgrrl]

I had a homebirth and planned to give birth in the birth tub but when my body started lightly pushing I just HAD to get out of that water! I have no idea why, I just wanted to be sitting upright. It took a few contractions to move me to the birth stool in the other room. It was SO much better (no tears!) and I birthed DD on there less than 20 minutes later! I loved that birth stool! So I say, try not to plan too much, just do what feels right at the time.

[Marissamom]

DD was a hospital birth with an on-call Dr. and a nurse who was very unsupportive of changing positions. they were okay with me laying on my side to labor, but just barely. so they really weren't supportive of me trying anything other than their position of reclining on my back holding my legs to push. and I think it was probably the worst position for me, I really wanted to be on my hands and knees starting at transition and in early pushing. I think she could have used a little help positioning. 

[Mama2Kayla]

Dd1, I pushed flat on my back (induced hospital birth w/an epidural), second degree tear

Ds, homebirth, I tried a lot of positions and ultimately pushed him out while squatting. Never really felt the urge to push. needed a few stiches

Dd2, another planned homebirth except it turned into a UC since my labor was only an hour long. Totally felt the urge to push this time and ended up having her while I was on my hands and knees.

Hands and knees worked best for me. No tearing and it was the easiest pushing phase out of all 3. Dd2 was also my biggest baby, weighing 9lbs 12oz.

 

Don't worry now about what position you want to be in. Just follow your body during labor. 

So true! I think this is why I had an easier pushing phase with #3. It was the only birth where I truly listened to my body and trusted my instincts while pushing.

[elmh23]

#1- flat on my back, worked well, I was comfortable

#2- reclining back in a birth pool, was great!

#3- on all fours, he was got stuck with mild shoulder dystocia (and I'd been in that position for awhile) but it was the ONLY comfortable position.  he had been backwards and I had horrible back labor, but on his way out, he flipped to the correct position, thus getting himself stuck.  lil bugger.

ETA: I didn't tear with any of them.

[sawingjello]

Hands and knees in a birth tub.  My baby was 8lbs 4 oz and had a huge head.  He came out just fine.  I think I would have had more issues in any other position.  I did get three 2nd degree tears.  The midwives did not seem to have a problem catching my baby. 

[Miims]

I too am one of those women who needed a little more coaching or suggestions during transition and pushing. I expected that I would be able to instinctually figure out the best position at the moment and recall some of the stuff that I read about positions, but my contractions were too strong and close together and they didn't leave me much time to come up with ideas or move much. (Pretty much the only thing I remember to do was to moan in a low pitch instead of a high pitch... and I did that A LOT  :) Next time I would plan ahead of time with my midwife (or get a doula) and let them know I might need some extra guidance at that point. For most of labor I was sitting on the side of the bed leaning forward on my husband who was standing. It was the only position that was bearable (out of the few that I managed to try). I ended up birthing on the birthing stool, leaning back on my husband who was sitting on the side of the bed. This was what I had planned to do. Apparently, it works really well because my daughter shot out very fast and it left me with a pretty bad tear. Next time I will also be planning on a differently position that allows for a slower delivery. Water birth maybe, too.

[Lauren82]

I prefer a semi reclining position with my arms behind me grabbing onto the head board of the bed. Am I strange? ;)

[Blanca78]

Originally Posted by Lauren82 

I prefer a semi reclining position with my arms behind me grabbing onto the head board of the bed. Am I strange? ;)

Makes sense to me! I imagine grabbing the headboard would provide some solidity/leverage, and semi-reclining sounds comfortable.

[L J]

For my oldest son, he was born at home in a birthing pool. I was squatting when he came out, and that worked really well for me. I was on my knees upright in the pool, and then when he crowned I just naturally went to a semi standing squat.

For my youngest, he was born in the car. So, I was in the front passengar seat with the seat reclined back and I was facing the back of the seat. I was on my knees in a semi squat. I can see this position being utilized in a hospital bed with the bed partially upright and the mom facing the back of the bed. I liked this position for birthing, though it didn't hold a candle to the water for laboring. Bumps and rough roads and such.

Both of my labors were extremely fast and efficient, with a pushing stage less than 10 minutes. I contribute most of that to positioning, and allowing gravity and physics to work with me.

[Smokering]

I too am one of those women who needed a little more coaching or suggestions during transition and pushing. I expected that I would be able to instinctually figure out the best position at the moment and recall some of the stuff that I read about positions, but my contractions were too strong and close together and they didn't leave me much time to come up with ideas or move much. (Pretty much the only thing I remember to do was to moan in a low pitch instead of a high pitch... and I did that A LOT  :)

(Slightly OT here...) Isn't it crazy what you remember and don't remember during labour? I was in a really wacky headspace during the last part of labour. I had my eyes shut, and kept panicking if DH wasn't beside me and asking where he was - and it never occurred to me to open my eyes and look, even between contractions. I was given gas to suck on, and I knew how it all worked, but in the heat of the moment I forgot how to use it, and did it totally wrong (took a "sip", felt a bit funny and stopped, instead of sucking and sucking until the pain actually went away). I forgot all about transition; it never occurred to me to wonder if I was in it. I didn't think to touch DD's head as she was emerging, and after her head came out I asked plaintively and ungrammatically "What's born?".

On the other hand, I did get into a squatting position purely by instinct. And when DD's head was crowning I remember saying quite calmly to DH, "So that's why they call it the ring of fire". :lol Labour-land, gotta love it! I hope I'm a bit more savvy this time around, though...

[fyrwmn]

i've given birth on my back/side all 3 times by choice. with #1, i was exhaused from a 36.5 hour labor so it seemed the best choice. #2 i had told dh  to remind me that i wanted to try a squat position to push. it was only a 7hour labor and i was standing throughout the labor portion but then just felt like i needed to climb into bed for the pushing part. with #3,i'd had a week's worth of prodromal labor and had been up for most of the past 2 days. i labored while kneeling on the bed facing the headboard and with the head of the bed upright so i could lean against it. it was so comfortable for labor that was planning on staying like that to push as well. at the last minute i felt like i just had to lay down, so i did. i had no tearing with the first 2 deliveries, and only had a tiny tear that required 1 stitch from #3. he was just shy of 9 lbs and his shoulders got stuck which is what caused the tear.

[katroshka]

For both births I was sitting at the foot of the hospital bed, with my butt right up to edge, with the head of the bed fully upright, like a chair, and pillows behind me. I had pushed for a long time on my hands and knees with #1 and while it felt "good" (as good as pushing can feel, I guess!), I wasn't getting anywhere so my midwife had me move to sitting. I gave birth fairly quickly after that, with my second it all went so fast I didn't even think about positions, just got up on the bed and she came out 10 min later.

[mamabearsoblessed]

With DD1 I was semi-reclining side lying.

DS1 I was ina semi-reclining squat, flipped to hands and knees because it felt right, then back to semi-recline squat on the flat bed when it didn't. That was the position he was born.

DD2 my mw 'broke the bed' into a step, I was ina full squat with a bit of an edge to rest myself a bit as I was really shaky. She was born in a squat.

DS2 was just 5 months ago, again the 'step' with a leaned into squat for his birth. I was in a full squat in the final stages of labor but rested my butt on the edge again as he birthed so I was able to catch him. He came very quickly. 1 hr 24 mins from water breaking/ contracts beginning to babe in arms.

I seem to instinctively get into a squatty position about the same time my contractions go from tummy moans to grunty 'working his/her way down' contractions and go pretty quickly from theree. I also found in my last birth I was holding my belly 'up' in between contractions in the end but didn't realize it until I watched my birth video.

Congrats on your impending birth Mama! Laborland has it's own way of finding a position for you LOL.