What position is the most ‘comfortable’ to labor in? - Page 2

[alegna]

I was *really* tired. I spent most of my labor with dd floating in the inflatable pool.

-Angela

[PiesandAbrosmama]

I choose "other" because each of my three birth's it was different for me. With #1 in the end had to be out of the birth tub in a supported semi semi squat with DH supporting me. With #2 a qiuck waterbirth in the tub on my own and after that birth I swore I would never labor without water. Then to my surprise #3 birth had no interest in water even though I had my nice big garden tub with jets available. In the end I labored on hands and knees and pushed babe out that way on my bed. So just depends on each labor in my opinion

[MomOfImandZee]

This is a tough question.... good thing there's no right answer

It depends on the type of labor and what's going on!!! With DD I loved to be in the tub. With DS, it was ALL back labor and I couldn't sit down -- even to sit on the toilet or birthing ball was painful! So I stood; was in a lunge; or knelt on the bed with the head of the bed elevated while I was in the hospital.

[Spark]

I always find it nice to sit on the toilet a bit. And use my birth ball. I walk in early labor.

My last labor was really short. It was 1 hour, 40 minutes from my water breaking to having the baby in my arms. I was really confused at one point. I didn't know what to do. I was only laboring with my DH and he noticed that I was oddly dancing through ctx that weren't doing much. He suggested we lay down & cuddle together. It was like running towards labor instead of trying to get away from it. Embracing labor made everything more intense, but it also brought my baby to me quickly & effectively.

Now, I *felt* better/easier when I was oddly dancing during ctx, but I really needed the intensity that side lying gave me.

[earthie_mama]

I could NOT be sitting or laying down this last time, the first time (posterior baby, mucho back labor) I liked it best hands and knees (although that was an epidural hospital birth and h&k was the only position other than flat on back that I tried, andf not until the end)

This time I had to be standing, putting weight on my counter and rocking my hips.

[Llyra]

I was most comfortable sitting cross legged between contractions, and then kneeling up during contractions, or leaning forward onto pillows while kneeling. I needed to be in a position where I could MOVE during a contraction, because that helped me manage. Rocking in a glider was nice during the milder contractions early on. But the only thing that really helped when it got rough was walking. As long as I kept MOVING, I was fine and in control.

The one position that SUCKED was lying on my side. When they tried to get me with the stupid fetal monitor, that's how they wanted me to lie, and it was terrible. After the first time, I wasn't having it.

[koru]

i voted "other" because with #1 i had to be walking...quickly... until i was able to get in the water...ahhhh. with #2, walking worked (water was awful) but child's pose did wonder's, too.

[MidwifeErika]

birthball, birthball, and more birth ball! I found it to be comfortable because I was sitting, but could move and rock and relax all in the same place. With #2, I also loved being in my kiddie pool (waterbirth), where I ended up birthing in sort of a crab walk position. #3 I tried laboring in a bathtub, but I am a big girl so the water wasn't deep enough to cover my whole belly and laying on my back was really uncomfortable with my big belly hanging out of the water yet. I should have taken the birth ball into the shower though.... I bet that would have felt awesome!

[wombatclay]

I think that since each woman, each labor, and really each contraction is different...the "most comfortable" position is whatever is working at the moment and that it could change at any time!

[MotheringHeart]

I know that for me no one position was it the whole time. Except when I'm pushing and then the ONLY position for me is standing/squatting. I am not comfortable on my back or laying down. I mostly sit/walk/stand. I sit on the toilet, on the bed or in dhs lazy boy. I do lay down in the shower or get on hands and knees in the shower. Labor is an evolution of listening to what my body needs and so there is no one *right* position.

[MelKnee]

While I was waiting for the birth tub to fill I felt most comfortable walking between contractions and squating during. Once I got in the tub, kneeling and on all fours was best. I delivered ds#2 and dd in a crab/squat position.

[Eman'smom]

Standing with a small amount of walking.

[2sweetboysmom]

Answer---All over the place. I changed what I was doing regularly, every 3-4 ctx in transition. I have not had the opportunity to use a tub in labor, I think I would really like it. I have great affection for labor balls. I feel a lot of aching and stretching in my yoni and cervix during active labor. Sitting on the ball, and rolling my hips around provided some counter pressure and allowed me to relax insteed of tensing up down there.

[Cinder]

For me it was standing up swaying from side to side for labouring, but as soon as it was time to push I *wanted* to be in bed...no clue why, and certainly not what I expected at all!

[HappiLeigh]

For me it was walking/standing/swaying.

[ecoteat]

The last bit of labor I was most comfortable half kneeling/half squatting in the tub, leaning over the side, sqeezing dh. But earlier I felt good sitting on the toilet, leaning forward, squeezing dh. Before that, I was most comfortable on my hands and knees, on the bed, squeezing dh. I don't know how I would have done it without him!

[littleteapot]

Upright, walking around, sitting on the toilet.

[krismarie]

for me, hands and knees...i had horrible back labor due to tilted uterus. but i loved the freedom of moving around the whole time. walking, sitting on a stool, standing with support while pushing...