What position did you give birth in? - Page 3

[akwifeandmomma]

1 - hospital, epi, back
2 - "
3 - home, hands and knees. No pushing!

[Queen of my Castle]

#1- semi-reclined at doctor's suggestion (4 min)
#2 - hands and knees/kneeling at my discrestion- (3 min)

[kythe]

Originally Posted by ColwynsMommy

Everything I've seen says the birth stool is actually a very old delivery aide. Here are two articles:

http://www.sheilakitzinger.com/Artic..._March2003.htm (scroll down to the section on Chairs)
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=001...3E2.0.CO%3B2-9

Thanks for the interesting references.

The first article, by Sheila Kitzinger, indicates a different reason for the introduction of the birth stool: "It was a familiar, comfortable posture since women were accustomed to sitting crouched on a low stool when milking a cow or goat and spinning or weaving." I found this interesting because where I associate a birth stool with a toilet, women used to have very different daily activities that they associate with this position. They use the same basic reasoning for wanting a birth stool - they wanted a position their body was used to. The difference is the specific routines in their lifestyle that called for this position.

[2much2luv]

#1-hospital, epi, flat on my back.
#2-home water birth, hands and knees.
#3-ditto.
#4-hospital, epi, flat on my back.

[Rachelsmom]

#1~c/s
#2~vbac leaning over the back of the reclined bed
#3~ubac on my side on the bathroom floor

[angelpie545]

#1, waterbirth, slightly reclined while sitting upright in the birthing tub.
#2- Ditto. Seems to work for me.

With #1, I pushed for about 45 min. to an hour, but she was 9lbs 5oz, and I'm rather tiny so it took a bit. With #2 I think I only pushed for...5 min. maybe? She was 7lbs 6oz and slid right out no prob.

[desertpenguin]

#1- unmedicated hospital birth, on my knees leaning forward a little bit. the nurse tried to get me to recline while i was in transition after AROM (the AROM made my contractions go from mild menstrual like cramps to really painful) and i felt so out of control in that position that i ignored her and got on my knees. after i was complete she tried to get me to recline again for pushing but i continued to ignore her and as my OB walked in she told the nurse i was fine. the nurse was shocked afterwards that i pushed my son out in 15 minutes. hopefully after that she quit telling mothers they had to recline, but who knows.

#2 is too soon to tell but i'm planning on a homebirth. i think i will probably be on my knees again this time too, although maybe a knee-squat close to the bed kinda position, if that makes sense.

[tammyswanson]

First and only home birth in very restrictive bath tub, was a squat with both legs on either side of me. It was such a relief when DS was born, because I couldn't wait to get out of that tub!!

[Limabean1975]

Originally Posted by kythe

Thanks for the interesting references.

The first article, by Sheila Kitzinger, indicates a different reason for the introduction of the birth stool: "It was a familiar, comfortable posture since women were accustomed to sitting crouched on a low stool when milking a cow or goat and spinning or weaving." I found this interesting because where I associate a birth stool with a toilet, women used to have very different daily activities that they associate with this position. They use the same basic reasoning for wanting a birth stool - they wanted a position their body was used to. The difference is the specific routines in their lifestyle that called for this position.

Hmm. I am thinking then, that I need someone to design me a birthing chair/stool that mimics my desk chair, complete with something I can lean forward on to, as though, oh, I don't know, surfing the internet?

[erin_brycesmom]

Originally Posted by day-by-day

I see your point. But I'm also wondering if chosen positions for giving birth are also influenced by what positions we typically assume during the rest of our lives. Many cultures spend a lot of time squatting. I visited Indonesia last summer and squatting is a very common position for people in that culture. It is, however, a very uncommon position for me to be in. My muscles aren't used to it, and so it doesn't seem a comfortable position for me to be in. Additionally, I tire easily in that position.

Likewise I spent very little time in the hands/knees position during my pregnancy because my pelvic joints were so loose that it hurt a lot. So it doesn't really surprise me that hands/knees felt bad during labor. On the other hand, I spent a lot of time in a semi-reclining position during my pregnancy. It feels like a relaxing position to me. So, although I spent most of my labor standing/swaying/walking. When I got tired, the position that was comfortable to me was semi-reclining.

I don't think that I chose that position because that was "societally acceptable". It just felt right. I was actually kinda expecting to birth side-lying because that's how I had done it with my others, but when the time came, I couldn't move to that position.

I'm just hypothesizing here. Any thoughts?

I think that makes a lot of sense and is a form of societal conditioning. I think there are a variety of factors that can lead a woman to feel like a certain position is most comfortable but I don't know that this means it actually is more comfortable. The article the OP describes talks about why that position is not natural or body led as there is a direction contradiction.

I mean even though I sit back on the couch, I don't pee or poop that way . The thought of bearing down to poop while leaning back does not sound the least bit appealing to me. When I poop, I lean forward or stay upright. And isn't reclining on the couch during pregnancy not good? Doesn't it increase the risk for breech positioning? I just think we should question some of this stuff. Things do become habits but that doesn't mean they are natural or best or even the most comfortable.

And I really hope no one spends "most" of their pregnancy reclining on the couch, lol! I would hope most people stand/walk/move around more than they sit in their daily lives and standing is a great position for pushing out a baby!

[starshine1001]

#1 - flat on my back in hospital bed with feet in stirrups (had no choice, as I was hooked up to a gazillion monitors because of my DS's known heart defect) Took about 45 min. of guided pushing.
#2 - hands and knees then pressing back and down with contractions in the lovely, warm water in the birthing tub at a birthing home. No guided pushing, took about 5 min.

[~Boudicca~]

First kid: pushed for 45 minutes flat on my back with knees up and it SUCKED.

Second kid: pushed on my back with my knees over the side of the tub for 25 minutes. I asked if I could squat, the doctor gave me some bullshit answer, and I squatted anyway and she came out in 2 pushes. I loved squatting.

[eleven]

Standing up and I wouldn't recommend it. She flew out like a rocket and her nuchal hand/extended elbow took my perineum with her! :

[Incubator]

#1: hospital, pitocin but no Epi, more reclining than upright, legs bent but not in the air. I needed my husband and doula to support my legs during the pushing so I could concentrate on pushing. less than 30 minutes of pushing. no tears, just a small "snag" on one of the labia where the doctor yanked him out forcefully when his shoulder got a little stuck. : I WANTED to squat but some stupid nurse told me that "it's easier for the baby to get around the pubic bone in this position" and I had another contraction coming on, and no time to smack her. They refused to get the squat bar for me and I couldn't get off my back without something to hang on to. So reclining I went.

#2 I have a strong feeling this one is going to come while I'm kind of squatting/kneeling next to the bed, leaning forward. I always felt most comfortable with #1 in that position, and with this one too. I lean forward on the bed to relive pressure and aching in my hips and pubic area. I may wind up taking a kneel/squat in a birth pool though... we'll see.

I agree with the birthing in a position you body is used to already. I remember in labor "class" with #1 I wanted to practice the squat, but I found it too stressful on my legs and calves. In the end, through most of labor I was voluntarily in a reclining position trying to relax. With all the stress of being in the hospital, it was the best I could do. I didn't have the energy to find another relaxing position after fighting off the staff.

[cesca]

With my first I was on my knees, with my upper body resting in DH's lap (he was on a chair). It was a homebirth, but I'd been pushing for 4.5 hours before DS was born, so I actually ended up trying a whole heap of positions to try to get him to come out. But the kneeling thing worked for me when he was actually born, as it was by far the most comfortable.

With my second I was on my knees again. No pushing at all this time, DD just flew out.

[granola_mom]

Hands and knees, leaning into a ton of pillows... so the angle I guess was more like knealing on my knees upright almost.

[ahuck]

I tried squatting and it wasn't working for me. My OB said "why don't you try getting up and walking." So I stood up and stood in front of DH, I put my arms over his shoulders and pushed standing up, it was perfect! All I needed was some gravity to help me out! My OB was not expecting that! She said out of the thoursands and thousands of deliveries she's never had one, standing! BTW - I labored in a birthing tub for about 3 hours prior. Felt the urge to push and within 20 minutes out came DD!

[carriepurkhiser]

#1: birthing stool - pushed for 28 minutes (midwife attended homebirth)
#2: birthing stool - pushed for 35 minutes (midwife attended homebirth)
#3: squatting in garden tub (labored on hands and knees before pushing) - pushed for 5 minutes (unassisted homebirth and my biggest baby of almost 10 pounds)
#4: hands and knees in garden tub (homebirth), wanted to switch to squatting but baby was coming too fast - pushed for maybe 1 minute - but seemed like my hips where incredibly sore the day after.
#5: A week overdue TODAY - who knows what position - whatever strikes me as comfortable at the time - depends on how big the baby is and what position the baby is in! I think the baby decides the position for you!

[Bonsai]

on my knees with my hands on the couch.

[Lzoom101]

#1: Standing and squatting with each contraction as my husband supported me from behind.
#2: She came so fast--I was on the toilet most of the time toward the last stages of labor. I felt her bag of waters bulging, then after it broke I moved to the bathroom floor--I had no desire to move far. So I was on my back in a semi reclined position leaning on my right--she came SO fast I didn't even push and the birth ended up unassisted! My midwife showed up about 10 minutes after the birth. It was wonderful!