It takes a lot of effort and is generally uncomfortable to give birth. Use these postures to make it simpler for you both. The truth is that there are a number of labor positions you can adopt throughout the early stages of giving birth, and another set that makes for effective birthing positions when it's time to push—and they don't all require you to lie flat on your back.
Sara Twogood, MD, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and creator of Ladypartsblog.com, explains that switching up labor and delivery positions is crucial to ensuring the best possible outcomes for both mother and child.
"For Mom, this can entail making her more comfortable, particularly if she's giving delivery without the use of any drugs. Optimizing her pelvis so baby can have more room is another option.
So Mama you prepared and plan for the birth of the baby for nine months. You study books, watch videos, and perhaps even enroll in a childbirth classes. However, despite what many of us have been made to believe by movies and television, labor and delivery don't necessarily take place with the mother lying on her back with her legs spread wide.
Here’s a primer on some of the best labor and birthing positions to help you prepare for the big day.
Table Of Contents
- The best labor positions
- The best birthing positions
Best Labor Positions
When contractions start to intensify during active labor, things can get painful. However, bear in mind that women don't begin pushing until the cervix has fully dilated; for some, this occurs rapidly; for others, not so much.
Therefore, there are a few labor positions your doctor or midwife may recommend to help you to the pushing point more pleasantly while your body and baby get ready for delivery.
Even with an epidural, labor and delivery nurses are typically pretty adept at assisting a woman in moving around to find the labor positions that feel best to them, according to Twogood. "I advise women to try out various positions when giving birth. Every woman and baby is unique, so what works for one woman may not work for another.
#1The posture on hands and knees
You must get on your hands and knees in the "all fours" posture, whether you're in bed or on a floor mat. Rebekah Wheeler, RN, CNM, a licensed nurse-midwife in the Bay Area of California, explains that the hands and knees posture is ideal because it helps open the pelvis. In Phoenix's Banner University Medical Center's Women's Institute medical director Megan Cheney, MD, MPH, adds, "Baby's heart rate sometimes responds better when you're in the hands and knees position, especially if baby isn't in the best area."
Pros:
eases back discomfort by relieving strain on the spine.
Might increase the oxygen level in the infant
Cons
- Your arms may get tired
#2 The seated state
It's normal if you just want to sit down when you sense your baby's weight pressing against you. Sitting and spreading your legs in this labor position helps ease some of the pressure on your pelvic, whether you're on a birthing chair or even on the toilet.
Pros:
- Good for a nap
- Can still be used in conjunction with a fetal monitoring device
- The perineum is relaxed when using the restroom, which can lessen tearing.
Cons:
- A hard toilet seat can become uncomfortable
- May not be an option if you’ve had high blood pressure during pregnancy
#3 Birthing ball positions
You can use the birthing ball in your labor positions in addition to sitting on a birthing chair or the toilet. Many women refer to the object as their best friend throughout labor and delivery. Birthing balls give you assistance while you move about, according to Twogood. Women who want hip movement appear to find them useful.
A birthing ball can be applied in a number of ways: Some ladies kneel on it, lean on it, sit or rock on it, or just drape their upper bodies over it. Even while squatting, you can support yourself with it. Bliss declares, "I'm a tremendous fan." It's fantastic because women may bounce and move about during contractions even while being observed. Check in advance to see if your hospital uses wireless fetal monitoring; if not, your range of motion in various labor positions will be constrained.
Pros:
Can assist in positioning the infant in a good birthing position.
reduces back strain
The use of birthing balls during labor can aid in promoting dilatation and advancing the infant deeper into the pelvis.
Cons:
- Can be challenging to maintain equilibrium
- Some birthing ball postures are challenging to perform by yourself.
#4 The crouching/squatting posture
Squats are rarely at the top of anyone's list of preferred workouts, but you might want to consider using them as one of your labor positions on the day of delivery. Squatting can be done against a wall, with a chair or a partner's assistance, or both.
Pros:
- Aids in opening the pelvis
- Gives the infant space to move as they approach the delivery canal
Cons:
- It could get tedious
#5 Side-lying is a position.
One of the best work postures to attempt when you need a break is lying on your side. However, simply because you're lying down doesn't mean your body is stopping the process of giving birth; on the contrary, it can assist the baby in getting into the appropriate position.
Bliss explains that side-lying and utilizing a peanut-shaped birthing ball between the legs are excellent methods for encouraging the baby to descend and spin. I advise my clients to turn from side to side throughout the procedure to aid in the baby's descent and exit.
Pros:
- Helps get oxygen to baby
- Can be used if you have high blood pressure
- Makes it easier to relax during contractions
Cons:
- May be difficult to assess fetal heartbeat
#6 The upright position
Although gravity may not have been your friend during pregnancy, you can use it to your advantage when giving birth by laboring in an upright position. Simply being vertical can advance you toward the finish line whether you are standing, moving, or swaying.
Women who are waiting for labor to progress may find it comforting to walk, according to Cheney. Amy, a Connecticut mother of two, discovered that to be the case. In order to expedite the process, she recalls, "I walked laps around the hospital wing." Side by side movement while supported by someone else is a helpful approach to navigate labor.
According to Wheeler, "rocking your hips keeps the baby moving lower and lower." (Getting one last hug from your sweetheart before the main event is also beneficial!) Regarding the upright position, keep in mind the following additional factors:
Pros:
Alleviates back pain
Can lessen the discomfort of contractions.
Encourages infant to enter the delivery canal more fully
Cons:
- Not often advised for women with hypertension
- The fetal heart rate must be continuously monitored with a telemetry device.
#7 The position of lunging
Although performing lunges while in labor may not sound like your idea of fun, it is one of the postures you might want to try. For these lunges, as opposed to at the gym, you can prop your foot up on a chair or stair: When you start to feel a contraction coming on, just lean your body forward onto the lifted foot. You are free to repeat it as often as you like. Now isn't that powerful!
Pros:
- Aids infant to turn or descend
- gives the infant extra room by opening the pelvis.
Cons:
- Needs a companion to assist you in maintaining your equilibrium.
#8 .The stair climbing position
Baby may require further encouragement to move into the best position for birth if labor has been going well but then suddenly slows down. As it can aid with baby shifting, you might want to think about using the stairs as one of your labor positions.
Pros:
opens the pelvis, allowing the baby to lower more and press against the cervix.
helps the infant turn and assume a healthier delivery position.
Cons:
Can be exhausting, especially if labor has been prolonged
Best Birthing Positions
Congratulations! You've successfully through the initial part of labor. For the last stretch, it's time to vary things up and adopt birthing positions. According to Bliss, "birthing positions are employed to force the baby out.
" Birthing positions don't usually involve reclining on your back, just like labor positions. In actuality, Wheeler notes that "women who lie in bed seem to endure more discomfort than women who move around." The ideal delivery positions are listed here for you to attempt.
#1 Squatting birth position
Squats are not only beneficial to perform throughout labor, but they are also one of the preferred positions for giving delivery. Remember that gravity is on your side during labor and delivery.
Pros:
- Reduces the requirement for specific delivery instruments, like as forceps or a vacuum
- aids in dilatation .
Cons:
- The baby may not be in the proper position for squatting.
- If done without a birthing stool or other aid, it could result in more ripping.
#2 Reclining birth positions
Childbirth is hard work, and you might need to take a break—which is why many women opt for reclining birthing positions. Keep in mind, “reclining” can mean a number of things—yes, you can lie down in bed, but you can also recline against a wall, a chair or another person.
Pros:
- Can release tension and relax the muscles
- May be a good alternative if a woman is tired but doesn’t want to lie down completely
Cons:
- Can work against gravity
#3 Birthing stool positions
A birthing stool can be used in a variety of birthing positions. Depending on the stool's design, women can squat on it, get on all fours and use it to support their arms, or even rock back and forth while using it. Plus: There are birthing stool types that function in the water if you like the thought of having a baby there.
Pros:
- Can aid the infant to descend farther
- alleviates back stress
- Can cause the cervix to swell more
Cons:
- Women might lose more blood than men do.
#4 Birthing bar positions
Call it the birthing stool’s cousin: Many labor beds come with a birthing bar attachment that can be used to assist various birthing postures. A birthing bar allows you to squat at any time while resting on it for support. The birthing bar is an excellent tool. To make it simpler to use and change positions, you can wrap a towel around it, advises Wheeler.
That was true for Jennifer, a mother of two from Connecticut, who recounts that "the birthing bar was put on the bed after about two hours of pushing with no success. It assisted me in building up the resistance I required to exert enough pressure for the doctor to step in.
Pros:
- Expands the pelvis
- Uses gravity to push baby down
Cons:
May not be available at all hospitals
#5 Kneeling birth positions
Kneeling can aid in turning the baby so that they are facing Mom's back rather than her abdomen. One of the most common birthing positions is kneeling because it also provides mom with a much-needed rest.
Pros:
relieves contraction pain
Reduces back pressure Negatives
For continuous fetal monitoring, it could be challenging.
Talk to your doctor or midwife about all of your options for labor and delivery positions before settling on the ones that will be most convenient and comfortable for you. Every baby and mother reacts differently to positions.
The labor attendant's ( Doula) responsibility is to aid in determining what functions best, according to Wheeler. Regardless of the labor and delivery positions you select, everything will be worthwhile when the baby is delivered in your arms.
Conclusion
We have come to the end of our topic : THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE BEST LABOR AND BIRTHING POSITIONS FOR YOU AND YOUR BABY. I hope you learned something and enjoyed it. I am so happy that I could show you something to make your labor easier and effective. Labor is not easy and I know that these positions can help you to have an easier and more productive labor. I recommend them to my clients and they sing the praises.
The bible says faith without works is dead, so is labor without practice. I want you to practice these moves often so that when labor does come ,you will be well prepared. Thanks for stopping by and happy practice.
Meditation
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
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