Kneeling pad?

[k4t]

I'm starting to think about preparing my labour bag and wondered if anyone can recommend some kind of padding for kneeling on? Did you just use a folded towel or blanket? Anyone know of options that would work in a bath?

[Cherished]

Hi k4t I posted something similar when I was pregnant as I have really bad knees and in fact kneeling really wasn't ever going to be an option for me but I wanted some padding JIC that was the only position I could handle iykwim. I ended up with a water birth and was sitting normally in the corner. I thought kneeling in the bath would have been cool but it all happened so fast that again that position wasn't necessary. We took everything but the kitchen sink to hospital lol including some foam pieces which we got cut at a foam & rubber place. We tried them out in the spa at home to see which ones sank better etc. If you take something like that you need to clean in properly, soak in water and dry. soak again & dry etc and use a disinfectant. You don't want to contaminate the birth pool. The birth rooms where I birthed had beanbags so that could be ok for you if they have them but they were too hard for my knees. If they don't have them you could buy mini bean bags to kneel on or make them yourself. Something else that may work is a blow up kick board or pillow. We bought some mini kids ones which I was using to float over under my arms when pregnant in the spa and they were magic! I was in the spa morning and night near the end and being over on my tummy was the best thing ever. You can adjust how soft the kick board is because it's blow up. If you could weigh them down with a mini weight or something they would stay on the bottom of the birth pool and you could kneel down on them. The ones we got had a strap on them so you could put a mini hand weight on it and away you go.

[peanutter]

I used a yoga mat at the hospital. It worded well

[OceanPrincess]

I used a birthing mat, the birth centre had them there. TBH I hadn't even thought about it - but then I got there and was like "I need to go in the shower" and they put it down for me in there. Then when it came time to pushing they moved it out, toweled it off and put it down for me to kneel on.

Worked well, whatever it was. I think Peanutter's suggestion is a good one, a yoga mat.

Perhaps see if the hospital have one they provide?

[~TT40~]

you can buy ones that are made for kneeling in the garden which might be another option to look into

[k4t]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've been needing a blanket as well as a mat under my knees at yoga lately. Might check out some gym matting or rubber stores.

We've been so disorganized - we still haven't been on a tour of the maternity suite to check out their set up. That's also on the to do list.

[Cherished]

k4t I'd check out the birthing suit before looking for something, I think most birth suits are pretty well equipped these days. I can not kneel at all so I really needed a super soft option in case that was the position I had to birth in. But as I said I have knee issues that meant I needed to take something. I think you'll find that if you can kneel during yoga then you'll be fine with what they have in the birth suit, they certainly don't have women kneeling onto the floor that's for sure, they will have padding.

[k4t]

Thanks for the advice Cherished. I think I've been listening to too many cynical anti-hospital people who see everything as a conspiracy to make you labour in bed where it's more convenient for staff.

[Bloom]

My birth centre suggested you get Clark Rubber to cut 7-10cm foam into two 20cmx20cm squares (one for each knee). I found them fantastic for resting my head on in the shower!