I laboured on my back and side from 9am till just before midnight and pushed for 2 hours on my back in a semi reclined position. I kept thinking to myself - I know its supposed to be better to be up and about and not give birth lying down, but honestly was too exhausted and don't think I could have got myself off the bed if I tried too. I assume I will birth again this way as felt most natural.
I actually quite like hospital beds (OK, throw stuff!)
But I can't imagine pushing any way other than standing up. I tried all fours at the encouragement of husband and midwife, and felt I didn't have enough power. So I stood and pushed for two and a half hours.
I was surprised, though, that the brief time I spent lying down wasn't *that* bad.
Everyone's different, and I think the important thing is to do what works for you
I birthed on my back. I started out on the edge of the bed, but as the contractions got stronger, I just felt safer and more in control on my back. I could look at DH, and I was able to draw my knees up towrds my stomach and take some of the pressure through them, if that makes sense. And then they gave me the epidural, so I didn't feel much at all, and stayed on my back.
I mainly laboured in a sitting up position of the bed b/c I was being constantly monitored and when I did try to stand up my legs felt like jelly & I felt very unsupported, like I was going to fall over. I know I was more comfortable on the bed of floating in the bath. I think whilst there are better birthing position than lying on your back, you need to be comfortable too.
Both my births have been managed - one way or another - so I didn't have any option. I hated being on my back though. I like the idea of birthing standing up I think, holding on to something (or someone).
There are good physiological reasons why the prone position is not optimal, but that doesn't mean it doesn't work well for some women.
I birthed 3 of my 4 babies on my back, and all three were managed for one reason or the other. In the one birth where I was squatting on the floor, holding onto a support bar, it was not because I chose it, but it came on so fast I refused to move in case I gave birth midway to the bed. It was in the shower and so the birthcentre midwife quickly threw a heap of towels on the floor so I wouldn't freak out about the baby hitting the tiles.
I think in that circumstance, if I'd had had the time, I would have wanted to be in bed, because default for me when I'm in pain is wanting to lie down. But staying squatting actually made the birth very easy for me to manage in terms of pain management and pushing. Not so much for everyone else in the room, but definitely for me. I felt far more in control of the process than I've been on my back.
That's why I wanted to do the same with my last baby, but wasn't allowed to in the end because of the epidural, monitoring equipment and my plunging blood pressure. And the birth itself again was more difficult for me. But I would say that birthing standing up would definitely be counter-intuitive to start with for me, until I'm actually pushing, then it seems the natural thing to do.
i birthed DD1 on my back but found it really hard work (as in, i had NOOO idea where we were at...but that could be newbie stuff ITMS). i did find that the pushes i did on my knees to be really hard and my legs kept shaking. but then again i wasnt using anything else as support (other than the bed rail). i saw a youtube vid where a woman leaned over the back of the bed that was put upright and supported herself that way and it seemed to make sense for me...
leaning over a beanbag could be awesome too....
you know what i really want though??? i want one of those hammocky things hanging from the roof that odent (i think it was him?) used in his suites for birthing women! man, they looked cool!
I pushed DD2 out on my back on the bed too. That was the last way I wanted to do it and never thought I'd choose that position. But I was active for the whole 10 yrs of labour. I walked through all my contractions. Then when it came to pushing I tried lots of upright positions. Pushing took 2 hrs and my m/w wanted to double check that she was coming down so I hopped on the bed for a minute. Once I was there though I didn't want to get up. They asked if I wanted help getting onto all fours or something instead but I said no. I actually felt like I could push better lying on the bed. I don't know why, it just worked. Maybe not having to worry about holding myself up or anything, just pushing? I tried to be on my side as much as I could anyway but I think when I actually pushed her out I was just on my back. Worked for me! Hoping to try a more upright position next time though to see if I can avoid tearing.
Heaven. - lol 10yrs of labour?? That's a long one hehe
I have pushed both DD's out on my back but I was sorta upright too with pillows. I never wanted to birth that way either as it goes against gravity and always imagined standing or all fours but those positions were uncomfortable.
After 9.5hr active posterior birth first time I just wanted to lie down, and second birth was 14.5hrs active labour walking etc and I was exhausted by the end too.
For next baby I would love an all fours water birth.
Ianto was born with me on my side and slightly sitting up, that wasn't too bad.
I was forced flat onto my back, legs in the air, with Amelia, and I know I'll never do that again. But I remember just wanting to be able to sit up - maybe my "natural" birthing position is sitting up? I'll let you know when #3 comes along.
I have birthed all 6 of my babies whilst laying down on my back but semi reclined. I have very active labours, but always hop on to a bed to give birth. With DD3 however, I watched TV in bed whilst in labour, laying on my side and then rolled on to my back to give birth
I birthed DD1 flat on my back,I had just had a VE and her head surprised them. I was pretty much laying on the bed or reclined back in a recliner strapped to moniters the whole time. They did say when I was ready to push I could move to however I liked but when transition hit I did not want to move.
I birthed DD2 standing at the end of the bed, I had just walked into the birthing room, taken my top off and my water broke and I was in transition, I could not move.
I much preferred the standing up birth but both girls only took 2 contractions to be born so neither was harder then the other for me.
Many of the births I have been at the woman has at some point lain on her back for rest, but mostly she instinctively moves onto her left side or on all four for actual pushing. Myself I have birth twice in a semi recumbant position (on my back, sitting up slightly). Once was in the bath and once on dry land. As long as you are not lying flat there is no real reason why this would make birth more difficult, although some women with posterior babies find lying completely flat helps the baby turn into a better position for birth and instinctively adopt this position during labour.
I was on my back (leaning up on the bed/pillows) for the actual pushing both times. First time it was all going a bit fast and not real well and I didn't really have a choice. I HATED the parts of labour where I was on my back but pushing I was OK with it, or maybe the epidural made me feel like it was OK Second time I wasn't on my back at all during labour but was for pushing, all 3 minutes of it. I suspect if pushing was going longer I may have been looking for other options but given the immediacy of the situation there wasn't a lot of scope for adjusting or getting other equipment, and I was totally fine on my back.
I'm another who has birthed both times on my back after having majority active labours. Both my births were spontaneous and drug free and TBH, I was comfortable and just fine on my back (in fact, I was only on my back for the final 30-40 mins of DS2's birth and it was a relief to be off my feet). In the lead up to DS1's birth, I never thought for a moment I'd birth on my back, but it felt right at the time, and ditto for DS2. I had a slight tear with DS1 (needed a couple of stiches), and then re-tore the old scar with DS2 (couple more stiches) ... but honestly, it wasn't a big deal.
Being on your back does not necessarily mean a "harder" birth.
With DS I was most comfortable on the hospital bed but semi reclined, I had shaky legs and it was the most comfortable and supported position I could find. I tried sitting almost upright but found I needed to be a bit reclined so I could push better. I recall the midwife dropped the bottom of the bed down so my legs were lower and not as much up in the air if that makes sense. I remember holding onto the hospital bed rail for support and for something to 'brace' myself against as I pushed
Registered User
(OK, throw stuff!)
, so I didn't feel much at all, and stayed on my back.
hehe
It's possible I may have meant hrs.
I'll let you know when #3 comes along.
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