Has anyone heard of an Ob not allowing any other delivery position other than on a woman's back?? I thought this was a really old practice! I had no complications in labor whatsoever, and my Ob only walked in just before my body started bearing down, but he wouldn't let me go with my instincts (on my knees) and said that I had to be on my back. I had a wonderful experience otherwise (except for third stage), but this still niggles and bothers me! My mind may be playing tricks on me, but I felt like delivering my 6lb baby hurt more and was harder than delivering my 9lb baby who I delivered on my hands and knees.
Because of this minor thing, I'm not sure I want to go back to him for our next baby.... Even though I have been told he is one of the top Ob's in our area. The midwife did say that she doesn't really see any women delivering any other way than on their backs!
I delivered privately and was flipped from my knees to my back to push. I hadn't thought about how I wanted to push and didn't think to question - I was in labour four weeks early and totally unprepared so just went with the flow!
I feel really sad and defensive when I read your post. It is incredibly outdated and against all available data that women "should" birth their babies on their backs.
Birth is about primal instincts - for some women that will mean they want to be on their backs - but frankly those women are in the very small minority.
When women are given the space to access their inner wisdom and freedom to explore their instincts and to follow them... They will crouch, squat, swivel their hips, stand, stomp, fall to the all fours position etc etc.
Interfering with these primal instincts interrupts the energy of birth.
As a woman that advocates for women's birthing choices I would have to say... Change obs. He might be a great obstetrician in some eyes. However the fact alone that he cannot meet a birthing Goddess on the ground or in the shower, or on the fit ball tells me that his skills in natural childbirth are not good. (I know that is direct... )
This is where some obstetricians fall short. They are specialists in obstetric medicine and surgery... Not necessarily (but by no means not always ) in the natural process of birth.
When I was birthing my DD in a Private Hospital, I actually wanted to lay on my back (mostly because I was just exhausted) and my midwifes & obstetrician told me this was not a great position, encouraging me into another. It was good because as a 21yr old first time Mum, I was really uninformed so their advice was invaluable. I ended up pushing in a sort of side on crunch position and didn't tear or anything so that was great. It might be worthwhile to explore some other health professionals until you find one who will support you in the way you are wishing for.
Was this ever discussed prior to birth? with your birth plan etc? I do not think I could have birthed on my back, just getting the placenta out was hard enough on my back!
Flowerchild - I thought about changing Obs, but the midwife saying she rarely sees anyone birth in any other position concerns me that all the Obs here must have the same concept? She said they preferred women deliver on their backs because there is better head control and if anything needs to be done quickly (shoulders get stuck or something) it can be. It's not like I was expecting my Ob to deliver my baby in the shower - I just wanted to kneel on the bed. I have an understanding of those natural instincts during birth, because that's all I used to birth my first baby. It was my instincts that told me it was time to get on the bed and rock on my hands and knees - before they knew it, the baby was crowning.
Kazbah - It was in my birth plan but I guess when I gave it to him, he overlooked that part?! I didn't bring it up in conversation because I honestly thought it just wasn't something that was practiced now a days. I thought everyone birthed how they liked, birthing chairs, standing, squatting etc. We mainly discussed how I wanted another natural birth with no intervention and no drugs etc. and we discussed things like his c section rates etc. This was all discussed before 30 weeks and I went two weeks early, so maybe he would have discussed it more at one of the last two appointments I should of had. I can't fault his care otherwise, so maybe I'm just being a sook and am letting it bother me more than I should.
Contractions were so much easier to deal with and handle this time compared to my first, but the birth canal part was much worse than I remember. The first time I actually thought the contrax were worse than her crowning and total opposite this time. With DD1 I went public, this time private. The first time I loved the birth and birthing suites, thought they were well equipped! But I really hated the ward and the MW's were too busy to help me with anything (most importantly breastfeeding - so I really struggled establishing it) and I was out 24 hours after I delivered. This time, I hated the birth suite - thought the public hospitals birth suites were better equpped but LOVED the ward and my own room, MW's and help. I really don't know which is more important now.... downsides to both.
I birthed at a Private Hospital in a kneeling position - i used back of the bed as support. my ob was actually in the funniest position almost like looking at the underside of car like mechanics do! - But he encouraged me to stay in that position if it was working for me (which it was) so 1.5hrs of pushing later i birthed my DD with my ob just standing there to catch her
Private hospital and birthing positions?
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) in the natural process of birth.
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