What position did you give birth in?

Hi,
I am interested to know what positions people gave birth in or found good during labour? At the moment, I am keen to try something that is going to help with the whole gravity effect thing if possible, so maybe squatting or on all fours if its possible, but I'd just be really interested to hear about anything actually, so I can get some ideas.

We've been to the hospital and had a look at the the birth suites, and they have all sorts of things like birth stools, those big balls, bean bag, bath etc and I'd just like to know if anyone used these things and if you found them to be helpful?

thanks

I gave birth in a semi reclined position and found it easier to push that way cause I could grab my knees and push against myself kwim? It is hard to say before you go into labour what position you would like to give birth in, because it is really whatever mood you're in at the time and what you feel comfortable with. I have done different things with all three births and you just seem to *know* what you want to do, almost instinctively.

I found my biggest problem with labouring on my knees, it that after a while my knees got really sore and I had to keep moving to give them a rest. I did fine a bean bag somewhat useful to lean on and take some of the pressure off my knees, but when it came time to push, I have always liked to be semi reclined and the bed raised behind me to lean against.

So long as you know what you have available to use when the time comes, you will be able to move form one thing to another, or just use the same thing to help you stay comfortable.

I tried kneeling too, but we weren't really getting anywhere and the midwife couldn't see what was going on well enough. I ended up semi-reclining too and I think that worked ok for me - I had to push for ages, so this position stopped me from getting too tired. Having said that, I wasn't offered a birthing stool, so I've no idea if that would've been easier...

I was laying semi reclined on my right side with my left leg being supported... I had been on all fours for most of the labour.

I was semi reclined with both James and Madeleine. It seems to be the best position for me :)

I laboured standing up for a while (leaning on DP during contractions), then I was sitting on a fitball with my legs apart rocking.
I gave birth standing up in the shower, bent over at the waist leaning on the shower rails. Midwife caught my son underneath me - she got a little wet :D
#1 DD was posterior, and I couldn't move from all fours. I ended up with an epidrual and assisted birth, so was not the perfect experience.

I laboured standing , bent over the bed, but got so tired my legs were quivering, so I was put into a semi reclining position, similar to what Sherie described. Only problem there was My right arm didn't work afterwards for days - I was levering off my right knee so much during contractions (left was prety incapacitated from darn drip!) that I lost all strength in it. I couldn't even hold a glass of water afterwards!

except for 1 csec, I delivered the other 3 on all fours. over a bean bag for the twins, and over teh back of the bad for Dion. I laboured standing and sitting on a fit ball.

DW was on all-fours in a birthing pool for Molly, and kneeling in our spa for Olivia. I caught baby the first time, and she caught Olivia herself the second time.