Best position?

So... We all know about birthing positions, and talk about them a lot, but what do you do AFTER baby's out?

With DD I spent three hours before her birth on my feet standing/squatting, so just wanted to sit down, and ended up on the bed, semi-reclined. I thought I was just following instincts.

I'm just now reading Michel Odent's Birth and Breastfeeding, which suggests that this is not the most ace position to be in; something to do with compression of blood vessels? (book is in sleeping toddlers room, can't go check!) and that it can encourage blood loss.

So I think my "instincts" were subject to the Hollywood effect - Ive seen so many photos, movies etc of women in that position, and, heck, the bed was right in front of me, that that's just where I went.

So, just wondering if anyone can suggest better options?

Honestly, once my babies came out all I wanted was to be in a comfortable position so that I could bask in the moment and just gaze at them. For me this was sitting slightly reclined on the bed. After my last babies birth I had some heavy bleeding half an hour after she was born after I birthed the placenta. The midwives got me to lay the bed down so I was almost flat for 10 or so minutes, so that is when hubby got his first snuggle with DD.

DD1's birth, I stayed in bed. I laboured on my back so it wasn't too far a stretch to imagine that I stayed there lol.

DD2's birth, I ended up in the bed with the head reclined. I'd laboured on my hands and knees once I was out of the shower and given birth while laying on my side, so it was nice to just lay back for a while. Stayed that way for nearly two hours and it was just heaven.

With all three births I was on my all fours on the bed (facing the bed head) so once they were born I turned over and then layed down with the bed reclined half up...To be honest I never thought about it..I was exhausted, elated, shakey, in love...I just layed back and absorbed my babies :lol:

semi reclined for me, a lovely position to rest in and hold the baby. I haven't read Odent's views on it for compression of the blood vessels though, I can understand for 3rd stage but 4th stage I wouldn't have thought it would make a massive difference. I'd like to read what he wrote though, if you have a link?

Pushing on all fours works well for me. I then turn to semi reclined for cuddle. Withh dd3 I had a water birth so cuddled in the bath then reclined on bed towing hubs durung fourth stage

I labored on my back with both girls, with DD1 she was wrapped up and i sat upright on the stretcher on the way to hospital.
With DD2 i stayed on the bed, semi-reclined and just let her lean on me and snuggle... it was beautiful.

All babies I was squatting to birth.

The first two I sat where I was for a little while then moved to the bed.

Last one was a water birth so I sat looking at her for a little while in the water then moved to my 'nest' which was a mattress in front of the lounge. we all snuggled (upright) there for a few hours before moving to the bed.

I think if you are worried about bleeding or do have some extra bleeding, upright is best. Otherwise any position you like :)

I had two extremely quick births so didn't get a chance to play around with positions with ds1 I birthed on my back with ds2 I was in the bed slightly on my side with one leg in the air, therefore as soon as they were out and placed on my chest I just stayed in the bed semi reclined and soaked up their gooey goodness

For me, I birthed standing and was so shaky that I just wanted to sit down. I was put on the bed semi reclined too. For about 30 minutes but then moved to a birth stool for the 3rd stage (took about an hour) but then it was back to the bed for repairing ;) So Im guessing my option was the bed because I needed stitching. Personally though I wanted somewhere to comfortably and safely hold DD. Very interested in what is said in the book though!

Ianto - I was sitting up in/on the bed for about half an hour, then got up to bathe and dress him. I mostly sat on the edge of the bed. I think it was two-ish hours before I showered, and spent the rest of the time in hospital wandering around the room. Mostly I sat on the bed, but that was because I didn't want to jostle him around too much. When my brothers came to visit I was able to wander the lower floor of the hospital, though I wished I could have Ianto with me.

Amelia - Didn't have a choice but to stay on my back while they stitched me up. I lay on my side after that, feeding her, snoozing, and waiting for my legs to regain feeling. It felt like hours before I could get up and shower, then go to the postnatal ward, but it was probably more like one hour. In postnatal I wanted to get up and move around all the time but there was nowhere to go :lol:


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With DD2 I birthed propped up on my knees in teh birth pool (so nice and cushy) and then for the placenta (which took 40 minutes) i was sitting upright with my back against the birth pool sides. it wasnt the most comfy position and when i went to birth the placenta i also got up on my knees and then sat back.

Have to say that birthing the placenta was a lot tougher that time around lol. much longer than the actual birth of baby haha. the contractions were ALOT more intense second time around too.

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Interestingly, when the mother feels uninhibited and is not given any orders, or even any suggestions, she tends of her own accord to find a position that minimizes compression of the big vein returning blood from the uterus to the heart; and in so doing, she reduces her own blood loss.

The mother might be sitting on the floor, bending forwards slightly as he holds the baby in her arm, or lying down on one side with the baby close to her body. Anyhow, there is no compression of the big vein called the vena cava. Just as during the delivery itself, in ths post-delivery stage it s out of the question to recommend one good position in particular. In fact there is only one positively bad position: the mother lying on her back but semi-seated, with the baby on her tummy.

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Excuse the fat finger iPad typing!

LilyDust, I really like the birth stool idea! Sounds like something to try :)

Dd I was semi reclined and then sat forward (I had birthed on my knees)
Ds I was standing kinda squatting over a bowl (again I birthed on my knees)

I don't really remember any contractions for the placenta. Both times it seemed to just fall out. My blood loss has been very minimal both times. Interesting.

Just reading up and wondering, this of you who had babies in hospitals, which position did the midwives or Dr try to get you in? Or were you allowed to go with whatever was comfy?

I think regardless of if they had tried to get me into a certain position, I'd have gone with what was comfy. I was in bed semi reclined by that stage, which was good because I was really tired.

ETA I gave birth on my hands and knees on the floor in the bathroom, then waddled over to the bed to rest, feed and birth the placenta. I was a massive sook about it too haha.

I birthed on my back. I know big no-no, but my knees were so sore from kneeling. Mostly I laboured over the toilet though. So I just stayed on my back, I also had to get stitches. I bled a lot afterwards, but turned out that I had some retained placenta. So my bleeding stopped at 9weeks after it all came out.

With Moo I gave birth standing, so I just turned and sat on the bed for awhile holding Moo until I got in to feed. With Buster I laid on the floor (I was already down there lol) on my side until the placenta was out, then I got tucked up into bed.

with this baby i remained sitting/squatting until placenta arrived. then waited for DD3 to stop feeding and we went to the couch where i lay down with her feeding lying across my chest for maybe half an hour. then i sat up semi-reclined to eat some toast. but that didnt last long...wasnt terribly comfy by that stage as i was ready for some sleep.

I gave birth laying on my side so as soon as my girl was born, I just rolled onto my back as she was placed on my chest. The bed was then raised a bit so I was in a semi reclined position The midwife just made sure I was comfortable and she was pretty happy with how little blood I lost. The only thing the midwife really said was when I felt a contraction to push to so the placenta would be delivered. I didn't really feel any contractions, I just pushed and it came out.