Natural Birth
thebigmare
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Squatting in labor
thebigmare
member
So I've been practicing my squats daily for awhile now and my feet are still not flat on the floor, but much closer (yay progress!!!). I discovered tonight that with my husband behind me to balance me, I can lean back and my feet are flat on the floor. But this is still not a comfortable position for me. I can only hold it for a minute or so before it starts to hurt my knees. I just cannot imagine squatting during a contraction! If it isn't comfortable to me when I'm not in labor, how will it be comfortable then? I suppose I could squat between contractions or squat during using supports (like a squat bar - which I just can't visualize right now)???
Please share your experiences squatting during labor.
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Re: Squatting in labor
where are you birthing? a birth stool is good for this. however if you do use this remember that it is best if you can sit farther back on your tailbone so that your perineum is not pulled tight. i have seen more tears with women on the birth stool sitting straight up. it also makes perineal support more difficult.
if ppl are doing a home birth/birth center and no one has a stool i am a fan of the toilet for pushing. it's nice because the mess goes in the toilet and the big hole in the middle allows for room for my hands and peri support. oh and also it is kind of a natural place to sit and push.
No one said you HAD to squat. I never squatted during my labor with my dd. Like pp said, the toilet felt very natural for me to push on and I pushed there til I was about ready to actually birth. Just do what feels right to you in the moment.
I'm giving birth at a hospital. I'm pretty sure that they don't have a birth stool, but the bed somehow comes apart and there's a squat bar.
If it's a squatting bar on the hospital bed I'm guessing it'll be most useful to you during pushing and not just during labor contractions. In which case you might be comfortable enough to squat for pushing, and then lay back down in between.
I know I don't have to squat. But when I read about how it can open up the pelvic outlet by up 30% and it shortens the length of 2nd stage labor, it makes me want to be able to squat!
Yes, the squatting bar is on the bed (I still can't visualize how it works. I guess I'll find out soon enough!).
My hospital had this too. The bed actually is in various parts and they're able to lower the lower half of the bed so it is below the top half (think of it being like a set of stairs with the lower half being the lower stair), and then they attach a squat bar so that it connects on the sides and goes across that lower half. It actually works pretty well. That said, I tried squatting too and it just didn't work for me. I felt too much of labor in my thighs to have the strength to support myself, even with my arms using the squat bar for support too. I delivered DS on my hands and knees and found that to be the most comfortable. Continue practicing your squats, but just know that in the moment you'll want to listen to what your body is telling you.
I didn't do proper squats during labour.
I did try the birthing stool, but it put pressure on my bottom (the back passage) that just hurt.
The hospital shower had a waist high bar around it, and I used that to support myself as I leant over from my waist and squatted into my thighs a little to ease contractions. then I'd collapse into the chair behind me while I waited for the next contraction.
So I agree with pp that said there's no rule that said you have to squat. I think that bending down through your knees helps open up your pelvis, bur I also think that your body will naturally do its own thing to try and make you as comfortable as possible.
For what it's worth, I'm strong in my legs and very flexible. I can do a full squat down to the ground with flat feet, and just sit there as long as I need because it's comfortable to me, but it never once occurred to me to do that in labour.
And whilst I know that lying on your back to push a baby out is "wrong" on all sorts of levels, but it's what felt most comfortable to me and that's how my baby got pushed out.
So I think it's great that you're strengthening and preparing your body, and that is a good thing for your own health and well-being, but at the end of the day just follow your instincts and you'll do great.
Elizabeth 5yrs old Jane 3yrs old
I took a pregnancy course where we discussed many birthing positions. Our instructor made it a point to mention that no one should have their hearts set on one position as it may not work or feel good in that critical moment. Also no one uses the same position for the entire pushing phase apparently. It's all on what feels good and how things progress.
For squatting you may also consider (like myself) hanging. We attached some hooks to the beams of the ceiling where I will hang on to some rope for support during a squat. A good pelvis opener as well is being on all fours with your back arched outwardly.
When I hit the wall and said "I can't do this anymore! Take me to the hospital!!!", my midwife suggested that she check my progress (which she hadn't done at all yet). So I laid on the bed and had my first internal...and I was 10 cm!
I didn't move again until J. was born. That's right. I birthed him on my back in bed, just like everyone says not to. But I was comfortable there. When I asked if I should move, my CNM replied "are you comfortable?" And I said yes. She said that I was doing great and there was no need to change positions unless I wanted to.
So I didn't.
If you aren't comfortable squatting, don't squat during labor.
This is a good link with lots and lots of pictures and explanations of different upright birth positions, not just squatting:
https://talk.sagemama.net/2011/02/02/positions-for-birth.aspx
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
I didn't squat, but for much of pushing I sat leaning forward over the edge of my birth pool. My upper body was on the side of the pool, so it was similar to hands and knees except that my hands weren't on the ground. I ended up turning and sitting on my butt to actually push my son out, mainly because I was having trouble getting him to descend all the way and my midwife needed a better view to make sure all was ok. Turned out he was just a bigger baby with a nuchal hand, and by shifting onto my butt she could grasp his hand better and pull his arm out first so I could get him out the rest of the way.
During my home birth I pushed in a Squat in the water, what helped was to touch DD's head and make sure that I was directing where I was pushing correctly.
Then in between I would rest on hands/knees.
Do whatever feels right though, I think I held onto the side of the tub while I was squatting, but it's all a bit fuzzy
I tried a push or two squatting. It wasn't feeling very effective to me, took way too much energy to stay up (too exhausted before pushing even started) and it led to sustained baby heart decels. Since I was giving birth naturally in a hospital with OB's, I knew what the OB on call was going to suggest if I tried another push or two in that position.
So I was flat on my back girl. I used the squat bar to raise and rest my legs and feet in between contractions. And leverage for rocking on my back/hips when the lower back pain was increasing.