Pushing Positions

Sanibel21 · March 2014

Just wondering if any vaginal birth MOOBs care to share what pushing positions you tried and what ones seemed effective. I know everyone is different, but I'm just now starting to realize that maybe the typical depiction of pushing laying on your back is not that common. And maybe I'd feel more comfortable trying others if I heard from the M14 ladies about them!

Aturl · March 2014

DaisyCat11 said:
I was deadset against being on my back in stirrups, but it ended up being the only way I was comfortable. My bed was raised up quite a bit though, so really I was in more of a sitting position.

^^this for me as well

lalaith50 · March 2014

I ended up being directed to push on my back, even though my ob had previously told me I could push however I wanted. I'm not sure, but I suspect it had to do with some complications- falling heartbeat, meconium, etc.

pepperedmoth · March 2014

@sanibel21, I'd check out a book like Ina May's Guide to Childbirth or Penny Simkin's Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn (or better yet, Simkin's The Birth Partner). They all have really good descriptions of pushing positions. I know the Simkin books are available on Kindle, too.

Still an inside baby over here, but I'm interested to try hands and knees (the baby I caught, I caught like that) and the birthing stool (just seems so comfy). My mom delivered me squatting but I haven't been assiduous about my squats so don't know if I could manage it unassisted!

novelblessings · March 2014

I ended up on my back. When I initially felt the urge to push I was standing up and felt the urge to squat and bear down. It was not as comfortable as being on my back though.

StephBrim24 · March 2014

My body was so strongly pushing on its own that I felt I needed to be on my back and basically hold on for dear life. I was shaking and trembling from the sheer force of what my body was doing. So I was leaned up quite a ways and at the end they laid me back further to help me push better since it alleviated pressure from my tailbone.

HappyWife01 · March 2014

Birthing stool. I didnt have one but I pushed while on the toilet and it was fantastic until I felt her crowning and then got into the bed to push on my back so I wouldn't have a toilet baby.

Sanibel21 · March 2014

pepperedmoth said:
@sanibel21, I'd check out a book like Ina May's Guide to Childbirth or Penny Simkin's Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn (or better yet, Simkin's The Birth Partner). They all have really good descriptions of pushing positions. I know the Simkin books are available on Kindle, too.

Still an inside baby over here, but I'm interested to try hands and knees (the baby I caught, I caught like that) and the birthing stool (just seems so comfy). My mom delivered me squatting but I haven't been assiduous about my squats so don't know if I could manage it unassisted!

@pepperedmoth Ina may's book is actually what got me thinking about this and wanting to see what others experienced! I was reading it today

I'll try to check out the others.

jwls84 · March 2014

With my first I pushed on my back, on my side (which hurt so unbelievably bad), and I used the push bar and did a tug rope type thing with the nurse. I pushed for 3 hours, nothing was effective and he was stuck.

With E, I just pushed on my back, it worked great!

DTNZ4Ever · March 2014

I pushed on my back. However I was holding onto a towel and the nurse was on the other end so we ended up playing a tug of war with the towel. DS was caught on my public bone so when I tried just pushing with my hands behind my legs I would arch my back and he would be out of position with the towel it kept me more flat which is what I needed to do.

linzerd · March 2014

After the standard pushing on my back wasn't really doing it for me, I asked if there was another way we could try. Since I had an epi I didn't have much choice so they brought out the bar that attaches to the bed and goes over it, see pip. Then they wrapped a sheet around it for me to use to pull myself up. I was still on my back but when I pushed her out I actually had my feet on the bar itself as well for traction.

jennybean80 · March 2014

I delivered all three kids on my back. DS1 was super prem so complications required it. With the twins I was on a tiny OR bed instead of a L&D bed so there weren't any other options!

rockopera · March 2014

I started on my back, but didn't like it. Baby didn't like it either at the very beginning. So I pushed for a little while on my right side, same set up as on my back with someone holding each leg and me curling up to push. That made some good progress.

Next I went to the squat bar @linzerd posted. That was my favorite, and very very productive for me. I didn't get to try anything else because it worked so well that they then set up for the catch and I moved to do the last couple in the stirrups on my back and he popped out.

My nurse had also mentioned being on all fours, kneeling and leaning up over the top of the bed as it was raised and a couple other things I don't remember. But the squatting went so well I didn't have to try anything else.

karacakes98 · March 2014

On my back all three times.

First time I had an amazing epidural and couldn't have cared less.

Second time was med-free and I had zero control over my body. It pushed on its own and I don't imagine I could have maneuvered myself into a different position, anyway.

Third time I had a super crappy epidural (but it was still better than my med-free birth).

I never felt like I needed to be in a different position during any of my deliveries

fish8412 · March 2014

Had an epidural and pushed on my back. I was content and only had to push for 40 minutes.

jrw526 · March 2014

Instinctually, I pushed on all fours for both kids. It was just what felt right and also how I spent the majority of my labor for both kids. My MW would have let me push in any position that was comfortable for me.

Khedges07 · March 2014

Laura8388 said:
They only allowed me to push laying on my back. HATED it

I would prefer to let gravity help, either squatting or on all fours.

This was my situ too!!!!! Totally hated it

jennbaylor12 · March 2014

I still have an inside baby but in addition to those already mentioned, my hospital can drop the foot of the bed and has these handles that can pop up on the sides that basically look like what you'd use to do bicep curls..... They said you can use them to pull against and actually look like they'd work really well

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