Labor positions

I had my babies without an epidural! For me personally laying on my back hurt me soooo much. I ended up birthing my kids in either the squatting position or hands and knees. But even if you have the epidural remaining as upright as you can during pushing helps so much (gravity). Whenever I tried laying down my contractions were so much more painful and my baby almost felt stuck. It’s not the same for everyone but this is just my experiences!!

@Anissa how many weeks along were you & how many cm dialted were you when you went into labor?

From my knowledge you will be placed into positions if you are getting an epidural, you won't be able to move yourself. So they will likely move you about. But most women find how delivery is presented in the movies (on your back) unhelpful. If you want to try being able to be in different positions that aren't limited to someone who can't feel their legs I would reconsider the epidural. I did so many it was crazy, congrats and best of luck!

With the epidural I had for my first I was VERY numbed up so definitely had to be moved into positions… 0 control of my legs. I definitely recommend laboring down if possible (you’ll be seated in an upright position while fully dilated as you wait for baby to descend a bit more before pushing). When it came time to push, I tried side lying first because I read so many good things about it but I wasn’t able to push effectively in that position with how strong my epidural was. So went on my back in the “classic” position and it was a lot easier for me to get the hang of pushing. Maybe side lying will work for you? This time around I think I’ll ask to try “throne” position if possible before probably just doing the classic again if needed.

@Jess if you can’t feel your legs because of the epidural then you might be limited to positions from what I’ve heard

@Sarah this was very helpful thank you!! I’ll definitely just let the nurses at the hospital advise me what to do because of the epidural.

@Iris of course! Best of luck! I’d definitely let them know you’d like to try a few different positions though as many nurses/doctors default to the “classic” position.

i got my epidural at 7cm. I labored the entire time with the lower part of the hospital bed dropped on all fours. my son slid out in one push, no joke or exaggeration! I also did other things to prepare but that’s how I labored!

@Jayla🤍 what else did you do to prepare?

Use a peanut ball during labor (most hospitals have them but ask if they do in advance). Get a walking epidural (very low dose that allows moving around). You can also request the epidural be shut off when it’s time to push to regain complete feeling. Pushing positons can be a number of position. You can request the bar that attached to the bed to labor and push. Hands and knees, side lying, squat. You can basically do many positions with assistance. I would avoid being on your back with legs open: that exact position is what causes many women to push for long and have terrible tears or episiotomies. If you do have to be on your back then turn the bed into a chair-like position with your back elevated to get as much gravity as you can

@Jess you can switch positions with an epidural but most times you won’t be told even tho nurses can assist with that. You can don’t have to be extremely numb but that’s something you have to ask the anesthesiologist or he’ll just give the standard dose they give everyone which is complete numbness most times

@✨Wis 🇭🇹 any positions you recommend if I want to be drugged up on the epidural during birth? I’m terrified of the pains and how it’ll affect me, I’m 4’11 and right now I weigh 98 pounds and before pregnancy I was 85 pounds (not willingly) and im just so scared to give birth. It’s my first time.

@Sarah you can actually request not to be so numb. A walking epidural or just enough epidural to not feel pain but not be completely numb. You can also have the epidural turned off once you reach 10cm to gain back feeling to push. And you can go many different positions even if you’re numb but you have to ask your nurse for that assistance and use the hospital bed to shift into different positions or use the squat bar. There are plenty options they just won’t tell you cause it’s more work for them.

@Iris I honestly wouldn’t recommend being drugged up. Not feeling anything is often what leads to women pushing for hours, forceps or vacuum, fetal distress (which leads to emergency cesarean) and terrible tears. So a lot to consider. A low dose of epidural doesn’t mean you feel pain. It means you feel the contractions, you feel baby coming down, you can feel yourself pushing but don’t feel pain. But it’s up to you how you want the epidural just want you to understand the pros and cons and risks. With the epidural, the butterfly position is good to do, using a peanut ball, hands and knees position and switch positions often. You can use the bar to push as well. I would avoid laying down on your back your entire labor. Your body needs gravity for baby to descend if that makes sense

@✨Wis 🇭🇹 I know! I’m not too sure what went wrong that first time but thankful I at least didn’t have my friend’s experience who was numb only on one side 😂 definitely asking for a lighter epidural this time around. I think when I got to the hospital I could’ve let the anesthesiologist know to do a lighter dose but I was in SO much pain didn’t even think about it and had originally planned on going natural so didn’t write it into my birth plan as detailed as I should have.

@Sarah yes I understand. Epidural is not 100% correct science. 20% of them fail and I was part of the 20% but I wasn’t mad lol. I hope it goes much better for you this time around!

I was really tired and struggled to get comfortable but eventually found that laying on my side worked for me. I managed to comfortably rest between contractions and had my leg lifted when he came out. I didn’t have an epidural but I’d still imagine this could be an option.

When I was 10cm and waiting for everyone to tell me to start pushing I was sitting up with the bottom half of the bed pushed down leaning across the bar they put over the bed. I said out loud “why didn’t I do this the whole time” because I was so comfortable after my epidural wasn’t working fully for the previous couple of hours. I was also rotating on my sides a lot previous to sitting up. Highly recommend pushing on your side as well.

@Iris Drinking okra water is the only thing i did differently than my first!! the texture definitely makes you gag a little bit but it works amazingggg!! I drank raspberry leaf tea as well. This prenatal exercise worked wonders too!! I did this daily starting at 37 weeks. i was actually doing this exercise the day i went in labor! squatted and started having contractions😂. if you don’t take any of my advice at least consider the okra water! i still drink it now sometimes 10 months pp. It just makes you VEERRRYYY slippery down there.

https://youtu.be/0NRadDfQR6Q?si=9TCeM3j85265u53t

I've birthed 3 children, youngest is 15 weeks! Had my first 2 kids on my back, then had my 3rd with my upper body propped up on the head of the bed (almost hands and knees but more upright) and it was SO much better! Less painful I thought, and I pushed her out in less than 5 minutes lol. Oh and I didn't have an epidural with any of them, just gas and air. You don't need an epi mama, you got this!

@✨Wis 🇭🇹 I agree. Many women who have epidurals end up with emergency sections, which makes sense as you can't feel anything, so therefore you can't just go with what your body is telling you to do, I.e. push!

@Anissa i agree! Being upright to push was SO much better! I wish now I'd have my first 2 kids this way!