Doula Blog
All about Pregnancy, Birth, & Postpartum
For thousands of years, women across the globe have been giving birth in countless positions. Most images and stories of women during labor, historically, have been in upright positions; walking, squatting, bouncing, dancing, leaning etc. When the majority of births in the West shifted to the hospital in the early twentieth century and the use of general anesthesia became commonplace, women were often strapped to the bed and told to lie flat, in large part because it was easiest for the doctor to see. Although general anesthesia is rarely used today, unless in the necessity of an emergency Cesarean birth, the most common birthing position continues to be lying back positions. Some of this can be attributed to many women choosing to have an epidural during labor which often restricts movement (although there are positional changes you can make with an epidural- with assistance!) Current research supports movement in labor and birth and I encourage you to dig deeper into the history if you’re interested! It is important that you are comfortable asking question to your chosen provider (OB, Midwife, Family Physician). It is ideal to have a provider who understands the benefits of frequent positional changes. Let's get into it! There is no "right" way to birth. Listen to your body, your care provider, and your doula. If something feels off or you've been in the same position for a while- try changing it up. You may surprise yourself which position you like best so try a few different ones! Utilizing gravity and being active in labor optimize the baby's descent into and through the birth canal. Upright Labor & Birth Positions (some examples):
Evidence Based Suggestions:
Resources/References: Articles:
“The Birth Partner”- Penny Simkin (2013) “Doula’s Guide to Birthing Your Way”- Jan S. Mallak (2010) “Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth”- Ina May Gaskin (2019) "Birthing From Within" - Pam England & Rob Horowitz (1998)
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