Most of us rarely witness live births and so are mostly familiar with them from films and television. In these films, women lie on their backs in hospital gowns and under surgical sheets, their intimate areas are well lit, their legs are pulled up to their chest and held by themselves or by the hospital staff, and then it's time to put your chin on your chest and PRESS! That's how birth works, right?
We confess: before we gave birth ourselves, we knew deep down that not every birth would look like this - and to be honest, we didn't realize for a long time that this position is fortunately neither particularly common nor beneficial for the birth process. Because we would have liked to read a bit more about it ourselves and were really lacking inspiration for birth positions, we have written down the 7 most important birth positions for you here.
It can be a good idea to get into an upright birthing position, especially at the beginning of the birth - in the opening phase. The effect of gravity can help the cervix to open more quickly, and for many women the contractions are more regular and effective in an upright position. The further the birth progresses, the more many women instinctively want to get on the floor and look for suitable positions. But of course: exceptions prove the rule and there are women who want to spend the entire birth squatting or lying down and others who give birth standing up. That's why we've written down all the positions for you here: Your birth, your choice!
But let’s start with the upright positions, here are our four favorites:
1 | Standing
In order to be able to breathe through and cope with strong contractions while standing, you should stand as firmly as possible. With your legs slightly apart, you can of course also hold on, which most women like very much: either lean your arms against a wall, wrap them around the neck of your birth companion or, if available, hold on to a bar or wall bars. These devices are available for you in many delivery rooms and birthing centers.
2 | Hanging
As mentioned above, you can also hang yourself on something while standing. For example, in the arms of your partner or in a cloth hanging from the ceiling. Many women find the relief of the legs by hanging to be pleasant at the peak of the contractions.
3 | Keep moving
Of course, you can also move around during birth: walk around, rock and sway your pelvis, move your hips in circles. Keeping your pelvis moving gives your baby new space to turn and can continue to move through the pelvis - and that's what we want!
4 | Bend forward
A classic and great position is the forward bending position: you find a piece of furniture or another place that is a good height for you, bend forward while standing or kneeling and support yourself there. This way you can stretch or bend your back as you wish, circle your hips well and let your birth companion or midwife put pressure on your lower back if it feels good to you.
And if you need more traction, here are a few more ideas:
5 | Squatting
Many of the birthing positions close to the ground are also practiced in yoga. So if you have attended a pregnancy yoga class, for example, you may already be familiar with the deep squat: you either squat down on your heels or on a birthing stool (this is a specially shaped and very low stool). Your companion can sit on a chair behind you, for example, and you can rest your arms on their thighs, giving you something to support your back. Squatting also opens your pelvis and gives your baby more space to pass through.
6 | On all fours
In the quadruped position you are close to the ground but still have freedom of movement. You can rest your arms on the ground or, as described above, support yourself with your arms on something low: the edge of the bed, an exercise ball or something else that is comfortable for you at a height.
7 | Lying on your side
Some women lie on their side because it is a good way to rest during breaks in contractions. Other women are advised to lie on their side if they want the baby to turn into the pelvis a little better. If you are lying on your side, it can help to raise your upper leg, bend it, or even put it upright - try it out!
And as always with the weeks, the same applies here: do what works best for you. We are big fans of informing women about their options - and find nothing more uncomfortable than telling them what to do. That's why these seven positions are just ideas and inspiration for you. Let your creativity run wild and sit, lie, kneel, or hang during birth exactly as suits you best at that moment.
