Birth-positions
Once labour begins there are many positions you can adopt in order to birth your baby. While you may have decided before time, once your contractions begin this might not be practical or comfortable and there are a variety of alternatives you can consider. Every woman is different and you should choose the best for you.
Push positions
Most positions are fine to give birth in, so long as you are comfortable and baby is safe. It is important that the obstetrician or gynecologist makes sure everything is going well.
On a bed
Maybe you have been lying in bed from the moment the contractions have started (sometimes it has to be done, for example if an ECG is regularly taken). Lying on the back is the most common push position. Once the baby has completely descended and you are allowed to push, pull the legs as far as possible towards you. You keep your hands in your knees. By adopting this posture, the pelvis exit becomes slightly larger so that the head can be born more easily.
The Squat
With the squat you have to drop your knees and tilt your pelvis slightly forward. It is important that you have support from your partner. This can be done, for example, if he is sitting on a chair behind you, so that you can support your legs with his arms. It is difficult to hold this position for a long time, so you can stand in between the contractions. At the beginning of the contractions you do not have to squat so deeply. At the moment that the head is visible for a part, you will bend your knees as much as possible and tilt the pelvis forward. By assuming this position, you ensure that the pelvis exit becomes slightly larger.
The chair
You adopt the same position on the chair as with the squat, but with the upright you have extra support. Most midwives may have such a tool. The edges of this stool will at some point hurt your buttocks, especially if you have been pressing for a while. You could stand between the presses. If it becomes really annoying, you can always adopt a different position.
The toilet
For some women it may sound strange, but the toilet is also a great place to push. An additional advantage is that the stools that come along during the pushing process can be flushed away immediately. The midwife will ask you to get off of the toilet as soon as she sees that the head is coming. Pushing on a toilet is not recommended for a second or subsequent child. This is because birth after a first child generally goes a lot faster and of course it is not the intention that the baby is born in the toilet.
On the knees
This may be the most natural position, because gravity then cooperates. Try to keep the buttocks as low as possible. It is not the intention that you sit down on your hands and knees. It is a pleasant way to press, because your partner can also 'help'. For example, he can sit with his back against the head of the bed and you on your knees with your face to your partner. It can be nice to have eye contact with your partner between the contractions. Between the contractions you can also lean against him.
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