Article: "Upright early labour lowers Caesarean rates"

[MellyH]

A friend just posted this on Facebook and I wanted to share it with the board!

https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2013/11/01/3872325.htm

 

[kaths101]

Interesting!

I stayed upright in both my labours and they both went very well, fast and smoothly. Wonder if there is something in it, I guess gravity has to help!

 

[Dolly84]

Yeah I stayed upright all the way through my labour and it was very fast and it couldn't have gone better xxx

 

[Pearls18]

Yeah it's common sense, I don't know why in some cultures they have adopted the "strapped on your back and push" approach, not only is it a terrible way of dealing with the pain but it really hinders the birth process, I'm sure a man is to blame somewhere down the line lol. I kept mobile the whole of my labour and will do this time.

 

[Beneli]

I was upright the entire time with both boys (mainly because I had back labor and couldn't bare to sit still). First was a 5 hr labor, second was 1.5hrs. Both natural and unmedicated.

 

[Ashla]

Beneli, nice work on doing to back labours unmedicated!

 

[Kirstiedenman]

Yep I stayed on my feet my whole labor until 15 minutes before my son was born and it was a great labor. I will definitely be doing the same again keeping mobile or upright is the best way to go I think

 

[cait]

I stayed upright for my whole labour, was back labour and I couldn't sit or lie comfortably. Still ended up having a section

 

[Shadowy Lady]

I stayed upright for most of my labour too which was pretty short (4 hours). I sat in the jaccuzzi for the last hour of it though.

Funny enough I could not push her out standing or on all four. I tried but it didn't work. I ended up pushing her out lying on my back and each midwife holding a leg, lol! I still didn't tear though and she came out in 30 mins; I guess that's just how my body wanted to do it.

 

[Ashla]

I stayed upright for my whole labour, was back labour and I couldn't sit or lie comfortably. Still ended up having a section

Thanks for sharing, Cait. I think it is important that we don't lose sight of the fact that even if we do everything within our power to have an uncomplicated birth, sometimes circumstances out of our control mean it isn't possible.

And good work for labouring through a back labour- I've heard they are very tough.

 

[Pearls18]

Upright labour reduces the risk of c sections, doesn't eliminate it. With a back to back labour you are often at the mercy of the training of the MW, there are some very nifty positions to get babies out but it is often down to the experience (and confidence) of the MW. However, some babies are just awkward which is why we're very lucky these days to have have alternatives that we do. My baby is currently back to back and I am planning a home birth, I will be keeping very mobile and will listen to the MW very closely but understand that there are more chances of problems, hopefully he will move yet though!

 

[Ashla]

MarineWAG, I absolutely agree

I stayed upright for most of my first labour and also stayed really active- walking, stomping, bouncing on a fit ball, counting, you name it! The doctors and midwives all told me it was one of the best labours they'd seen from a first time mum in a long time (although perhaps they say that to everyone!).

But I also know that so much of a labour depends on outside circumstances- the quality of doctors and midwives, the position of the baby, the size of the baby, the size of the mother's pelvis... And I just never want to be one of those women who assumes that just because I had an uncomplicated birth, women who had a complicated birth must have done something 'wrong'.

By the way, good luck with your home birth. Sounds like you are very well prepared!

 

[cait]

I stayed upright for my whole labour, was back labour and I couldn't sit or lie comfortably. Still ended up having a section

Thanks for sharing, Cait. I think it is important that we don't lose sight of the fact that even if we do everything within our power to have an uncomplicated birth, sometimes circumstances out of our control mean it isn't possible.

And good work for labouring through a back labour- I've heard they are very tough.

Thanks Ashla, I didn't find labour to be too bad on the whole (or have blocked out the memories of pain!).

I still agree that staying active is a good idea and plan to be upright this time round as well. But I wanted to illustrate, as you rightly pointed out, that sometimes things are beyond our control.

 

[dan-o]

Both mine were upright labours, fast progress, unmedicated and unassisted. First baby was back to back and born that way, I tried delivering upright but midwife panicked and made me push on my back for the last few pushes. Second baby was right way round and I delivered him upright too (better MW imo)

 

[auntiesarah25]

Very interesting read - guess I have yet ANOTHER thing to research before the big day

 

[steph.]

My first was upright. It lasted a total of 3 hours with 5 minutes of pushing and was perfect.

My second I got to the hospital after my waters broke. They strapped me to a monitor, did an ultrasound which showed baby was head down, and soon the contractions started. I said I needed to get up to poo but the midwife said she wouldnt let me in case I gave birth on the toilet as my first labour had been quick. I begged and she said if I needed to poo I could just do it on the bed. 1.5 hours later the OB did an internal which showed i was almost fully dilated but baby was no longer head down. She was transverse and trying to stick out an arm and a leg. I was rushed for an emcs, by the time they opened me up she had turned breech and her foot was out the cervix. I wonder if the midwife had let me move if i would have had another easy birth. Or maybe the baby was never in a good position and if she had let me poo i would have had a cord prolapse . I guess i'll never know, but i'm leaning towards the former than the latter.

 

[sequeena]

For me it was true. I did have a long early stage (days) and back to back labour but I stayed upright as much as possible. When I hit 7cm I was on the bed. Thankfully my birth was uncomplicated but I'm sure there are those who did the same as me and needed c-sections.