Labour question - nct compared to nhs / one born every minute

[Pretty Please]

Morning,

Well I am confused! I go to nct classes and the teacher always states in labour you should be on all 4's like a dog as it opens the canal and the tail bone helping your baby out with less pain. If your on your back you have to push the baby out harder and then potentially having a more painful birth.

Therefore, watching one born every minute why is every woman (with the exception of water birth and another lady) been flat on their back? Why wouldn't they put them in the dog / all 4's position. Is it because you dont have any energy left? or is it because MW can look up you easier?

Surely if you were on the final pushes wouldnt you turn over?

I know you will do exactly what you have to at the time to make yourself comfy but I have got confused from watching this show and the nct teacher

Thank you ladies x

 

[jenfen]

i think it is down to personal preference. If a women is comfy on their back and baby is coming fine then that's all good. Also if an epidural has been given a women may not feel able to move about, depending on the effect it has had. Jx

 

[Mrmojo1971]

The same question came up in our NHS classes too - the midwife leading the classes was horrified at the way OBEM shows virtually all women labouring on their backs when she was encouraging us all to avoid going anywhere near a bed unless it was absolutely necessary.

I wondered if it was more to do with getting good camera angles - can you imagine if they'd all been on all fours with towels draped over them like the young girl who was featured ?

 

[Pretty Please]

The same question came up in our NHS classes too - the midwife leading the classes was horrified at the way OBEM shows virtually all women labouring on their backs when she was encouraging us all to avoid going anywhere near a bed unless it was absolutely necessary.

I wondered if it was more to do with getting good camera angles - can you imagine if they'd all been on all fours with towels draped over them like the young girl who was featured ?

Maybe it is all about the camera angles - the bit where the head pops out in a second still freaks me out !!!!!

 

[Creamie]

we were told the same at birth class. I do know though that if you have an epidural you have to be on your back so they can monitor. I also wonder if you are tired from a long labour its easier to lie down.

I am sure though if you want to push on all fours it will be fine.

I read that squatting is the best position and in 3rd world most seem to deliver that way, personally my thighs are not strong enough!! lol

 

[Kimboowee]

I think it is more personal preference/type of pain relief and what the mw suggests.

Most the woman on OBEM have epidurals, and the one lady who I seen had pethedine didnt look as if she could even get herself off the bed lol! But the 2 that had water births and the polish girl all delivered in squatting/all fours had g&a

 

[ChocolateKate]

I can assure you having worked in television that there is no way the ladies are labouring on their backs at the request of the production team for the cameras. X

 

[miss cakes]

i think its because most of those ladies needed constant monitering so your pretty much strapped to the bed for that then once you have an epidural you aint goin nowhere! lol x

 

[Barbles]

I gave birth lying on my back. I did spend a while on all fours but I was so tired and out of it (pethidine) I was putting my head down and my bum up so was effectively pushing upwards so obviously that was no good
I also had an IV and an internal heart monitor on babies head so it limited my choice of positions.
It was hard but I had my legs in stirrups which helped. I hoping to be able to be a bit more mobile this time round.

Edit: I spent around an hour on all fours pushing, then a further hour on my back pushing. Most of that was that I was simply too tired to push effectively.

 

[Blah11]

I gave birth on my back with the soles of my feet together IYKWIM. I was most comfortable in this position and she was out in less than 30 mins (way below average for a 1st baby) and no tears or grazes.

 

[gertrude]

I think there is also more of an expectation by many mum's that labour = on your back, rather than the position that is working best for you (which means trying them out!)

when did you last see labour being presented as anything other on TV? All the shows you see it's on your back. Speak to many Dr's and they still want you on your back (makes their life easier).

I've never understood being laid down - surely letting gravity help you out is a good idea but the message from most things is you lie down to labour.

Our MW's are very clear about moving around all the time/being in a good position - but even in my classes you could see some of the other mum's thinking "oh no, that's not the "right" way".

Also I think it seems a bit, basic I guess - a bit animalistic - and not many people are comfortable with the idea that we are just animals at the basic level.

 

[XJessicaX]

I think for comfort most mothers want to labour on their backs. Its also much easier for the doctors and midwives to check how dilated you are etc....
I think years and years of it being seen as more 'ladylike' has corrupted modern women of todays opinion of how to birth also.

I however will go primal and do it on all fours!

 

[tuppance]

Ah we were speaking about this in NCT last night. The lady said that women used to always use all fours until a King wanted to see his baby being born, the woman was then forced to birth on her back so he wouldn't have to bend down to see his little bambino being born (stupid man). Birthing on the back was then endorsed by royalty and so everyone else followed suit.

Since then it's still seen as as loads of people as THE position to give birth in. Also probably exhaustion has a massive part to play as well

I say viva la all fours / gravity!

 

[UkCath]

I think once you get on your back it's difficult to motivate yourself to get up and into different positions - I am just imagining, having never been in labour, but I know how uncomfortable it can be just shuffling around in bed at night, so add to that being ultra tired after hours of labour and possibley being painful to move then I can see why you might get on you back for examinations etc. and then just stick like that.

I do plan to try and avoid getting on the bed at all for as long as possible really. From OBEM (and 'a baby story' if you are addicted to baby time on discovery home and leisure like me) you see it time and time again, people come in, lie down and never get up or try other positions once they have settled in.

 

[Barbles]

I think once you get on your back it's difficult to motivate yourself to get up and into different positions - I am just imagining, having never been in labour, but I know how uncomfortable it can be just shuffling around in bed at night, so add to that being ultra tired after hours of labour and possibley being painful to move then I can see why you might get on you back for examinations etc. and then just stick like that.

I do plan to try and avoid getting on the bed at all for as long as possible really. From OBEM (and 'a baby story' if you are addicted to baby time on discovery home and leisure like me) you see it time and time again, people come in, lie down and never get up or try other positions once they have settled in.

This is true, while I was on all fours they kept trying to move me to my back as I was, like I said, pushing upwards. NO-ONE could get me to move, I wasnt having any of it, I wanted a little sleep It wasnt until OH got angry and told me to move my ass and lie down that I actaully listened

 

[PeanutBean]

Tuppence I think it was Queen Victoria. I read the same in one of my birth books.

It's been shown that all fours is the best position but I agree it's hard to maintain. Squatting is excellent but hard if you're like that a long time. There are things to help like holding on to a rope from the ceiling or hanging off a supportive oh. Also birthing stools get you squatting. I was most comfortable on my knees leaning over a bed or whatever but I got very sore knees! Being in water will help and being in an inflatable pool.

In the end I delivered very much on my back because of syntocinon, epidural, ventouse... If you are a bit limited as to position because of other interventions your mws should try and support you to deliver on your side. It reduces some of the risks of being on your back but requires some support of your upper leg.

Obem makes me furious every time because of the back deliveries.