So I was watching A Baby Story........

[Mouse House Mama]

which by the way I need to stop doing, and once again the same thing popped into my head. Now keep in mind that I have 4 children and we are having another so it's not like this is something new to me but it always perplexes me and kind of annoys me.
What idiot decided that women should give birth lying down with their feet over their heads? Really? Could they have really thought of a more difficult position to push in? Maybe we could stand on our heads? I would like to get that person and feed them tons of food to constipate them. Then I want them to have awful cramps. Then I want them to lay down on a bed, pull their legs over their head and try to poop. Let's see if they can do it.
Is it just me who thinks this practice is ridiculous?

 

[hulagirl87]

I definitely agree with you, not only at the uncomfortable looking position I have to push in, but that I have to stop watching A Baby Story I'm having my first and at our birthing class last week they had us practice pushing, well not the actual pushing part, but holding our breath. We were sitting on the floor with our knees bent leaning against our husbands/coaches. even that wasn't very comfortable! I can't imagine what it will be like once I'm actually in that position!

 

[Freyja]

Believe me you´re not the only one. I´m glad that this position is hardly encouraged anymore by Northern Europe midwives. Now women are increasinly advised to birth while on all fours, standing, sitting upright on their knees or in water. Gravity plays a big role in the birth of a baby and the position you described certainly doesn´t go well with that.

 

[mjkacmom]

I was perfectly comfortable - however, I had full epidurals each time, and couldn't feel a thing! I do believe they raised the back, though.

 

[Freyja]

I was perfectly comfortable - however, I had full epidurals each time, and couldn't feel a thing! I do believe they raised the back, though.

I guess with full epidurals any position is comfortable

That being said, if doctors and midwives helped more women be comfortable during birth, a lot less women would need epis.

 

[shelbys mommy]

This may sound very strange, but when I was in labor for my DD on Easter Sunday, I laid on a bed pan for over an hour. Originally I had to potty, but since my water broke they wouldn't let me go to the bathroom. They brought out a bed pan for me to use. It relieved all the pressure & started to cry when the nurse took it away. When she asked me why, I told her that it was helping with the pain, so she brought me another one that was clean in its place. Oh that was heaven! 15 mins later I was pushing.

And I had her completely natural.

 

[threecrazykids]

which by the way I need to stop doing, and once again the same thing popped into my head. Now keep in mind that I have 4 children and we are having another so it's not like this is something new to me but it always perplexes me and kind of annoys me.
What idiot decided that women should give birth lying down with their feet over their heads? Really? Could they have really thought of a more difficult position to push in? Maybe we could stand on our heads? I would like to get that person and feed them tons of food to constipate them. Then I want them to have awful cramps. Then I want them to lay down on a bed, pull their legs over their head and try to poop. Let's see if they can do it.
Is it just me who thinks this practice is ridiculous?

Hence the reason I pretty much yelled at the doctors/nurses asking them "What the HELL are you trying to do with my legs??!!!".
I kept telling them I wanted to stand up or squat or be on all fours but good lord the whole laying on your back with your legs over your head is just insane...especially with a baby that's coming out face up. Talk about insane back pain!
They just kept laughing at me (and I was actually laughing back..don't know why we all thought it was hilarious).
I just b*tched and moaned about that and my IV that was put into my wrist so every time I grabbed the bars to hang onto it drove deeper and deeper into me. I finally told them either they took it out or I was ripping it out on my own. (meaning the IV...not the baby).

I had 2 naturals and 1 with an epidural and I tell ya what...I was a much happier camper with the epidural. And damn it...I didn't win mother of the year award for NOT having that epidural either time so I decided I'd try the less painful route.

 

[laurie31]

You do not HAVE to deliver in that position!!!

Pain aside, you are pushing uphill in that position. Put it in your birth plan that you want to squat or be in whatever position you find comfortable at the time.

 

[VillageMama]

So many of the labor/birth practices I see on that show drive me bonkers. Do docs really still shout from 1-10 at the mom while she pushes? I'd be telling them to SHUT UP!

 

[pilesoflaundry]

which by the way I need to stop doing, and once again the same thing popped into my head. Now keep in mind that I have 4 children and we are having another so it's not like this is something new to me but it always perplexes me and kind of annoys me.
What idiot decided that women should give birth lying down with their feet over their heads? Really? Could they have really thought of a more difficult position to push in? Maybe we could stand on our heads? I would like to get that person and feed them tons of food to constipate them. Then I want them to have awful cramps. Then I want them to lay down on a bed, pull their legs over their head and try to poop. Let's see if they can do it.
Is it just me who thinks this practice is ridiculous?

That's why I can't watch that show. I end up wanting to throw things at the tv after the poor mom is stuck pushing forever, someone needs a vacuum or other complication from laying flat on their back.

I wish I could go back and kiss the nurse I had during my first delivery. She not only told me that was a bunch of crap but she told me the best way to effectively use my energy so I didn't end up winded and it didn't take long to get the kid out

Ironically during my next 2 deliveries the nurses told me I was an awesome pusher Did the sit up and use gravity to your advantage thing never occur to anyone before? It's just crazy.

 

[mhsjax]

which by the way I need to stop doing, and once again the same thing popped into my head. Now keep in mind that I have 4 children and we are having another so it's not like this is something new to me but it always perplexes me and kind of annoys me.
What idiot decided that women should give birth lying down with their feet over their heads? Really? Could they have really thought of a more difficult position to push in? Maybe we could stand on our heads? I would like to get that person and feed them tons of food to constipate them. Then I want them to have awful cramps. Then I want them to lay down on a bed, pull their legs over their head and try to poop. Let's see if they can do it.
Is it just me who thinks this practice is ridiculous?

Probably a man decided. lol

 

[mjkacmom]

I guess with full epidurals any position is comfortable

That being said, if doctors and midwives helped more women be comfortable during birth, a lot less women would need epis.

It wasn't a need, it was a want - heck, I had an epi with #2 before I felt the first contraction! Pain free labor, except for the IV insertion. Feeling that wonderful numbness was one of my favorite parts of labor!

 

[jemgumby]

LOVED my epidural too!!! I wouldn't go to the dentist and get a root canal without drugs and as for me I don't plan on pushing out another human without some kind of pain relief too!!!

 

[Freyja]

It wasn't a need, it was a want - heck, I had an epi with #2 before I felt the first contraction! Pain free labor, except for the IV insertion. Feeling that wonderful numbness was one of my favorite parts of labor!

I´m glad I live in a place where women can´t get an epi before labor even properly begins. But to each their own...

 

[jemgumby]

I´m glad I live in a place where women can´t get an epi before labor even properly begins. But to each their own...

why?

 

[Laura]

So many of the labor/birth practices I see on that show drive me bonkers. Do docs really still shout from 1-10 at the mom while she pushes? I'd be telling them to SHUT UP!

Yup, they counted for me while I pushed.

I liked my epidural until the dang thing wore off. I was glad I got it--I had to be induced. Unnatural, drug-induced labor contractions suck. If I'd gone into labor naturally, I would've taken a more wait-and-see approach to pain relief. And if I had feeling in my legs, I sure as hell would have squatted to let gravity help out!

 

[Freyja]

why?

Because there is a lot of risk involved with the use of epidurals and too many women do not do any/enough research of the pros and cons.

 

[tigercat]

I gave birth to my 3rd child laying on my side. It was great. The first one was in the stirrups the 2nd just laying on the gurney (she couldn't wait to come out) and the 4th was a C-section. He would have been birthed anyway I liked as well but was wayyyy too big for me to give birth to it seems. He was twice the size of the other 3.
tigecat

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Well I had an epi with the first 3. With my 4th there was no time. The epi only really worked with the first and they turn it down when you push anyway so the pain was ever so present.
Also, no matter what your birth plan says some hospitals/doctors will not let you be in any position but flat on your back. Trust me, I was begging with my last one because I knew as soon as I could squat she would have been born. The doctor (not my doctor because we couldn't make it to the hospital we were supposed to go to) was a complete jerk. Medically he was great but his bedside manner was atrocious. I wouldn't let him birth a hamster. The nurses however were amazing and told me after that they would have let me change position but that particular doctor has a bit of a Napolean complex.

Hospitals have tightened up on what they allow now. It really is ridiculous. I would like to start my epi now so I can make sure that it works this time and I that I actually have time!

 

[Laura]

Because there is a lot of risk involved with the use of epidurals and too many women do not do any/enough research of the pros and cons.

Epidurals can slow down labor, too. It was scary getting the shot in the spine. I'm glad I couldn't see it.

They do have an advantage over IV meds in that the epidural meds don't enter the baby's system.