Although labor can be difficult, understanding which positions can lessen contractions may be very helpful. Finding comfort becomes increasingly important as contractions get stronger, and the appropriate positions can help control pain and encourage the start of labor.
We will look at a number of positions that have been found to be helpful during labor in this article. These positions can provide you with support and relief during your contractions, whether you’re in the hospital or at home.
You can be more confident in your ability to control your contractions and more ready for labor by learning and practicing these positions in advance.
| Position | How it Helps |
| Standing and Swaying | Encourages gravity to help move the baby down while soothing pain through gentle movement. |
| Kneeling on All Fours | Relieves pressure on the back and allows the baby to shift into an optimal position for birth. |
| Leaning Forward | Reduces back pain by shifting weight and helps the baby descend into the pelvis. |
| Side Lying | Provides rest between contractions and helps keep the pelvis open for better baby movement. |
| Sitting on a Birthing Ball | Encourages the pelvis to open, improves circulation, and helps relieve discomfort in the lower back. |
- When special positions are needed?
- The best relieving positions
- Positions for joint birth
- Video on the topic
- Techniques and positions that will help ease labor
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When special positions are needed?
Women typically experience contractions from the start of labor; these are regular, periodic spasms of the uterine muscles. systematic and gradual cervix opening during contractions. This is required in order for the head of the baby to exit the uterus and subsequently the rest of the body. The time during which contractions occur is crucial for a healthy delivery.
It is the labor that lasts the longest. Contractions can last up to eighteen hours in first-time mothers. This time is a little bit shorter for women who are having another child. The latent contraction phase, which can extend up to 10–12 hours for the first birth and up to 8–10 hours for the second, is the longest. During this time, the cervix can open up to 3 centimeters. The contractions that come before pushing—the actual act of giving birth—will hurt the most. They appear between 7 and 10–12 centimeters in the opening.
Except for pushing, the woman does not have to lie horizontally during any of the stages. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the pain is greater when lying horizontally.
It is therefore advised that a woman going into labor breathe correctly (the body’s saturation with oxygen supplies oxygen to the fetus and also acts to partially relieve pain by activating the production of endorphin hormones), move, and change positions.
Most often, laboring women, obstetricians, and gynecologists use very specific positions that have been tried and tested over time to relieve pain during contractions. According to laboring women, the effect is excellent when combined with proper breathing and can sometimes surpass the effects of epidural anesthesia.
Why does shifting one’s posture help to lessen pain? A woman’s center of gravity is distributed differently in different positions because she uses different muscle groups in each position. Positions that help reduce the strain on the lower back during contractions, release tension from the abdominal wall during the peak of the contraction, conserve energy and strength, and improve your ability to relax during the intervals between uterine spasms are all beneficial.
The best relieving positions
Naturally, every laboring woman eventually discovers her own position during the contractions that makes it easier for her to withstand the spasms in her uterus. Some even place their leg on the prenatal ward windowsill or crawl under the couch, but it will be hard to find a position like that until labor starts. As a result, you could try these positions.
- Vertical. During the rest period between contractions, you can lie down, sit, walk. But as soon as the attack of pain begins to spread from the back to the lower back and lower abdomen, you should go to the wall or to the back of the bed and, standing, wait out the contraction.
- Sitting. This position is used to relieve contractions only at the very beginning of the process; when contractions become active (after opening to 3 centimeters), using the position is contraindicated. For the position, you need a chair with a back. Sit on it facing the back. At the moment of contraction, “hug” the back of the chair and slightly tilt your head and shoulders forward. You can do this while sitting on a ball. The fitball must be covered with a diaper so as not to slip. When performing the pose on the ball, you should hug yourself by the shoulders while leaning forward.
- “Cat pose”. Many people become familiar with this pose during the period of training contractions. A woman gets on all fours and slightly bends her lower back at the moment of contraction. The rest of the time, you need to relax as much as possible and bend your back in the opposite direction until a "hump" appears.
- With support on the ball. The woman in labor gets on all fours in front of the fitball and puts her head and hands on the ball. Between contractions, this position is convenient for relaxation, at the moment of uterine spasm, you need to grab the ball with your hands and bend your lower back, sticking out your buttocks.
- Lying down. Of all their options in a horizontal position, only one can be considered as a comfortable relieving position – on the side. Small pillows are placed under the hips and head. At the moment of contraction, you can slightly bend your legs at the knees, this will reduce the load on the back.
Positions for joint birth
Nobody will be taken aback by your partner’s birth today. Involve the spouse as much as possible if it has already been decided that he will attend the birth, if only to prevent him from having time to worry about what is going to happen.
The husband can massage the laboring woman’s sacral zone in any of the aforementioned positions. There are other roles as well where a woman requires her partner’s physical assistance.
- Squatting. The man sits in a chair or armchair. The woman squats in front of him with her back, resting her elbows on the partner"s knees, like armrests. This position is optimal for pushing, when the cervix is maximally dilated.
- Vertically hanging on her hands. The woman stands facing her partner. At the moment of contraction, she clasps his neck with her arms and literally hangs on it. The main thing is that the man can withstand.
- Sitting with support on her husband. The woman sits with her knees wide apart with her back to the sitting husband. During the contraction, the woman in labor will be able to clasp her husband around the neck with her arms, and his hands will be able to stroke her stomach or lightly rub his wife"s sacrum.
Other ways for partners to interact during childbirth exist.
Spouses need to practice the appropriate positions for interaction beforehand, as well as learn massage techniques that can make a woman’s contractions easier to bear.
The degree to which the experience feels manageable during contractions can vary greatly depending on where one positions oneself. Easy motions like leaning, walking, or standing can relieve tension and improve the body’s ability to function through each contraction.
Understanding your body is essential. It’s possible that some positions are more beneficial at different times, so it’s critical to be adaptable and make adjustments as necessary. A partner’s or a medical professional’s supportive environment can also be extremely beneficial.
Never forget that there is no one-size-fits-all solution and that every labor is different. By trying out various positions, you can determine which one is most comfortable and productive for you, which will make the process go more smoothly.
A key factor in controlling pain and promoting optimal bodily function during labor is positioning oneself correctly during contractions. Easy motions that promote the baby to descend, relieve pressure on the back, and lessen the intensity of contractions include walking, squatting, and leaning forward. Finding what works best for you simply means continuing to be active and paying attention to your body.
