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Movement and positioning in labor work magic. Movement enhances comfort by stimulating the receptors in the brain that decrease pain perception. The result is that you are able to tolerate increasingly strong contractions. When contractions become very strong, endorphins are released and pain perception decreases even more. Ultimately, your movement in response to your contractions decreases pain and facilitates labor a win-win. Movement also helps the baby move through the pelvis, and some positions enlarge pelvic diameters. The positions shown here facilitate the normal, natural process of labor. What position should you use? Follow your body. Move freely in response to what you feel. Your body will let you know just what position is best at every point in your labor.
2. SEMI-SITTING
Pros: Comfortable. Good use of gravity.
Good resting position. Works well in hospital beds. Good visibility at birth for your support team. Easy access to fetal heart tones for your health-care provider. Cons: Access to your perineum can be poor. Mobility of your coccyx is impaired. Puts some stress on your perineum but less than when lying on your back.
3. SITTING
Pros: Good for resting. Uses gravity. Can be used with continuous electronic fetal monitoring. Cons: May not be possible if you have high blood pressure.
4. SITTING ON TOILET
Pros: Helps relax perineum. You get used to an open-leg position and pelvic pressure. Uses gravity. Cons: Pressure from toilet seat may be uncomfortable.
5. SQUATTING
Pros: Encourages rapid descent. Uses gravity. May increase rotation of baby. Allows freedom to shift your weight for comfort. Allows excellent perineal access. Excellent for fetal circulation. May increase pelvis diameter by as much as 2 centimeters. Requires less bearing-down effort. Descent is encouraged by the position. Your thighs keep baby well aligned. Cons: Often tiring. Sometimes hard for health-care provider to hear fetal heart tones. May be hard for you to assist in birth if you wish to do so.
6. SIDE-LYING
Pros: Helps get oxygen to the baby. Good resting position. Helpful if you have elevated blood pressure. Fine with epidural. Can make contractions more effective. Easier for you to relax between contractions during the second stage. Can slow a birth thats moving too fast. Your partner can assist in the birth by supporting your legs. Lowers chances of tearing or the need for episiotomy. Good access to perineum. Cons: May be hard for health-care provider to access fetal heart tones. No help from gravity. If no one can hold your legs, you must support them on your own. You may feel too passive in this position.
7. WALKING
Pros: Uses gravity. Contractions are often less painful. Baby is well aligned in your pelvis. May speed labor. Reduces backache. Encourages descent. Cons: Not recommended if you have high blood pressure. Cannot be used with continuous electronic fetal monitoring.
8. STANDING
Pros: Uses gravity. Helps get oxygen to the baby. Contractions are more effective and less painful. May speed labor. Helps create a pushing urge. Cons: Poor control at birth. Hard for health-care provider to see the baby.
10. KNEE-CHEST
Pros: Good for back labor. Assists with rotation of baby, if needed. Takes pressure off hemorrhoids. Good position to avoid tearing or episiotomy. Good delivery position for large baby. Helpful if fetal heart tones are low. Cons: Hard for your support team to maintain eye contact with you. Hard for you to see whats going on.