Normal delivery position, should you sit up straight or lie down?

Many doctors recommend that women who are about to give birth to sit up straight or walk more often to speed up the labor process. However, the actual birthing position is determined by yourself. Of the various childbirth positions that have been practiced, such as sitting or lying down, which one is better?

Childbirth lying down is easier to undergo normal labor and without forceps

A British researcher randomly assigned a low-dose epidural (anesthetic) during the second stage of labor to mothers who wanted to deliver in an upright position (whether walking, kneeling, standing, or sitting upright) and to women lying down with a 30 degree tilt. .

The results of the study found that 41.4 percent of women who were in a lying down position tended to have normal labor without forceps or birth aids. Meanwhile, women who underwent an upright delivery position were able to undergo normal (vaginal) labor without using forceps by 35.2 percent. So it can be concluded that the lying position of labor is more likely to undergo normal labor than the upright position.

Why is the lying position of giving birth better than sitting upright?

The lying down position of the delivery turns out to be faster than the upright sitting position. According to one study published in the British Medical Journal, lying down was more likely to cause spontaneous births.

This is because women who give birth in an upright position are likely to experience obstruction around the birth canal due to postural stress and the effects of gravity on the spread of epidural medications.

In addition, women who go through labor while sitting may experience pressure on their tailbones. This is caused by blockage of the veins, causing soft tissue blockage in the pelvic tract.

Meanwhile, women with a lying down position are more likely to reduce the pressure on the fetal head in the pelvis so that blood flow in the uterus becomes smooth. As a result, activity in the uterus increases and the pelvic opening opens wider. This will certainly make the birthing process easier. In addition, it is suspected that the risk of perineal trauma may also be decreased in the lying group.

The position of lying on the bed is likely to be the most comfortable position for most mothers to give birth. However, you should try to be slightly upright. This is estimated because there are several benefits such as:

Helps deal with contractions.
Increase the opportunity to speed up the labor process.
Helping you and your baby work together during labor.

Therefore, Dr. Peter Brocklehurst, a professor of women's health at the University of Birmingham in the UK, recommends that women try lying on their sides when the cervix is really dilated. Because, most women want spontaneous labor so it is advisable to lie on their side to provide a better chance of spontaneous delivery.

Even though it is fine in a lying position, keep supporting yourself so that it is slightly upright

Although the lying position is better during childbirth, you still need to support your body slightly upright or what is called semi-sitting. Therefore, gravity can help push the baby's head towards the cervix to open the birth canal. So, it can help your baby pass through the pelvic area and be born soon.

If you are in bed, place a pillow on your back for support. This will reduce some of the possibilities that can occur during labor:

Need aids for childbirth
Having an episiotomy or incision in the birth canal
Affects your baby's heart rate while pushing

In the middle of the contraction, you can place your hands around your knees to pull yourself up like you are squatting. Relaxation and assistance from gravity are essential to get your baby out quickly and minimize tearing of the birth canal.

There really isn't the best position. Because in fact, most women end up changing positions frequently during labor. So, let your body be a guide for a comfortable labor position so that you can go through the labor process well.