Connect the Dots Ginger | Becky Allen: Prepping for Labor- Positions

Monday, January 13, 2014

Prepping for Labor- Positions


First off, we find out today if we are having a BOY or a GIRL! Any guesses? I will post tomorrow what the results were or if you check FB it might be on there prior to tomorrows post. But family finds out first! Now on to the post!

The biggest thing about prepping for labor is that all it is, is prepping for what could actually happen during labor. You won't know what happens or what to do until you are going through it. It is best to always be prepared for whatever happens. This blog post today is on different laboring positions (not birthing positions, those are different) you can use to help ease the discomfort of laboring.

What I thought prior to going through labor with Mason. That laboring positions will make labor easier and will take away the pain. HECK NO I TELL YOU! I was actually shocked when going through labor that the positions didn't do a ton to help me get through the contractions itself. The positions are the best possible way to help your baby to engage their head in the right place and eventually come down the birth cannel. But they don't take away the discomfort at all for you. If anything, they keep you busy to get your mind off of what you are going through. I am telling it like it is. If you felt laboring positions helped take the pain away, great for you, please let me know what you did so that I can try it this time around! PLEASE! They didn't for me and I was shocked by it. I felt lied to and misled. Frustrated. But alas I got though it anyhow.

Here are a couple to get you occupied and busy but be sure to practice them before so that you know how to get into those positions when the D day comes!

1. The birthing ball. Great for opening up the hips and rocking on. Need to lean on you partner or the bed or a chair though when a contraction happens because I found I tended to lean forward and double over when I had a contraction. I also almost went flying off the ball at one point in-between contractions trying to get more comfortable. Have someone be your safety on that thing. It is a ball and will roll out from under you. I didn't spend too much time on this see #2.

2. The toilet. Sorry mom if you are reading this. Yes the toilet. It was my fav place until the tub became available. It wasn't as big and round and moveable as the ball was. They had broke my water too so it came in handy for that too. But it was the best place to labor. Surprising, I have found a ton of women that preferred to labor on the toilet because it was just easier. There is even a birthing stool that looks like a toilet a little bit. It is the perfect size and we all know we fit on it.

3. Leaning over in the tub. Once the tub was available I would lay back in-between contractions but when I felt a contraction start I went to the edge of the tub, kneeled down and leaned over the edge. This is where I stayed for most of the labor. Probably 2 hours. Best labor position for me personally. Bad thing though, have a towel under your knees for comfort. Also under your feet. I kept complaining about the top of my feet hurting a ton. And that is because I was kneeling and there was nothing softening the weight of my feet. Lesson learned. This time around towel under knees and another under the feet. And lots of deep breathing.

4. Squatting. Practice this now! Get your legs used to a deep squat. Frog style squat. Have your hubs sit on the couch behind you and you frog squat in front so that they can be your safety and hold you and keep you from falling over. My hips kept cramping in this because it almost opened them too much but it is great for opening the hips us and forcing the baby down because gravity is pulling them that way.

5. In the bed. I put the back of the bed all the way up and leaned over the back and my bare naked butt was exposed to all who entered. I probably blinded them because it is so white. Ah the joys of being a red head. It is the same position I had in the tub but on the bed. My knees and feet were comfy though. Also on all 4 is another one that I have heard is really nice. I didn't do this one, it just didn't work for me. Like I said I liked to double over and breath super deeply. That is what worked for me.

There are a few more and I will get to them another time. I have found that these pregnancy posts have been very popular. Is there anything you want me to talk about? Just leave a comment or shoot me an email!
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