Which positions do women and birthing people use during labour and birth? Let’s look at positions that support the birth process and can help your baby’s birth go more smoothly.
Changing position and staying active during labour can help the birth process and reduce the need for interventions. Choose positions that feel comfortable for you.
Positions for childbirth explained
| Walking sideways up and down the stairs can help if your labour has slowed down or you’d like to speed it up a little. |
| The lunge opens up your pelvis and may help bring back or speed up contractions when they’ve slowed down. Lunge during contractions, between them, or both. |
| Rest. If you need a rest, try sitting backwards on a chair or sitting on a birth ball. Keeping your feet lower than your bottom helps keep your pelvis open. Massage may help you relax and rest, too. |
| Physical contact and massage. Close contact with your partner and/or massage can help you relax and help your body release oxytocin. |
| A rebozo has many uses during labour and birth, for example: – to help realign your body and encourage your baby to rotate into a more favourable position – to lift your bump and relieve back pressure – to wrap around your whole body like a hug, for comfort and to ease anxiety |
| Side-lying. Lie on one side, preferably your left – a great position for resting. To open your pelvis a little more, keep your lower leg straight and bend your upper knee as much as you can, resting it on a pillow. With a birth partner holding up your upper leg, you can even give birth in this position, making full use of the space in your pelvis. |
| Double hip squeeze. Your birth partner presses firmly into your buttocks with the palms of their hands, fingers pointing towards your spine. You could also try this with a warm or cold compress. It’s great for relieving pressure on your back during labour. |
| Stay upright and use gravity! Gravity is one of your best friends in labour. When you’re upright – standing, sitting or kneeling – the weight of your baby presses on your cervix, encouraging it to open. Being upright may also help your baby get into the best position for birth. |
| Sitting on the ball takes the weight off your legs and helps relax your lower back. Your birth partner can sit behind you to offer massage, warmth or support. Also try sitting cross-legged on the floor or bed. |
| The birth pool is great for pain relief and can help you relax. You can sit in the pool, or kneel and rest your upper body on the side. |
| Leaning on the birth ball lets you rest your weight on the ball instead of your hands, and encourages movement, which opens your pelvis and helps your baby rotate. Also try sitting backwards on a chair or the toilet, leaning into a pillow. Being monitored doesn’t mean you have to stay in bed or lie down – you can still use upright positions and movement! |
| The squat is a great position for giving birth. It opens up your pelvis and maximises the room for your baby to rotate and move through the birth canal. You can use a ball, rebozo, chair or your birth partner for support. |
If you’re a birth worker, such as a doula or antenatal teacher, these positions are available as a set of 30 individual positions for childbirth cards, or as a poster, in my shop.