Why Pushing on your Back Might be a Bad Idea During Labor
When you try to visualize what a woman in labor looks like, do you imagine her lying flat on her back in the hospital bed? Yep, I did too. As do most women.
Here’s the thing about that. Lying flat on your back while you’re pushing might not be so great for your birth.
Why?
Your anatomy
In this demo video, I’ll show you why our anatomy (your pelvis) was not designed to give birth lying flat.
2. Blood flow
Lying on your back with a full-term baby inside your uterus can put pressure on important blood vessels. This could create an issue with blood flow to the baby.
What gives?
So why is this position suggested, implied, preferred and assumed by so many providers? In short, it’s more convenient for them to see what’s going on down there.
Convenient position for you? Probably not.
Here’s the good news… you don’t have to take birth lying down! Yes, even if you’re getting an epidural.
You can put this in your birth plan, along with the rest of your preferences. It is YOUR birth, you get to be in the driver’s seat.