This blog has been medically reviewed by Kathrine Simon, DNP, APRN, CNM, FACNM, midwifery program manager at Allina Health.
If you’re wondering why women give birth on their backs and if that is the only position to give birth in, the answer is no! There are tons of birthing positions that are just as good or even more effective that you can try during labor.
When it comes to what is the best position to give birth in, there is no single answer, as everyone’s body is different. What worked for your friend or mom may not work for you. It’s important to have some birthing positions you’d want to try in mind for the day you get to meet your little one. Here are the 11 best birthing positions to consider!
Connect with a trusted provider at The Mother Baby Center to get expert guidance and support in choosing the best birthing position for your birth.
What is the best position to give birth?
The best position to give birth in can depend on which positions make you feel most comfortable and the position your baby is in. It can also depend on what your goals are, whether it is to speed up labor or reduce pain; there are birthing positions that can help with these goals.
Hands and knees
Getting on your hands and knees, whether it’s on a mat or bed, is one of those positions for labor that is good for both you and your baby. It can ease back pain, open your pelvis and give your baby more space, and encourage the baby to be in the optimal position for birthing.
Upright
The upright position is essentially just sitting up straight at the end of the bed or birthing chair. This is considered one of the best birthing positions to help in preventing tearing due to gravity, improving your pelvic opening and making pushing feel more natural as it feels more like a bowel movement. The upright position has also been shown to shorten labor time for many women.
Leaning forward
For the leaning forward position, you can either straddle a chair or lean forward onto a table, countertop or bed. This is another one of the childbirth laboring positions that can help speed up the process by using gravity to help the baby go through the birth canal. If during labor you’re experiencing back pain, leaning forward would also help ease the back pain.
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Using a birth ball
A birth ball can help elevate many different labor positions. For example, it can be useful during hands and knees, leaning forward, or sitting upright on it and rocking to help the baby descend. It is also a useful tool for decreasing pressure on the back and, therefore, easing back pain when used in combination with positions like leaning forward.
Kneeling
Kneeling is very similar to leaning forward. For this position, you’d be kneeling and leaning onto something, like a birth ball, couch or pillow. This is another position that will help open the pelvis and give the baby room to move around into an optimal position for birthing.
Lunging
Lunging should be done during regular contractions or when labor has stalled or is slowing down. To do the lunge position, you want to put one leg up on a stool or chair and lean forward towards your bent knee. If doing this during contractions, you want to lean towards the bent knee when you feel a contraction starting and then lean back – kind of like a rocking or swaying motion. This is one of the early labor positions that can be helpful for easing back pain, opening the mid-pelvic for the baby to descend or rotate, and encouraging labor to keep progressing.
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Squatting
Like the upright position, squatting is another birthing position that is perfect for when you’re ready to push. Squatting is one of the best positions to give birth to avoid tearing. It opens up your pelvis and makes pushing feel natural. To do this position, you want to hold onto a sturdy item like a chair or squatting bar and then get into the squat position.
Walking
Natural birth labor positions like walking are useful during all stages of labor but are especially useful during the early stages to get the labor process going. If you haven’t started contractions yet or you aren’t having regular contractions, walking can help with that!
Lying on your side
If you’re considering getting an epidural during labor, lying on your side is one of the best epidural birth positions to try – although this position can still be done even if you end up not getting an epidural. For this birth position, you want to lie on your side with your legs bent and either a pillow or a peanut ball between your legs. This position can be useful for increasing dilation and help to navigate the birth canal.
Water birth
Combining any of the natural childbirth labor positions mentioned above with a water birth can be especially helpful for pain management, relaxation, reducing stress hormones, helping the baby navigate the birth canal, and more. For early stages of water births, it can start with showering or bathing, and then as labor progresses, it moves to being in a birthing pool.
Sitting on the toilet
Sitting backwards on the toilet is a trusted position to help the baby enter the birth canal as it opens the pelvis. It is also helpful to have someone do a back rub or other massage techniques in this position. It is also helpful when the baby is in the sunny-side-up position.
Find a trusted provider at The Mother Baby Center
Everyone’s labor experience will be different, so what is the best position to give birth in will also vary from person to person. With all the birthing positions to try, you can customize your labor experience to what works best for you and your baby.
Our team at The Mother Baby Center is ready to provide expert and personalized care for you and your family. Find a provider and deliver at The Mother Baby Center today.