We know this or rather do we know this? Movement plays an important role during labor and birth. Through out the history of womankind, not just the last 75 years, women have changed positions as they felt the need during childbirth. Laying in bed to give birth was not a common practice. When you consider the physics of giving birth laying in bed for hours is counter productive to the design of a woman’s body. In a supine position or laying down a woman’s pelvic outlet closes and decreases the space for a baby to descend. Laying down in bed can also exacerbate and make any discomfort worse. Moving through childbirth is a great way to cope with the intensity of contractions and help labor to progress.
This poster from Childbirth Graphics is a great teaching tool. It is also available as a tear sheet. It is important when woman are pregnant to have them along with their support person try as many different positions as possible in order to connect with their bodies and discover what makes them comfortable. Having this knowledge and connection to their bodies will be of benefit during birth. It will give them the confidence to know what is right and intuitively they will work with their bodies to progress labor.