Positions for labor and giving birth

Your birthing class, should have given you great information but I have a few little notes to add:

If you think of a woman about to give birth, you will notice that gravity naturally works in her favor while she is standing or squatting.  While you are in labor, you should try various positions that feel comfortable in the moment. Moving your hips in a circular motion while in some sort of supported upright position will help your hips and pelvis widen to help the baby move down for birth.  I always alternate positions as the labor progresses but especially liked slow dancing with my husband or leaning over a chair (while getting a back massage for my back labor).

Sadly, most hospitals around here like to hook up monitors and IV tubes that confine a woman to her bed. If a woman gets an epidural then she is bedridden and does not get to have gravity and natural hip movements help the baby get into position. This is one of several reasons while epidurals can cause a lot of other birthing complications.

The nice part about avoiding unnecessary medical intervention is to allow your body to labor and birth in natural positions that nature intended them to birth in since humans have been around. It is best not to jump at an epidural unless you really cannot continue without it. You should also be aware of the "transition" stage of labor that occurs right before it is time to push. This is when most women are really tested in how well they can handle labor and a good caregiver will let the woman work through this and not respect her screams for medicine :)  After transition, you are in the pushing stage while feels completely different!  Women only started laying on their back with legs up when doctors in hospitals starting doing births because it was convenient for the doctor! It is good to just be aware of this in the back of your head!