When the time finally comes for the baby to be born and preparations for delivery begin, one of the issues that may come up is the position of the mother.
For several decades, the most used position has been the gynecological position or lithotomy. But is it really the most comfortable position for childbirth ? Well that depends on who we are talking about.
Lithotomy is the most comfortable … for professionals
As we have mentioned, the gynecological position , also known as supine decubitus or lithotomy, is that position in which the woman is lying on her back on the bed or delivery table and that in recent decades has been the “traditional” way of give birth to millions of mothers.
This position became so widely used, because it allows professionals a better view of what is happening and thus have better control over the delivery. But although your intention is good, in reality it is a position that could cause more problems than facilities.
In addition, it is uncomfortable and limiting for the mother, it goes against gravity, so it is necessary to make a greater effort when pushing to expel the baby , since it must pass through the birth canal in an upward plane.
On the other hand, when lying down, the weight of the uterus compresses the large blood vessels, interfering with the baby’s circulation and oxygenation, in addition to narrowing the pelvic outlet by pressing the coccyx against the bed.
There are better positions for the mother
Some time ago we talked about the postures of childbirth and the advantages or disadvantages that each one of them had, finding that vertical positions were better for the mother, as they provided her with greater freedom of movement than lithotomy.
Delivering standing, squatting or sitting are some examples of this type of posture, which has a great factor in its favor: gravity . The weight of the baby and the pressure exerted by his head soften the pelvic floor, facilitating dilation and – according to some research – helping to make labor shorter and less painful.
If we go to the emotional part, which is important since we talk about comfort when giving birth, a study affirms that voluntarily choosing an upright posture during childbirth helps to have a more positive experience, since it provides a feeling of strength and empowerment in the mothers .
The most comfortable position to give birth is …
The one that the mother chooses, that simple. Just as we always mention that every motherhood experience is unique, so is every birth experience .
The important thing is that the mother has the freedom of movement to try different positions so that she can choose the one with which her body feels most comfortable.
Photos | wavebreakmedia_micro – www.freepik.com, DCStudio – www.freepik.com
In Babies and more | Birth Rights: the rights of the mother and the baby to have more humanized births, 13 keys to having a respected birth
