Birth Positions for a Faster Delivery: Expert-Recommended Tips for Labour

During labour, the position you choose can play a significant role in the speed, ease, and comfort of your delivery. While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, several birth positions can potentially accelerate the process and reduce discomfort. The right position can help your baby move down the birth canal more efficiently, aid in your own relaxation, and prevent complications during labour.

This article dives deep into birth positions that experts recommend for a faster delivery, how antenatal care can prepare you for these positions, and tips for optimising your labour experience.

The Role of Antenatal Preparation in Choosing Birth Positions

Antenatal care is essential in ensuring that you are physically and mentally prepared for childbirth. Your antenatal appointments allow you to discuss various birth positions with your healthcare provider and choose the best ones for your body and the baby’s position.

In antenatal education classes, expectant parents learn about the importance of positioning during labour. Many pregnancy care providers encourage flexibility and suggest trying different positions to facilitate a quicker delivery. From pelvic floor exercises and antenatal yoga to relaxation techniques, your pregnancy care journey should include a variety of methods that help prepare you for labour.

Regular antenatal checkups and scans help monitor the baby’s position, which can influence the positions you can safely adopt during labour. For instance, if your baby is in a posterior position (facing upwards), certain birth positions can help encourage them to rotate into the optimal position for delivery.

Sources:

Antenatal Care Guide – NHS

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists – Birth Positions

1. Upright Positions for Faster Delivery

One of the best ways to encourage a faster delivery is to avoid lying flat on your back during labour. Upright positions, such as standing, squatting, or kneeling, allow gravity to assist in the descent of the baby, helping to speed up the process. These positions also encourage optimal alignment of the pelvis, allowing the baby to move down the birth canal more effectively.

Standing or Leaning Forward

Standing is a natural position that allows gravity to aid in the delivery process. You can lean forward on a support, such as a partner, a birth ball, or a piece of furniture, while remaining upright. This position can reduce the intensity of contractions and allows you to move freely during labour. The upright stance opens up the pelvis, making it easier for your baby to descend.

Squatting

Squatting during labour opens the pelvis by up to 30%, helping to create more space for the baby to pass through. This position can also strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, allowing you to push more effectively during the second stage of labour. It can be a powerful tool in facilitating faster delivery.

While squatting may feel challenging for some, a birthing stool or support from your partner or midwife can make this position more accessible and comfortable.

Kneeling or All-Fours

Kneeling, often done on hands and knees, is another upright position that can speed up delivery. It allows for more freedom in movement and can reduce back pain. Being on all fours opens the pelvis and can help rotate a baby who may be in a posterior position, potentially speeding up the birth process. It also provides more room for the baby to move down the birth canal.

Sources:

NHS: Labour Positions

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists: Positions During Labour

2. The Role of Antenatal Yoga in Labour Positions

Yoga during pregnancy, also known as antenatal yoga, is highly recommended for preparing the body for childbirth. The focus of prenatal yoga is to improve flexibility, strength, and posture, all of which are beneficial during labour. Regular practice helps you learn to breathe deeply and relax, which can be incredibly valuable during contractions.

Prenatal yoga includes poses that can be particularly beneficial during labour. These poses increase pelvic flexibility and strengthen key muscles, preparing the body for the physical demands of childbirth. Some yoga poses that can support efficient birth positions include:

Cat-Cow Pose: This position helps to open the pelvis and can aid in the rotation of a posterior baby.

Wide-Legged Forward Fold: This pose stretches the hips and pelvis, creating more space for the baby to descend.

Child’s Pose: This relaxation pose helps to calm the body and conserve energy for the active phases of labour.

By practising yoga during pregnancy, you can improve your stamina, flexibility, and comfort, making it easier to transition through different birth positions.

Sources:

Antenatal Yoga Classes Near Me – BabyCentre

Yoga During Pregnancy – NHS

3. The Benefits of Prenatal Massage for Labour Preparation

Prenatal massage is another antenatal support technique that can reduce muscle tension and increase relaxation before labour. While it won’t directly impact your delivery speed, reducing tension and preparing your body can make it easier to adopt various birth positions during labour. Regular massage can help your muscles become more flexible, ensuring that you can move into different labour positions more easily.

Prenatal massage has several benefits, including reducing stress, improving circulation, and promoting relaxation. All these factors contribute to a smoother, more manageable labour, as a relaxed body is better equipped to handle the physical demands of birth.

Sources:

Benefits of Prenatal Massage – NHS

Relaxation During Pregnancy – BabyCentre

4. The Supine Position (Lying on Your Back)

Though standing or squatting are generally recommended for a faster delivery, some women may prefer to give birth in a supine position (lying on their back). This position is commonly seen in hospital births, but it can limit the opening of the pelvis and may slow down the delivery. However, for some women, it might feel the most comfortable, especially with an epidural in place.

While lying on your back may not always encourage the fastest delivery, it can be an option if the baby’s head is descending without difficulty. The key is to work with your healthcare provider to ensure that the position is optimal for both you and your baby.

5. Side-Lying Position

The side-lying position can be a good option for reducing pressure on the perineum and encouraging faster delivery. This position can be especially helpful in cases of fatigue, as it allows the mother to rest while still effectively working with the contractions. The side-lying position also makes it easier for the healthcare provider to support the perineum during delivery and prevent complications such as tearing.

Sources:

Positions for Labour – BabyCentre

The Best Labour Positions – NHS

6. Preparing with Antenatal Classes

Antenatal classes are a valuable resource for learning about various birth positions and gaining confidence in making informed choices during labour. Many antenatal classes teach couples about optimal positions and allow you to practise these techniques in a supportive environment. Whether you’re attending physical classes or virtual sessions, discussing birth positions with your instructor can help you feel more prepared.

Antenatal education also provides information on pain relief options, the stages of labour, and breathing exercises, all of which can complement your choice of birth positions and contribute to a faster delivery.

Sources:

Antenatal Education – NHS

Antenatal Classes Near Me – BabyCentre

Conclusion: The Best Birth Positions for You

Ultimately, the best birth position for a faster delivery is one that feels right for you, your baby, and your healthcare provider. Antenatal preparation, such as regular checkups, prenatal yoga, massage, and education, can all support the adoption of positions that facilitate a quicker and more comfortable birth. It’s important to discuss your options with your healthcare provider and remain open to trying different positions during labour, as this can help optimise the birth experience.

Remember, every birth is unique, and being flexible and prepared will help you navigate the challenges of labour with confidence and ease.