Have you ever seen a beetle turned on it’s back?  Clearly not comfortable in that position, it will struggle and struggle until it rights itself, is happened upon by a sympathetic stranger or finally has no strength left.  Interestingly enough the “stranded beetle” position is not confined to the insect world.  Watch any of the “Baby” shows and you’ll see many a laboring mother confined to her bed, laying flat on her back.

I am dismayed by this for a number of reasons.  First, it has always seemed odd to me that many a pregnancy book advocates avoiding the back position late in pregnancy as the weight of the baby on the major artery running through the spine may actually inhibit the baby’s oxygen intake and create possible complications.  Second, the lithotomy position (that’s the medical term) was created for the doctor’s convenience during a time when women were given so much gas they weren’t even awake during labor.  Now mothers usually are awake but the practice lives on.  Third, it is completely against a woman’s natural instinct to remain in one place during labor.  Studies of historical cultures and women from remote areas away from such technological advances as fetal monitors confirm this. That is not to say that women don’t feel comfortable in bed or won’t choose to be there at some point but to remain in a bed in one position throughout labor is just unnatural and can slow the progress of labor.  Conversely (and fourth) movement (walking, rocking, squatting, kneeling etc.) can speed labor along.  Finally, and this was the clincher for  me personally, being on your back in labor HURTS!  Standing up or sitting or any number of other labor postions are intense to be sure but they are by far better than laying down on one’s back.

Having said all of that I encourage you to listen to your body and move when you feel like doing so.  Sometimes mothers don’t get out of bed because they feel overwhelmed by the technology of the hospital and the expertise of the staff so here are some nuggets you may not know.  Fetal monitors do not have to be attached all the time.  In fact, ten minutes of monitoring each hour is statistically as informative as constant montitoring.  As for exams, a good nurse will be able to do a vaginal exam while you are lying on your side.  Also, just because you are assigned a room doesn’t mean you have to stay there.  Bring your own clothing and you will feel more comfortable walking about the halls.  You are not a prisoner.  If you do choose to stay in your room, keep in mind that the the chairs provided for visitors can be used by you as well.  Ask your nurse about other available options such as a birth ball, rocking chair or jacuzzi tub (often in the physical therapy area).

You can read more about Birth-Day here.