Can't labor upright...HUH?!?

[mrstrivette]

36wks & 3days today & at the last appt doc tells me that because the baby is so low & my belly is hanging over the wrong side of the pubic bone, that I won't be able to labor this one upright. This is baby #3. Hubby & I have been joking for months that this baby is gonna have to climb up to get out. Not a joke anymore! So if I can't labor upright, does that mean laying down completely or what? And does that mean that I can't deliver upright either? Next appt is this Wednesday & will be asking for further explanation, but wondering if anyone else has been told this?

Tried to put in a pic of me at 36wks but it isn't working.

[agirlinred]

Laboring on your back defies nature and gravity. I have never heard of a doctor telling a mom she can't labor upright. I would definitely ask for further explanation.

[goodhope]

That does sound odd, and you do need further clairfication. I've never heard of anyone being told that (unless it's a situation where they're going to be hooked up to a lot of fetal monitors), but since there's an issue with your belly and your pubic bone, perhaps there is something special about your case. Hopefully, your doc will clear things up on Wednesday.

Unless you plan to be induced, you could labor upright at home for hours before going to the hospital, right? It's not like your doctor could stop you.

[strawberry shortcake]

Sounds odd to me too. Lying down makes the pelvis narrower, hence making it more difficult to push baby out. The positions that allow the pelvis to fully open are standing and squatting, so I can't believe you've been advised to lie down!

Be sure to ask for a full explanation and if you aren't satisfied, don't be afraid to get a second opinion. Best of luck to you!

[crunchymama]

Sorry...never heard of this. I'm very interested to hear what your doctor says though when you ask for clarification.

The only thing I can think of is that the position of the baby is such that external fetal monitoring for baby's heartbeat (constant monitoring is not necessary, but often hospitals do it anyway) can not get an accurate reading. Therefore, your doctor would recommend an internal fetal heartrate monitor, which keeps you in bed/not walking around... you should still be able to sit upright though with that.


If there was a true medical reason that I couldn't be upright or move around at all to give birth...and this was something I verified with my own research (cause I don't trust everything doctors say-- and I'm not one of those "anti-medical" people at all really, I just do my own research and get second opinions)....then I'd opt to have a voluntary C-section. That is saying A L O T because I am truly truly against voluntary C-sections and any C-section that is not a true medical necessity. I have to be able to move around during labor though!

[crunchymama]

I thought of something else. Do you think your doctor was teasing you or trying to be funny? Like "hey...baby is soooo low already that you don't even have to sit or stand (upright) to get her to move down!"

[rin]

That seems like such a bizzare thing to say!

Perhaps you might like to check out this website: http://www.spinningbabies.com/
It's all about fetal positioning, how to encourage baby into the right position for labour/birth and different postures and techniques for the mother to use during pregnancy & labour.

Best of luck!

[mrstrivette]

Ok, so got some clarification today.

Dr said that because my uterus is flopped so far forward, I will have to start out labor on my back to allow the baby to move down into the pelvis. She said the baby is head down, but not down into the pelvis. She said I don't have to stay on my back; after baby is moved down into my pelvis then I can be upright for the rest of the birth. I had one of my strong contractions while I was in the clinic. Eventhough to me the contractions feel like they are trying to push the baby down, she said they are pushing the baby up. Hmm... So maybe when I have these strong contractions I need to lay my butt down! And then struggle to get back up. LOL

[mrstrivette]

37wks.jpg

let's see if this works..

[mrstrivette]

Yay, it worked! Ok, so there's a pic of me at 37wks preggo to show just how low my belly (and baby) is. Will be 38wks tomorrow & OB appt on Thursday.