This is one of my go to pushing positions for mothers in a hospital setting. It’s a position that can be used both with or without an epidural and that’s what makes it so wonderful.
Josh is sitting in the chair so that when Amy pulls on the scarf, she doesn’t tip the chair over and she has full ability to pull as hard as she needs. That allows her to best simulate using a real squat bar with a bed sheet tied over it in a hospital bed.
So, forget the yoga mat and chair, and instead picture the hospital bed. Amy’s back faces the back of the bed. Her feet are ON the squat bar and her hands hold a bed sheet tired around the squat bar. Her knees are open in a butterfly position to make room for baby’s passage. Her sitting bones are on the bed and her back is tall.
That scarf (bed sheet) is what gives her leverage to push. She pulls, elbows down, on that bed sheet which engages her core thus aiding the fundus in pushing the baby out.
Her feet press into the squat bar to increase the work in her core. Amy’s using the leverage and the energy from her arms and legs to push. This alleviates the need for long breath holding.
Squat Variation
If you do not have an epidural, you may be able to convert this position to a squat.
To do so, place your feet flat on the bed instead of on the squat bar. Use your arms to pull yourself up from seated to a squat. When your pushing contraction is over, use your arms to lower yourself back to the bed and rest until the next contraction.
Pro Tips
Ask for the squat bar when you are ready to push. Most hospitals have them available to attach to the bed.
Incline the head of the bed up almost to a right angle to make the most of the resting time in between pushing contractions.
Tie the knot at the bottom of the bedsheet, so you have something to grab and eliminate the risk of your hands slipping off.
Push as your body tells you to.
Check out the rest of the labor posture series with Josh and Amy:
- Rock Your Labor with these Birth Ball Pro-Tips
- Birth Ball Pro-Tips for Labor – Part 2
- Three Techniques to Keep You Calm During Labor
Want to know more?
In, Confident Birthing, my Lamaze class, we go over these labor postures and a host of others to make you more comfortable, speed labor along and teach your partner how to best support you during birth.
Can’t make a group class? Private childbirth classes are available either in-person or via Skype to get you ready for baby.
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