Ask Dr Miriam

QMy pregnant daughter has been going to antenatal classes where she was told that standing up during labour would help the birth.

I had my three children lying down.

Do you think standing up is a good thing?

AWell, generally, yes I do because standing up uses the force of gravity to help push the baby down and out, resulting in a speedier birth with fewer interventions and complications.

However, just to reassure you, I’d like to tell you about a new study in which women in the second stage of labour, who had been given an epidural to ease their pain, were studied in the upright versus the lying down position. They wanted to see if being upright would increase the chance of a normal vaginal birth compared to lying down. What the study showed was the opposite of what was expected! Lying down actually increased the chance of a normal birth compared to being upright. What I like about this study is that it legitimises whatever position a woman chooses in which to give birth.