Mom2Mom Podcast

51 | Pushing Positions for Labor: Why the Hospital Bed Isn't Your Only Option

Stephanie Sinclair

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0:00 | 29:51

Most of us picture pushing the same way: flat on our back, feet in stirrups, someone counting to ten. That's one option, but it's not the only one. Not even close.

In this episode, we're talking about pushing positions for labor and why where you push matters just as much as how you push. From squatting and hands and knees to sideline pushing, closed knee pushing, and small modifications that can change everything when you're on your back, there's a lot of room to work with your body instead of against it.

We're walking through:

  • Why gravity, movement, and balance shape what happens in birth
  • How back-lying became the standard (and why it isn't always the most effective)
  • Upright options like squatting, kneeling, and forward leaning
  • How sideline pushing supports rest and rotation, even with an epidural
  • Why your body often knows what to do before your mind catches up

Whether you're planning an unmedicated birth, working with an epidural, or somewhere in between, knowing your options helps you feel more grounded heading into birth. There's no one right way to push. There's only what feels right in your body, in that moment.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Blog: 

View our Childbirth Ed Course: https://www.how2mom.com/courses-and-events/childbirth-class-online-and-in-person/ 



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xoxo, Stephanie

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