Birth is impossible to predict but keeping some of these tips in mind may help you adjust during labor to make baby and you more comfortable!
The best labor position is the one that creates the most space in the part of your pelvis that your baby is currently in. Good news! You will find that most of the time your body will intuitively move to make more space for baby.
There are 3 main parts of your pelvis that the baby has to travel through during labor; the pelvic inlet, mid pelvis, and pelvic outlet. All correlate with different movements and positions to create more space.
Pelvic Inlet
Midpelvis
Pelvic Outlet
Movement patterns that open the Pelvic Inlet
This is the top of the pelvis and the first space that the baby has to enter in labor. These are movements that will help baby engage into the pelvis!
Pelvic tilts
Ex: tilts forward and back on exercise ball, cat/cow
External rotation and abduction of your hips
Ex: supported wall squats, deep squats with support, Childs pose
Movement Patterns that open the Midpelvis
The next step is when the baby has to rotate through the mid pelvis. Usually the movements that will feel the best are asymmetrical in this stage!
Side to side, swaying, asymmetrical movement
Ex: tilts side to side on ball, curb walking, seated hip circles, half lunge, hip dips, elevated lunge (Captain Morgan pose), 90/90 reaches, adductor rock backs.
Movement patterns that open the Pelvic Outlet
Baby has now made its way through the pelvis and you are ready to push! This is the last space that baby needs to pass through before you meet them!
Internal rotation, adduction, neutral spine with slight PPT, sacral nutation
Ex: all fours with feet wider than knees, Sidelying with partner support, peanut ball between calves
