Care Practices that Promote Normal Birth #5: Non-Supine (e.g., Upright or Side-Lying) Positions for Birth

In this position paperdone of six care practice papers published by Lamaze International and reprinted here with permissiondthe benefit of non-supine positions for birth is discussed and presented as an evidence-based practice that helps promote, protect, and support normal birth. The paper is written for childbearing women and their families. Upright and gravity-neutral positions facilitate rotation and descent of the baby and result in reduced duration of second stage, a reduc-tion in episiotomies, and fewer abnormal fetal heart rate patterns. The accompanying commentarydwritten by a leading proponent of maternity caredsupports these benefits. Lamaze International recommends that laboring women not push until they feel an urge to do so, and that they choose positions for birth that are most comfortable for them. Journal of Perinatal Education, 13(2), 30e34; nor-mal birth, labor positions, care practices, childbirth education. When a woman in labor is positioned other than flat on her back, blood flow to the uterus is increased and the woman feels less pain. This means more oxygen to the baby, more normal fetal heart patterns, more effective uterine contractions, a shorter second stage of labor, and less need of pain medicationsdall positive factors that en-courage a normal vaginal birth