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What is a good time for pushing? Obviously each body is different but is there a general rule of thumb on a good timeframe? For myself, I labored for 28 hours with my first and pushed for 30 minutes and tore (2nd degree); I release this to not knowing anything of what was going on or what I was doing. With my second labored for 11 hours and pushed for 6 minutes with no tearing.
A good time for pushing is when the ejection reflex kicks in and the body starts doing it. If people have an epidural they might not feel the pushing happening and that is when labor staff starts directing the pushing. What happens sometimes is the body starts pushing, reflex kicks in and the doctor isn’t there or they don’t feel the cervix is fully dilated and they tell the mom to not push. This can be traumatizing to the body!
I am a Midwife (in Australia) and the only time we use McRobert’s is for a shoulder dystocia or very large baby that is stuck, but only after trying hands and knees and other positions. It is a last resort and an emergency procedure.
It depends on how they are using them. Is pressure still on the sacrum? If so the pelvic outlet is not freely able to open and sacrum has harder time going into flexion.
What’s most important for the squatted position to help protect the perineum is to have support of the upper body to unweight the legs. So it depends on if the water is supporting the body enough can the be less weight going through the legs.
What is a good time for pushing? Obviously each body is different but is there a general rule of thumb on a good timeframe? For myself, I labored for 28 hours with my first and pushed for 30 minutes and tore (2nd degree); I release this to not knowing anything of what was going on or what I was doing. With my second labored for 11 hours and pushed for 6 minutes with no tearing.
A good time for pushing is when the ejection reflex kicks in and the body starts doing it. If people have an epidural they might not feel the pushing happening and that is when labor staff starts directing the pushing. What happens sometimes is the body starts pushing, reflex kicks in and the doctor isn’t there or they don’t feel the cervix is fully dilated and they tell the mom to not push. This can be traumatizing to the body!
I am a Midwife (in Australia) and the only time we use McRobert’s is for a shoulder dystocia or very large baby that is stuck, but only after trying hands and knees and other positions. It is a last resort and an emergency procedure.
Caron, Thanks for this comment. I’m glad to know it’s only used sparingly!
What are your thoughts on the squat bars that hospitals have now?
It depends on how they are using them. Is pressure still on the sacrum? If so the pelvic outlet is not freely able to open and sacrum has harder time going into flexion.
You didn’t mention a tub of warm water! Thet’s very common for home births around here.
Piggy backing off of Jamie’s question, would a squatted position in a water birth take the pressure off the perineum?
What’s most important for the squatted position to help protect the perineum is to have support of the upper body to unweight the legs. So it depends on if the water is supporting the body enough can the be less weight going through the legs.