An unlikely (but amazing) place to labor
You might be surprised that your favorite place to labor could be…
…on the toilet.
You read that right. The toilet. But before you object, let me quickly explain the many benefits the porcelain throne has to offer a laboring woman:
Sitting on the toilet naturally helps you relax your pelvic floor muscles. And f you’re not aware, tense muscles can impede labor progression and increase discomfort, two things you want to avoid at all costs. If you are having trouble relaxing the muscles of your pelvic floor, try sitting on the toilet and your body will help you do just that.
Sitting on the toilet keeps you in a squat position, which opens your pelvis and better allows your baby to descend and engage. And not only are you in a squat, but you’re doing so with your full body weight supported. This makes sitting on the toilet a great choice when you need to rest but still want to ensure you’re helping baby progress.
Straddling the toilet while you’re facing the back of it (as you see in the picture) even gives you a place to lay your head. Grab a pillow, place it on the back of the toilet, and let yourself relax into that position. Many a woman has fallen asleep in this position, even in the midst of active labor.
This straddled position also allows your partner/doula access to your backside so they can provide comfort measures, such as pelvic or sacral pressure or even a shoulder massage. These techniques are invaluable to pain management.
Also consider the environment that the bathroom offers a laboring woman. (Your environment can play a bigger role in your body’s ability to progress than you may realize!) The bathroom is often a cool and dark room, two things that are necessary in creating a serene setting that every laboring woman needs. The darkness creates a sense of privacy and calm, and the cool temperature is comforting, given that women in labor will feel quite warm.
So go for it, mama! Go to the comfort of your bathroom and sit on that toilet, and let your body so the rest!
(You might not look at your the toilet the same.)