
As told to Cindy Lever by Holly Stephenson, 32, from the Hunter Valley.
After being forced to birth lying down for three of my babies, when the fourth was due, I made sure I did lots of research and put clearly in my birth plan that I wanted an upright birth.
Birthing on a bed for me felt like a very submissive position, while upright felt like I was taking control and it was the most comfortable for me.
When I had my first baby, I was very young and didn’t know anything. I thought lying on your back was the only way to give birth.
Mums and non-mums answer questions about childbirth… and their responses are very different.
My labour was arduous because the baby was in the wrong position and I was forced to birth her on my back as I didn’t know the benefits of being upright. I had prolonged pushing and a second-degree tear to my perineum and a first-degree tear upwards into my labia. It made recovery very painful.
With my second one, I still didn’t know too much about positioning and birthed in a semi-recumbent position on the bed and as a result my son was born compromised due to a mild-moderate shoulder dystocia which required manoeuvres to release his anterior shoulder.
I went from lying on my back with my knees jammed up to my chest to being flipped on my hands and knees which with some assistance allowed me to birth him. I suffered mild PTSD afterwards as a result and went wild researching the best positions for birthing ‘big’ babies.
I read plenty of articles and fell in love with Ina May Gaskin, who very quickly demonstrated through her practice that birthing upright was extremely beneficial, particularly in scenarios where women may potentially be expecting a bigger baby and or have had a previous shoulder dystocia complication.

Top Comments
I gave birth to all three of my now adult children in the 80's and early 90's. It was considered very radical in 1985 and the midwives were surprised when i refused to lie down and follow their instructions ! But also they were surprised with no tear or episiotomy (which was around 90% rate at that time) . I have taught about the benefits of upright positioning for 30 years as a CBE , but get the impression that most women do not birth upright . I have to say that at the time , my partner was not only supportive but pro-active in assisting me to find upright positions at a time when being on the delivery bed was the norm and that really helped.My third birth was on the floor so i have no trouble to move about and get myself into whatever position felt right at the time. I find that many partners now seem less willing to be so pro active and depend on the midwife/obstetrician to tell them what to do.