How to Push During Labor
Table of Contents
Introduction
Relax
and Breathe Through Contractions
Assume
Proper Pushing Positions
Squatting
Side-Lying
Hands and Knees
Help
Gravity By Moving Around
Lunging
Squatting
Leaning Over Exercise Ball
Focus
Pushing Efforts
Work With Contractions
Push With Chin Down
Use Breath to Guide Pushing
Stay
Motivated and Focused
Have Support People Present
Use Affirmations
Visualize Baby Descending
Communicate With Your Provider
Voice Discomforts
Ask Questions As Needed
Conserve Energy Between Pushes
Rest Between Contractions
Limit Unnecessary Exertion
Trust
Your Body and Instincts
Change Positions Intuitively
Make Noises That Feel Right
Conclusion
FAQs
Introduction
The moment you've been waiting
for is finally here - it's time to start pushing your baby out! 🤰
You're likely feeling a mix of excitement, anxiety, fear, and determination.
Pushing during labor is one of the biggest mental and physical challenges
you'll face during childbirth, but also one of the most empowering and
rewarding experiences ever. 💪 The sensations of your
contractions transforming into undeniable urges to bear down and push,
increasing pressure in your pelvis, and your baby's head beginning to crown are
signals that you're nearing the finish line to meeting your little one. 🏆
While every labor is unique,
there are techniques you can use to push safely and effectively when those
powerful urges hit. With the right positioning, breathing, focus, support team,
communication with your provider, and trust in your body's abilities, you'll
make amazing progress during this pivotal stage. 💫 Let's explore best
practices on how to push during labor so you feel equipped to rock this rite of
passage! Give each surge your all and before you know it, your baby will be
resting on your chest. You SO got this, mama! Now let's push! 💪👶
Relax and Breathe Through Contractions
When it's go time to push, the
first priority is keeping yourself as calm and relaxed as possible through each
contraction. As your baby descends lower into your pelvis, your surges will
intensify significantly. 📈 It's common for
contractions during pushing to feel longer, stronger, and closer together -
like one extended marathon surge! The intensified pressure and burning
sensations might make you feel like you want to climb out of your skin. 😫
Your natural reaction will be to
tense up against the overwhelming intensity. But clenched muscles are
counterproductive when you're trying to allow your pelvis to open up. Remaining
relaxed enables your perineum, vagina, and pelvic floor to gently stretch and
make way for your baby's descent. Think of your body as warm clay or soft
butter that melts and morphs as your baby moves through. Tensing up like a
stone statue only increases the pain and hinders the necessary changes your
pelvic region must make. 🗿
So, focus on keeping all muscles
in your hips, butt, thighs, and core as loose, open, and pliable as possible
through each contraction. If you feel tension creeping in, take a slow deep
breath and imagine your muscles softening with each exhale. Have your partner
gently massage areas that feel tight. Use warm compresses on tense zones to
promote relaxation.
Rhythmic breathing is also key
for maintaining a calm state. As each surge begins, take long, deep belly
breaths, envisioning the oxygen circulating through your body down to your
baby. Breathe in through your nose and out through loose lips like you're softly
blowing out a candle. Settle into a steady pattern - inhale for 4 counts,
exhale for 6 counts. Focus only on your breath, blocking out any
anxiety-provoking thoughts. 🧘♀️ Having your support
people remind you to "Keep breathing! You've got this!" can help
redirect your focus. A peaceful, oxygenated mama = a peaceful, oxygenated baby
ready to be born!
Assume Proper Pushing Positions
Your body's positioning during
the pushing stage is crucial for aligning things optimally to work with gravity
and open up your pelvis as wide as possible. 🧘♀️ Some
provider-suggested positions may not feel intuitive or comfortable to you.
Don't be afraid to suggest alternatives that you feel will help get this baby
out! Experiment with different options and listen to what your body is
screaming for at the moment. No single position needs to be maintained the
entire time. Follow your instincts about what feels most productive for each
unique contraction.
Squatting
The deep squat is frequently
encouraged by medical providers because it opens your pelvic outlet up to 30%
wider than lying on your back! 📐 When squatting, aim for
at least hip width distance between your feet and knees. Lean forward slightly
and stick your butt out behind you rather than keeping your torso upright. Hold
on to a squat bar, your partner's shoulders, or suspended ropes for balance
assistance. Having a birth ball or pile of pillows nearby to sit back on can
provide relief between contractions.
If holding a sustained squat
feels too challenging, try doing a "labor dance" by rhythmically
shifting from side to side, circling your hips, swaying forward and back, or
lightly bouncing up and down. Let your legs bend and straighten fluidly as your
body directs. Focus on relaxing your hips and inner thighs to sink down deeply.
Imagine your tailbone lengthening toward the floor to make more room for your
baby's arrival.
Side-Lying
Lying on your side in a fetal
position with your top leg forward is another highly productive position,
especially if you have back labor. It allows your pelvis to open naturally
while being supported. Use pillows to prop your top leg in a bent, outward rotated
position while keeping your bottom leg straight or slightly bent.
During pushes, grip the back of
your top thigh tightly and pull it toward your abdomen. Plant your bottom foot
and push powerfully through your heel to leverage your weight forward. Your
partner can provide reassuring hip squeezes or apply counter pressure against
your lower back. Having a peanut-shaped birth ball snug between your legs can
feel soothing too. Switch sides whenever the top hip grows tired or numb.
Hands and Knees
Hands and knees remain a popular
birthing position due to its ability to utilize gravity while taking pressure
off your back. Sway your hips from side to side, circling in figure 8 motions
to encourage baby's rotation and descent. During contractions, arch your back
downward like a cat stretch and push your sitz bones up and back toward your
heels.
Your partner can provide comfort
by applying firm pressure on your sacrum or double hip squeezes. Leaning
forward to rest your forearms on a birth ball, chair, or bed creates nice chest
support while maintaining the hands/knees position. Switch which leg is forward
occasionally to give your knees a break. Listen to your body's urges about hip
movements that feel helpful.
Help Gravity By Moving Around
While finding optimal pushing
positions is key, switching things up frequently to keep moving is equally
important. Changing positions gets your body into different alignments that can
help maneuver your baby into better positioning as they traverse your pelvis.
What felt productive 20 minutes ago may start feeling like you're pushing
against a brick wall. Listen to those instincts and move spontaneously into
whatever new position your body is longing for, even if it seems
unconventional.
Here are some movement options to
experiment with:
Lunging
Lunging forward during
contractions mimics a runner's burst of speed at the finish line! With one foot
planted in front of the other, propel your body weight forward as you push.
Lean into your front thigh, keeping your pelvis and chest open. Your support
person can offer counter pressure against your lower back or sacrum. Switch
your leading foot when the front leg grows tired.
Squatting
We already covered the power of
the basic squat, but squatting with movement takes things up a notch. Try
rhythmically bobbing up and down into a shallow squat during surges. Exaggerate
shifting your weight from one side to the other, allowing your knees to follow
along. Circle your hips fluidly like a belly dancer. Your partner can hold your
hands to stabilize your balance. Let your primal instincts guide your dance!
Leaning Over Exercise Ball
Drape your top half fully over a
large birth ball, letting your head hang down while your forearms rest on the
ball's surface. Firmly plant your feet wide on the floor and straighten your
knees for leverage. Have your partner or nurse apply downward pressure against
your sacrum during contractions. Rock your hips subtly from side to side if
that feels helpful. This unfortunate position can be empowering!
Don't be shy about suggesting new
positions to your medical team either! The more mobility and freedom you have
to follow your body's urges, the faster you'll see progress. Get creative and
mix things up!
Focus Pushing Efforts
When an intense contraction hits,
you want to ensure you're using proper techniques to make that push as
productive as possible. Laying limply in bed while half-heartedly bearing down
is not going to cut it! Pushing requires intense focus and deliberate body
positioning to work effectively with those powerful contractions.
Work With Contractions
Pushing needs to happen in sync
with your body's urges, not against them. When a surge begins, take a deep
breath and push with 100% of your might until the contraction fully peaks. Keep
your airway open and prolong the push as long as you can (10 seconds minimum)
to take advantage of that window of peak intensity.
As the surge starts fading, stop
pushing and take recovery breaths until the next one ramps up. Pushing in a
misaligned way or holding your breath and straining during intensity lulls will
quickly sap your energy. Time each push with the rising and falling of each
individual wave. Surf this labor ocean skillfully! 🌊
Push With Chin Down
Tucking your chin down towards
your chest while bearing down can massively improve the efficacy of your
pushes. This simple neck adjustment straightens the curve of your sacrum and
tailbone, aligning your pelvis into a more favorable shape for delivery.
Having your chin lifted up or
head held back shortens the birth canal, giving your baby less space to
navigate through. So keep your chin tucked down as you exhale forcefully
through each push. You'll feel your core and pelvic muscles contract more powerfully
in this optimized position.
Use Breath to Guide Pushing
Proper breathing techniques are
equally as important as physical positioning during the pushing stage. The goal
is to use your breath to effectively harness the full power of your abdominal
and core muscles with each contraction. Quick, shallow breaths won't cut it!
Follow these steps:
First, inhale slowly through your
nose as deeply as you can, sending air all the way down to your pelvic floor.
Hold your inhale for 2-3 seconds. Next, seal your lips and forcefully exhale
through pursed lips while simultaneously bearing down hard with your abdominal
muscles. Visualize blowing out a candle placed several feet away or sending
bubbles to the bottom of a deep fish tank. Don't rush your exhale - control it
for 8-10 seconds if possible.
Time each push breath with the
peak intensity crest of your contraction for maximum effectiveness. Allow your
breath and muscles to fully relax between surges. Refill your lungs with ample
oxygen in preparation for the next big wave!
Stay Motivated and Focused
Summoning the endurance to make
it through the marathon of pushing requires incredible physical and mental
stamina. When the Burning sensations and urge to push keep intensifying and you
feel like you can't take any more, it takes immense strength and determination
to power through. Those last final centimeters of progress before that sweet
baby emerges can feel nearly impossible, testing your willpower and focus like
never before.
Having continuous encouragement
and refocusing techniques on deck are so helpful for re-centering yourself when
you start losing steam. Staying tuned in to the productive mindset you'll need
for the home stretch is crucial.
Have Support People Present
Having your partner, doula,
and/or nurses at your side providing unwavering positivity, praise,
reassurance, and coaching is invaluable when you need a mental boost. Their
continuous cheerleading reminds you that you CAN do this and that every
productive push, no matter how small it feels, represents amazing progress.
Their confidence in your strength
fuels your own belief in yourself. Their physical touch, sincere affirmations
in your ear, and steadfast help keeping you hydrated/nourished maintains your
morale. Their counting out loud during pushes keeps you focused. Let their
support lift you higher through each contraction!
Use Affirmations
Repeating positive mantras
internally or out loud helps drown out the voice of self-doubt when your will
feels weakest. Tell yourself things like "I was made to do this!",
"My body is capable and strong", and "My baby is worth every
ounce of effort." Affirm your endurance and envision each push moving your
baby closer to your arms. Claim this empowering experience as yours!
Visualize Baby Descending
During those agonizing final
minutes of pushing, continuously envision your baby moving lower with each
contraction. Imagine their head gradually crown a tiny bit more, their
shoulders squeezing through your pelvis, and their body inching closer to freedom.
Keep this mental image sharply in focus to motivate yourself through the
burning and stretching sensations. Your baby is almost here!
Communicate With Your Provider
While you'll need to turn inward
and tune into your body's urges during pushing, also maintain an open stream of
communication with your OB/GYN or midwife. Speak up about any concerning
sensations you're experiencing so they can address issues promptly. Ask
clarifying questions if any instructions they're giving feel confusing or
unproductive to you. This is not the time to stay silent and defer blindly to
the medical staff. You know your body best!
Voice Discomforts
Many women don't want to
"complain" or be difficult during labor, so they downplay worrisome
symptoms or pain. But vocalizing concerning sensations is NOT just whining -
it's giving your provider important diagnostic information! Promptly inform
them if you feel significant stinging, burning or bulging pressure in your
perineum, numbness/pain in your tailbone, or a sudden gush of warm liquid you
suspect is blood. Don't disregard troubling signals just to seem
"tough" - your provider needs to know in order to intervene and help
you push safely.
Ask Questions as Needed
If your provider suggests a
position, breathing pattern, or pushing duration that doesn't feel intuitive to
YOU, speak up respectfully and ask them to explain the rationale. For example,
you may ask if lunging forward into a squat feels more productive than classic
squatting. Or if taking quick "sips" of air versus one long push
breath could harness your contractions better. The more you understand the
"why", the more empowered you'll feel. You've got this, mama! ✊
Conserve Energy Between Pushes
The breaks between intense
contractions provide vital windows to rest and gather strength for the next big
push. Fully utilize every moment of downtime to relax and rejuvenate, without
wasting an ounce of effort. Recharge effectively and you'll have the reserves
needed to keep progressing.
Rest Between Contractions
Forget about "practice
pushes"...doing mini-pushes between surges is an energy-wasting trap!
There is no need to put in any effort when you're not having an actual
contraction. Totally surrender your muscles during the breaks rather than
holding tension or actively bearing down.
Focus fully on restoring oxygen
flow and relaxing hip/core muscles. Nap if you can. Have your partner gently
wipe sweat from your face and offer sips of cool water. Conserve every drop of
energy like liquid gold so you can give 100% on the real pushes. Replenish and
recharge!
Limit Unnecessary Exertion
Eliminate any non-essential
physical exertion between contractions. There's no medal for holding active
squat poses for multiple minutes if you're not actively pushing a baby out!
Limit weight-bearing to only what feels productive in the moment. If being
upright feels too strenuous, get down on your side and let your body go limp.
Avoid tense hand-grip pressure on your partner. Channel your dimmer switch down
to low.
Trust Your Body and Instincts
Remember, you were divinely
designed to birth your baby! It's easy to doubt your abilities in the throes of
such a formidable challenge. But listen to your inner wisdom and let your
amazing body guide you through this journey it was created for. You've got
this, queen! ✨
Change Positions Intuitively
If a position that was previously
working suddenly stops feeling productive, don't hesitate to spontaneously move
your body into whatever new posture it's craving. You may suddenly just need
the relief of hands and knees after squatting for an hour. Gotta pee? Listen to
that urge and head to the bathroom. Follow your instincts, not arbitrary rules.
This is YOUR labor!
Make Noises That Feel Right
Moan, chant, cry out - whatever
noise helps you ride each wave is perfect! If a primal yell makes pushing more
satisfying, go for it. Unleash any sounds that want to emerge. Trying to stay
quiet and composed is wasting energy. Embrace your womanly roar!
Making low, rumbling noises can
also help relax your pelvic floor muscles. Hum through closed lips during
pushes and allow your voice to reverberate deeply. Channel your inner Tibetan
monk. Use modulated moans and tones to guide yourself through each sensation.
Follow what resonates most powerfully through your body.
Don't hold back sounds out of
embarrassment or concern for bothering others. You need to tap into your
primal, intuitive self during this raw experience. Release any inhibited
tension through spontaneous vocalization. Go with whatever feels right in the moment!
Conclusion
You're so close to meeting your
baby, superstar! 🥇 Try not to fixate on
how much longer it will take. Keep surrendering to the journey one contraction
at a time, and before you know it, your baby will be resting on your chest.
Stay present, centered, and confident in your body's abilities. You were divinely
designed to do this!
When the intensity seems
unbearable, dig deep and find your inner warrior. 💪
This too shall pass. Picture your baby's sweet face and know that every ounce
of effort is so worth it to meet them. You've got this, mama! Now go push that
baby out! 👏👶
FAQs
Q: How long should I push with each contraction?
A: Aim to sustain each push for
at least 10 seconds, taking a deep breath first and pushing until you're fully
out of air. Some providers recommend building up to pushes of 20-30 seconds max
as baby descends lower. Do what feels doable without overstraining. Listen to
your body's cues.
Q: When should I start pushing?
A: Don't start pushing until your
cervix is fully dilated and your provider gives the green light! Pushing too
soon before complete dilation can cause your cervix to swell. Be patient during
initial urges to bear down and breathe through them. Your time to push will
come!
Q: What if the fetal heart rate drops during pushing?
A: Try not to panic! Your
provider will have you change positions to see if it's temporary based on
positioning. They may give you oxygen or briefly stop pushing to let baby
recover. Most dips are harmless and resolve quickly when appropriately managed.
Q: How can I prevent tearing during delivery?
A: Warm compresses, perineal
massages, and slowly easing baby's head out once crowning can help reduce
tearing risk. Side-lying positions also help open the vaginal outlet naturally.
Communicate any sensations of stinging or burning so provider can apply counter
pressure.
Q: How will I know when to stop pushing?
A: Your provider will instruct
you when to stop or ease up as baby's head crowns, since going too fast through
the end can cause tearing. Follow their cues about when to give small, gentle
pushes versus holding back. Their guidance protects your perineal tissues.
Q: What if I feel like I can't push anymore?
A: Hitting a wall is very normal
- let your support team know you need extra encouragement! Change positions to
renew your strength. Focus on one contraction at a time rather than the big
picture. You won't feel this fatigue once your baby is in your arms!
Q: Why are my legs and feet numb/tingly while pushing?
A: The intense pressure of your
baby moving through the birth canal can temporarily compress nerves, causing
numbness/tingling. This usually resolves quickly after delivery as pressure
lets up. Change positions periodically and notify your provider if it persists.
Q: How can my partner help during pushing?
A: They can provide ice chips,
lip balm, cool cloths, words of praise, leg massages, hip squeezes, counter
pressure on your back, counting out push seconds, and constant cheering. Their
unwavering presence and belief in you provides the best support!
Q: What if I can't deliver vaginally and need a C-section?
A: If labor stalls out or
emergencies arise, your provider may recommend a cesarean delivery. This is
very common, and all that matters is that your baby arrives safely! Either way,
your baby will be in your arms soon. 🥰
Q: How will I know when to start pushing?
A: Your provider will perform
internal exams periodically to check your cervical dilation and baby's head
station throughout labor. Once you're fully dilated to 10 cm and baby is far
enough down, they'll instruct you to begin pushing with contractions. Don't
start pushing before getting the green light!