If you are 10 centimeters dilated, have an epidural and baby is still high in the pelvis (+1 station or higher), or if you are unmedicated but don’t feel the urge to push yet, it may be better to labor down! But the labor positions that we choose to labor down matter!!
When we are waiting to push, or laboring down, we want to ensure that we are opening the CORRECT pelvic level! It is common to be put into an outlet opening position if you are laboring down, BUT this is not the best position!
We want to open the pelvic level that baby is currently at (remember, there is no ONE movement that opens the ENTIRE pelvis). If baby is at the outlet, we would be pushing not laboring down. Let’s explore this more!
Are you ready to embrace parenthood with confidence and grace?
Enroll in our Childbirth Education Course today and unlock the secrets to a positive birthing experience.
Your path to confident parenting begins right here!
What is laboring down?
Laboring down is when you are 10 centimeters dilated (fully dilated), but baby is still higher in the pelvis, so you wait to push. This allows your body to passively push baby lower in your pelvis without much effort on your part.
Laboring down can be beneficial to decrease your active pushing time and can be less stressful on both you and your baby!
Please note that if baby does NOT move lower in the pelvis within 1-2 hours, then we may need to begin to actively push or take a look at their position.
Learn more about childbirth and pushing in our online childbirth education course! This course is completely self-paced and online so you can learn at your own pace!
If you prefer to learn live, check out our in-person or virtual via zoom classes!
2 Labor Positions for Laboring Down
When you are laboring down or waiting to push, you may be put into a position to open your pelvis more. This approach creates more space for baby to more easily navigate this space.
I have commonly seen folks be put into positions that are considered “laboring down positions” but do not actually open the pelvic level that baby is currently at. When we are using movement or labor positions to open the pelvis, we want to open the pelvic level that baby is currently trying to navigate, not the one that we want them to be at.
This image is the common labor-down position that I have seen set up. This position is an outlet opener, it prompts internal rotation of the femurs which opens the bottom of the pelvis more. But the problem is that this position does NOT open the pelvic level that baby is currently trying to navigate. If you are laboring down, baby is NOT in the outlet of the pelvis, but rather the inlet or midpelvis.
When setting up this position, you place the peanut ball between the ANKLES and allow the knees to fall together. You can place a pillow or soft object between the knees to decrease the intensity of this rotation.
This position is a great outlet opener but is better to use in between pushing for some rest NOT laboring down. We would not be using this for laboring down because if we are trying to open the outlet, this means that baby is low enough to just begin pushing!
Let’s explore two labor positions that open the midpelvis (where baby is more likely at if you are laboring down).
1) Side-lying Hip Shift with Peanut Ball
The first position is a side-lying position using the peanut ball. This is a great option if you have an epidural and are wanting more rest.
In this labor position, you will place the entire shin onto the peanut ball, with your bottom leg kicked back or straight down.
During a contraction, your partner can pull your leg towards them to create an open hip position (left image) and then push your leg away from them to create a closed hip position (right image). This rocking creates space in the midpelvis, allowing baby to rotate through the pelvis.
In between contractions, you can rest or your partner can jiggle your thighs and glutes to release tension. Please note that jiggling can make it harder for the monitors to work on your belly.
The midpelvis and outlet are also where the pelvic floor is located! Baby needs to navigate through the pelvic floor (and the pelvic floor supports their head position). We can jiggle between contractions to help release tension in the pelvic floor!
If you want to prepare your pelvic floor for birth, join our online pelvic floor prep course! This course includes pelvic floor relaxation exercises plus tons of thoracic and hip mobility exercises.
2) All Fours Sway with Hip Shift
If you have more mobility with an epidural, or are unmedicated and waiting for the urge the push, you can try an all fours position!
You can start with your chest resting on the ball and just swaying your HIPS from side to side. Sometimes my clients will only move their chest, but we want the pelvis to be shifting around, so ensure that the shifting is in the hips.
If you want to add more, you can throw a yoga block under the left knee to emphasize the internal rotation on the elevated hip. You can then add in the side to side sway.
Hip-shifted positions can help open the lower midpelvis, or the bottom half of the pelvis where baby is FINISHING their rotation. If baby is 0 or +1 station, then this hip-shifted position with the yoga block may be the better position to labor down in!
Watch the video below for a prenatal prep exercise that you can do to prepare to open the lower midpelvis for birth.
If you want more of a breakdown of WHAT to do throughout your prenatal workouts, check out our prenatal fitness programs! We offer it in two formats:
- 40-Week Prenatal Strength in the Teambuildr App (traditional delivery format)
- Prenatal On-Demand with full-length workout videos that you follow along as you workout
Waiting to Push? Open the Correct Pelvic Level!!
When we are waiting to push, or laboring down, we want to ensure that we are opening the CORRECT pelvic level! It is common to be put into an outlet opening position if you are laboring down, BUT this is not the best position!
We want to open the pelvic level that baby is currently at if we are laboring down. This is usually the midpelvis, not the outlet. If baby is in the outlet, then we would be pushing not laboring down!!
When laboring down, try midpelvis opening positions such as the side-lying or all fours hip shift! These two labor positions could create more space for baby to get lower in your pelvis as you wait to push!