# Squatting to help get labor started



## Quindin (Aug 22, 2003)

Just wondering if anybody had any luck with getting their labor started by squatting several times a day.

I have been having a lot of real contractions that just don't go anywhere. The MW said yesterday that the baby is still high up (though I swear he feels very low to me) and suggested I did some squatting.

Has anybody had luck? Did helping the baby come lower get labor started??

I have been doing EPO, RRL tea, sex. Still, once again, I am about to go over my due date (my earliest baby was 5 days "late" and the latest was induced at 14 days past EDD







).

I mean, I know a EDD is just a arbritary date. However, contrary to my other pregnancies, it feels like labor is about to begin for over 4 days now. It is as if my body wants to go into labor but something is making it stop...


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## 2+twins (Apr 20, 2004)

I'm sorry! I know how hard it can be at the end. I've never heard of squatting incouraging labor though (not that I know everything :LOL). Anyway, I don't really have any advice except what you already know - relax and accept that your baby will come when he's good & ready. Perhaps you will have a shorter labor since you're doing some prep work now.


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## cchrissyy (Apr 22, 2003)

I'm a week overdue now, but never heard of squatting to help... maybe if you bounced too







I wish I knew how to get my baby lower to pressure the cervix too- my last one was way lower for weeks. this one hasn't dropped at all yet.


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## sm3247 (May 9, 2003)

I think the idea behind squatting may be to get the baby in a better position for labor. My understanding is that the pressure from the head will help start the thinning and dilating process with pressure. If nothing else, the squatting is good practice for labor.


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## watermamma (Dec 29, 2003)

I swear I posted this 15 months ago ....







when my 2nd was running late









2nd babies don't often engage before labor begins, my 2nd didn't engage until labor was well under way... and I was 4cm dialated for some time before labor ever began. Squatting is great practice for labor though, and good for your body. With my 2nd, I too tried everything, and at 42+2 ended up "self" inducing w/my midwives for multiple reasons...Dates were right on, some of us really do just carry more than the "calendar" reads.

With 2nd and 3rd and more pregnancies, it is pretty normal to experience "pre-labor" for some time... not allways the funnest thing.

I didn't end up with a shorter labor for all the prep work, but it was a much more GENTLE labor, with nice breaks between contractions, and only hard labor for 3 hours, so the warm ups did help with that.

I know you know this, and have heard this, but I will say it again anyway









Your body knows what it is doing, and was made to do this!

Good luck and take care of yourself!


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## Artisan (Aug 24, 2002)

I have read that squatting during a contraction can help to move prodromal labor along.

*ahem* have you tried sex from behind?







:


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## mimim (Nov 2, 2003)

My yoga teacher says not to squat for extended periods of time after 36 weeks unless you're ready to go!
She said that the pressure from the head can jump start things if your cervix is favorable.


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## Quindin (Aug 22, 2003)

Mimin - My body is soooooo ready - I guess if your yoga teacher is right I should try more squatting then... I just don't know what to do anymore.

Reader - About sex from behind: considering that my baby could still theoretically turn because he is not engaged yet, isn't risky to stand on all fours??? I am afraid he might turn breech or something.

This is baby #4 and I have never ever had prodrormal labor before. Is just unbearable. Today has been a specially painful day: it feels like the baby could punch his way out any moment and the bad contractions + extreme lower back pain and stomach upset are just so bad. I am actually in tears right now
















Please pray/send good vibes my way


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## ramlita (Mar 26, 2002)

We're thinking of you!


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## cottonwood (Nov 20, 2001)

Another *ahem* :LOL -- have you tried masturbation? Semen is fine as far as softening the cervix goes, but the more intense the orgasm, the more oxytocin is released and the more the uterine muscles contract. This by itself won't start labor, but if your baby is ready to be born it can help move things along. It can also help relax you, stress can keep the body from going into labor, and it sounds like you're a little stressed!


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## Artisan (Aug 24, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *polihaupt*
Mimin - My body is soooooo ready - I guess if your yoga teacher is right I should try more squatting then... I just don't know what to do anymore.

Reader - About sex from behind: considering that my baby could still theoretically turn because he is not engaged yet, isn't risky to stand on all fours??? I am afraid he might turn breech or something.

This is baby #4 and I have never ever had prodrormal labor before. Is just unbearable. Today has been a specially painful day: it feels like the baby could punch his way out any moment and the bad contractions + extreme lower back pain and stomach upset are just so bad. I am actually in tears right now
















Please pray/send good vibes my way









I've had prodromal labor, and it is no fun. I'm sorry, mama!

I would not worry at all (AT ALL) about the baby turning breech at this point if he hasn't had an unstable lie. There is not much room to turn at this point. The all-fours position is perfectly fine for a short period of time.







: It allows for more of a cervical disturbance, and allows the semen to be deposited closer to the cervix.


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## Artisan (Aug 24, 2002)

Have you checked out these links?
http://home.clear.net.nz/pages/debra_betts/
http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/natinduc.html#Oral (scroll to the top if it doesn't direct you there)


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## zion (Feb 22, 2005)

just waiting for an update. it sounded like you might already be in labor!!?? keep us posted!!!


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## slightly crunchy (Jul 7, 2003)

I have read some things recently that say NOT to do deep squatting after 35 weeks. But only to use it in second stage of labor. The following is the general ideas I gathered from having read a book called "Sit Up and Take Notice", I think by Pauline Scott. But, my CNM also told me basically the same thing, not to deep squat at the end of pregnancy.

The reason is, that if baby is in a posterior or otherwise unfavorable position (which is one reason for having a prolonged prodromal labor, from what I understand), deep squatting can make baby engage in that unfavorable position, making a more difficult labor and birth for you. Sometimes the reason a woman has seemingly longer unproductive early labor is because baby is still twisting and turning around to get into the best position for birth. So you don't want to deep squat unless you are positive that baby is LOA and ready to go. Supposedly, supported squats where you are only squatting with thighs paralell to the floor, are okay.


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## Quindin (Aug 22, 2003)

Good point... I am actually not sure if the baby is LOA.


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## pamamidwife (May 7, 2003)

polihaupt, check out http://www.spinningbabies.com








I agree with slightly crunchy - deep squatting is not ideal, especially not the way western women do it (usually leaning forward).

Check out the website and make sure baby isn't posterior. Posterior babes often will do stop/start labor. Hands & knees is PERFECT for getting baby to turn, as is knee/chest (being on your knees, but having your shoulders/head on the bed/floor).


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## mother culture (Oct 19, 2004)

I know that you are suppose to let it come naturally but that is hard when you are ready. I induced myself twice by squatting and with a glove stripping my bag of water from cervix...very very gently! It may not work the first time. I think that inducing myself was right and I had a 2.5h and a 6h labor so my body was ready. I wouldn't do this if the babe is posterior or too high! I wish you a beautifiul birth!


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## Quindin (Aug 22, 2003)

Thanks for the link








I went to spinningbabies.com and found out that my baby is LOT. I will continue reading what it says about it...


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## Victorian (Jan 2, 2003)

interesting about not deep squatting. I used a ball in early labor (the last two days of my pregnancy - you beginning stuff, backache, ect.) not a "birth ball" but one of those little ones you buy for small children. It was wonderful. I also used it during labor. It felt so good to deep squat and rotate my hips.

My ds was LOA till about 8 centi. and then switched to posterior and was born that way!


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## Ravenmoon (Mar 2, 2002)

This was my fourth babe and she stayed at -1 station until my labor began.She was low but not as low as my others got before labor.She still did not fully descend until i pushed her down.She was my hardest babe to push down and she was the smallest also.I used my birthing ball and hands and knees position.My babe was posterior though.It sounds like your babe is on the way though!If you can get adjusted,it really helps with the back pain.


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## wasabi (Oct 12, 2004)

I was feeling very pressured to have my DD. She was supposed to be enormous and I was only being given 4 days after my EDD to produce her or be transferred to OBs. On their advice I had been doing all of the things in the OP's first post and none of them did anything. I had her the day after her EDD just like I had my first two basically on their EDDs. The things you mentioned can help get things ready when labor starts but don't seem to be great labor inducers in and of themselves. Now as for squatting I recently have heard from other people that squatting isn't good because the baby could engage etc but again lots and lots of squatting since my Bradley class recommended we do it. So I had been squatting since around 30 weeks every single day for a good period of time each day. I also did pelvic rocks every day. I ended up with a 3rd baby who was still at -1 when I started pushing. Since she wasn't engaged she could turn any time and I had many bouts of back labor. So I don't know lots of Bradley women are doing lots and lots of squatting and yet this idea that you shouldn't squat unless you're ready to go into labor or that it's going to make the baby engage is new to me. It seems the jury is out on this one and since your midwife advised it I guess I would put it in the seems that more likely than not it won't hurt.







Good luck prodomenal labor really does suck I know.


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## Lisalee2 (Dec 12, 2001)

Don't know about squatting, but I was a little 'overdue' with my dd. We went on a loooong walk and that night I was in labor.








Labor vibes coming your way.


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## trinitysmom (Oct 18, 2005)

this is my second baby and my mucus plug is gone im 2 cm dialated ,cramps bh the whole nine yards but still waiting ive never heard of sqatting but what can it hurt but i was wondering breaking your own water isnt that dangerous.


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## Bleu (Mar 6, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *polihaupt*
Reader - About sex from behind: considering that my baby could still theoretically turn because he is not engaged yet, isn't risky to stand on all fours??? I am afraid he might turn breech or something.(

[ahem]

That's not the only way to have rear-entry piv intercourse. Think spooning.

Oh, and good vibes sent. Good luck.


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## flapjack (Mar 15, 2005)

Also, there was something on the homebirthUk list a while back that suggests that long periods of prodromal labour can be normal for grandmultiparas- it takes a while to get to 6cm (you know, days, maybe weeks) and then everything happens in a rush from there on in. I'll see if I can find a link to the study.
I know this sounds dense, but have you actually told this baby it's time to come out? That normally works for me.


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## staceyshoe (Feb 5, 2005)

YES! Squats are definitely effective, at least they were for me. They should bring the baby's head lower in your pelvis and get everything lined up for birth. As the baby gets lower and the head presses on your cervix, your body will start getting ready for labor. My ds was extremely low (+1 station 5 days before labor). My preg was EXACTLY like my mother's who went 3 wks over both times. DS was born 2 wks early, and I attribute it 100% to squatting. Happy squatting and good luck!


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## Peppamint (Oct 19, 2002)

This is an old thread! :LOL

I walked around 4cm, 90% effaced with a bulging bag of waters from 37 weeks until ds was born at 39w6d.














The prodromal labor wasn't painful, but a bit annoying because I was anxious and always hoping that it was "it". Hopefully this time around, if I have prodromal labor it won't be so bad because I can expect that it will last weeks.







Keep eating well and getting as much sleep as you can for when active labor kicks in. Once active labor kicked in, ds was born 4 hours later so it was TOTALLY worth it.


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