# Pendulous ab and labor/birth positions



## DevaMajka (Jul 4, 2005)

My m/w mentioned to me at my last visit that because I have a pendulous ab, that some of the common labor/birth positions might not be ideal for me.

She said that side lying and standing straight up would be good. Are there other positions that might be useful to know? Sidelying doesn't seem like it would be all that productive, and standing straight up doesn't seem all that relaxing! I'd just like to have some ideas in my head, kwim?

Anyone else have a pendulous ab? Do you think that affected your labor/birth? What did you find useful?


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## dawncayden (Jan 24, 2006)

I laboured 95% sidelying with Lucas. It was the most comfortable for me this time around. With Cayden I was mostly on hands and knees.

Move around a lot in labour and you'll find the right position for you at that moment. In 5 minutes it might change and you'll have to find another way.


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## channelofpeace (Jul 14, 2005)

Birth ball?


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## 98741 (May 17, 2006)

standing with you partner behind you, his/her arms around you and under your belly prividing support and keeping your baby up rather than out. also ask about some belly binding. the problem with a pendulous belly is the the baby hangs out rather than up and down so there is often times an issue with the baby's head applying pressure to the cervix and getting it to dialate and be in good position to move through for birth.


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## flapjack (Mar 15, 2005)

Standing up has always worked best for me- I didn't have a pendulous abdomen with my eldest but I do now.


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## channelofpeace (Jul 14, 2005)

A midwife friend of mine was chatting with me about a client of her's that she had some success using a rebozo to move the baby into the pelvis with.


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## MissRubyandKen (Nov 2, 2005)

I think you'll know what feels right. Trust your body. I'm not sure what a pendulous ab is! I mostly stood up and paced and used the birth ball a little bit. At the very end when it was time to push I actually wanted to get in the bed. It was so intense I don't think I could have stood. If I were at home it may have felt different, or all fours might have been an option. As it were I wanted to side lie very badly, but being at the hospital I was at, of course they wouldn't let me. They actually made me do the stirrup position, with legs pushed up!







: Pushing time for me is so quick and no time to argue. All three births my babies were pushed out in under 15 minutes.


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## Quindin (Aug 22, 2003)

I do!!!

I laboured with baby 4 sitting on the ball or lying on my side - bad idea!!
DS would not descend, and it was the most excrutiating pain in my life! I though I was going to die when the midwife helped him descend by doing a maneuver while I contracted.

Then with baby 5, I laboured for 3 hours and she came out with 2 easy pushes! Until you posted, I had no idea why her birth was so much easier and hoped the same woud happen again. Now I know: I laboured standing leaning over the dresser or own my knees!

I am so happy you posted! Now I know that I have to do is to do the same next time!!


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## Peppamint (Oct 19, 2002)

If a mom with a pendulous belly seemed to prefer to be upright in labor (which I completely understand), I would just suggest that she do belly lifts if it seemed like it would help.

I had a pendulous belly last time and a 2 hour labor, so...


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## snowmom5 (May 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sarahn4639* 
standing with you partner behind you, his/her arms around you and under your belly prividing support and keeping your baby up rather than out. also ask about some belly binding. the problem with a pendulous belly is the the baby hangs out rather than up and down so there is often times an issue with the baby's head applying pressure to the cervix and getting it to dialate and be in good position to move through for birth.

aha! I think this is part of my problem this time. My belly is sagging downward; I have very little discomfort from kicking under the ribs, etc. And I'm not having pressure on my cervix yet (baby hasn't dropped; I just posted some questions about this in another post). So I'm not really dilating the way I have at the end of my past pregnancies.

It sounds like you're recommending something akin to the "abdominal lift" technique from the spinning babies website. Does anyone happen to know the reason that the website recommends doing the maneuver only during contractions in labor? Or am I misunderstanding the website?

To the OP, I don't recall having such a sagging belly with my last one, but side-lying labor worked for me (went from 5 cm to delivering in under 90 minutes, basically without moving from the side lying position, clinging to the side of the hospital bed for dear life LOL). Interesting that your MW recommends it. I'm happy to hear that because I have a great deal of difficulty moving at all during active labor except maybe at the very beginning - it's all I can do to get to the hospital - and I have significant doubts about being able to try any of the spinning babies techniques during labor if my baby stays posterior as is currently the case.


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## snowmom5 (May 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *busybusymomma* 
If a mom with a pendulous belly seemed to prefer to be upright in labor (which I completely understand), I would just suggest that she do belly lifts if it seemed like it would help.

I had a pendulous belly last time and a 2 hour labor, so...









What position were you in during that fast labor? Just curious


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## Peppamint (Oct 19, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *snowmom5* 
What position were you in during that fast labor? Just curious









Pacing the house for the first hour and sitting in the birth pool leaning on the side (forward leaning) the second hour. It was 2 hours from the time I got out of bed and decided it was real to the birth.

My first labor was 8 hours (induced) and my second was 4 hours so I don't tend to have long labors.


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## Quindin (Aug 22, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *busybusymomma* 
If a mom with a pendulous belly seemed to prefer to be upright in labor (which I completely understand), I would just suggest that she do belly lifts if it seemed like it would help.

I had a pendulous belly last time and a 2 hour labor, so...









My midwife said that there are pendulus bellies, and then there are _pendulus bellies_...
I won't describe mine now because it is too embarassing, but let's just say that a belly lift alone won't cut it if I am sitting down.


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## DevaMajka (Jul 4, 2005)

Am I right in thinking that sitting on an excercise ball could be good? I sat on mine yesterday, straight up, and it was nice- much more relaxing than I thought it would be. I can see really getting into it!
The way it's inflated right now, when I sit on it, it does raise my belly up a tiny bit, and it would be easy to stick a towel under my belly to raise it up a bit more.

Good to know that side lying IS productive, at least for some









I'm definitely feeling pressure on my cervix, so gravity HAS To be working at least somewhat, so far.


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