# Positions for pushing to avoid hemorrhoids



## Nomadmama (May 31, 2008)

I need help! I'm 37 weeks pregnant. My last two births (long pushing sessions) ended with painful hemorrhoids for weeks after the births. This time I have them before labor! I am using witch hazel around the clock, and am not constipated so that is not the cause. Drinking plenty of water. I am trying not to sit too much as to not put too much pressure down there. Sometimes they seem to be a little better, then I have to poo again which makes them just come right back.







:

So my hope is that they will minimize before labor, but if not, I know I'm going to have a hard time after birth for sure this time. My pushing phase last time was like a freight train blowing through me. I could not control, nor would I want to, the immense power taking over my body. I pushed in several different positions and remember that the birth stool was the worst one for bottom pressure- it felt like I was pushing into my arse the whole time. After the 20th position I ended up pushing baby out flat on my back holding my knees up (the only position that moved the baby in an hour and a half of pushing! but I digress).

What other positions will be effective, reduce chance of tearing, yet be kind to my bum? Is birthing in the water advantageous to avoidance of roids? Any other advice? Please help.


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## Nomadmama (May 31, 2008)

A shameless bump for my rear!









Any "I pushed in this way and I had no 'roids'" stories? Any words of advice. I can't sit properly for weeks usually and now I'm getting really afraid.


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

I've got nothing for you but sympathy and understanding.

Last baby, I actually went to the doc and had mine cut, they hurt so badly.

I wish you and your rear the best of luck.


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## Veritaserum (Apr 24, 2004)

Kneeling leaning forward minimizes pressure.


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## somelady (Nov 16, 2008)

I think it may be genetics... I spent like 5 hours pushing, in a whole bunch of positions, and ye gods did my butt hurt at the time. But no haemorrhoids. Sorry, I know that's no help.


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## Malva (Nov 2, 2005)

Is it really necessary to actually push?

My first was born in 10 minutes of light "pushing". My second was born in two contractions, I didn't push at all. If anything, I was trying to slow things down.


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## JENinOR (Mar 14, 2006)

side lying and hands and knees according to Dr. Sears. Exhale pushing really helps. I've done it the last few babies with great results. Try pushing while you exhale, can't do it forcefully. Squatting is terribble for rhoids ime.


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## Dabble (Jun 14, 2007)

Honey, I honestly don't think it's possible to avoid them if you've had them before. I know you don't want to hear that, and maybe someone out there can counter me, but it seems that if you get them, you're just going to get them again.

After my first DS I had them terribly (pushed side-lying) and was hopeful to avoid them the second time around. After second DS (pushed partial side/partial back - whatever felt comfortable/effective at the moment) and had them pretty bad again, but not like the first time around.

It also helped that I had an arsenal of care products at home so I could use them liberally instead of waiting in agony for my DH to go pick something up. If you can get your dr. to prescribe a cream called Analpram so you can use that immediately PP, that might help out a lot. I also had a sitz bath basin, OTC Tronolane cream and suppositories, Tucks cream and pads, Preparation H, EarthMama AngelBaby Bottom Balm and spray, etc. etc. etc. I seriously stocked up! And it really helped to have all those options at my disposal.


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## katmann (Oct 15, 2008)

Mine were terrible! I totally sympathize. I gave birth in water, both squatting and reclining with my knees up. I had to push for two hours. I don't have a position that will help, but my postpartum solutions included black tea baths and a very soothing gel made from a dab of KY and a few drops of geranium and lavender essential oils. Prep H did not help me at all. MW suggested grated potato as a poultice, but that didn't help me. A word of warning though: bathing frequently led to a UTI, so have lots of cranberry caps and yogurt on hand to stave one off. Also, I found that stretching in puppy pose (on hands/elbows and knees, then pushing my butt up and putting my head to my hands) really helped relieve the swelling fast.


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## Nomadmama (May 31, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Malva* 
Is it really necessary to actually push?

My first was born in 10 minutes of light "pushing". My second was born in two contractions, I didn't push at all. If anything, I was trying to slow things down.

I WISH that I could just "breathe" my baby down and just let my uterus do it's work, trust me. But my body had different ideas, as I assume it will again. My whole body bears down with or without me. I've seen women who can control their pushing, but I seem to be not one of those women. Which I'm fine with. But I wish the end result wasn't so bad for my bottom!


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## Nomadmama (May 31, 2008)

Thank you all for your great replies. I'm trying to reframe my thoughts about the upcoming birth and just hoping that maybe I can have the kid just slide out this time as opposed to hours of freight train pushing again. I just can't let this get in my way of being afraid to push during the birth. I'm resigned to the fact that I will have them after the birth no matter what; I just don't want to be in pain during pushing or be afraid to push.


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## snowmom5 (May 8, 2008)

I'm not sure if this would work, but my advice would be to try "breathing down the baby" (more or less as described in the hypnobirthing stuff) using the front abdominal muscles rather than the pooping muscles. If you were to avoid using the pooping muscles, then you wouldn't have hemmorroids - am I right? This involves breathing through the push rather than holding your breath in an effort to relax the muscles and tissues at the bottom.

I was able to use this technique when I had an epi, but not in a subsequent birth without meds (fetal ejection reflex instead)

just my two cents


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## MegBoz (Jul 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *snowmom5* 
I'm not sure if this would work, but my advice would be to try "breathing down the baby" (more or less as described in the hypnobirthing stuff) using the front abdominal muscles rather than the pooping muscles. If you were to avoid using the pooping muscles, then you wouldn't have hemmorroids - am I right?

That is kinda what I thought. I was pushing on hands & knees & after a few pushes, my doula said, "Try relaxing your bottom & push from the middle." I hadn't even realized my bottom was tense, so I made an effort to relax it & I felt I was able to relax it & my pushes were more effective!

I still got 'roids & they really took me by surprise!! I hadn't had any problems with roids or constipation through pregnancy. & My behind didn't hurt during pushing, so they surprised me.

I later asked my doula if she thought I could have avoided the roids if I'd relaxed my bottom from the very start.

She said no. She personally thinks you just get them or you don't & I couldn't have done anything to avoid it. So there is her $.02.

As for pooping muscles vs. front ab muscles- the front ab muscles are the 'rectus abdominus' - the "6-pack" muscles. I don't think flexing those muscles will do much to push a baby _down_.They work to flex the trunk (think doing an ab crunch on your back - bringing the rib cage down towards the hips.)
(That is my answer with my personal trainer hat on!)


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## snowmom5 (May 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MegBoz* 
As for pooping muscles vs. front ab muscles- the front ab muscles are the 'rectus abdominus' - the "6-pack" muscles. I don't think flexing those muscles will do much to push a baby _down_.They work to flex the trunk (think doing an ab crunch on your back - bringing the rib cage down towards the hips.)
(That is my answer with my personal trainer hat on!)

hmmm... I'm trying to identify which muscles, then, technically, are used in the "breathing down" method. What do you think? What muscles did you use while pushing with a relaxed bottom? (I'm fascinated by the anatomy of it.) When I was experiencing the fetal ejection reflex in one of my births, it felt like waves of muscle moving downward - on the front of me - maybe that was just the uterus itself? The only birth in which I was able to use the "breathing down" technique I had an epidural, but the practice was on the potty (hypnobirthing book). Maybe it's just distinguishing between the middle and the bottom as opposed to front and back?? Just thinking out loud - let me know if you have any thoughts on this







I really need to see a diagram or something...


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## ihugtrees (Oct 16, 2008)

I am worried about this. I have had problems with hemorrhoids this entire pregnancy... I mean, really badly...and am really scared of what my bottom is gonna be like after the birth. I am subbing this thread to get more info.


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## luckymamato2 (Jun 3, 2006)

I had hemmorhoids before and after the birth of my dd and now 3 years later I might have figured out the right meds for me - preparation h suppositories. Nothing else has really helped. We'll see if it comes back - I think they coincide with my cycles.


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## Otterella (Oct 13, 2007)

Strangely enough, my existing roids did not flare up from the birth of my daughter, but the first time I pooped after the birth. My midwife told me to take Rutin, and that stuff worked FAST to get rid of it, like within 24 hours. It worked faster than the prescription topical stuff I had for it.


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