Can pushing differently during birth make moms feel better without hurting the baby?
Spontaneous Pushing in Lateral Position versus Valsalva Maneuver During Second Stage of Labor on Maternal and Fetal Outcomes: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
When moms push naturally while lying on their side instead of holding their breath and pushing hard while lying on their back, they feel less pain and tiredness, and the baby gets more oxygen — but the birth takes a little longer.
Surprising Findings
Spontaneous pushing increased fetal oxygen levels (pO2) by nearly 50% without affecting pH or Apgar scores.
Doctors have long feared that not using the Valsalva maneuver might reduce oxygen to the baby—but this study shows the opposite: the baby gets more oxygen when the mother doesn’t hold her breath.
Practical Takeaways
If you're planning a natural birth, ask your provider if you can push spontaneously in a side-lying or squatting position instead of lying flat on your back.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
When moms push naturally while lying on their side instead of holding their breath and pushing hard while lying on their back, they feel less pain and tiredness, and the baby gets more oxygen — but the birth takes a little longer.
Surprising Findings
Spontaneous pushing increased fetal oxygen levels (pO2) by nearly 50% without affecting pH or Apgar scores.
Doctors have long feared that not using the Valsalva maneuver might reduce oxygen to the baby—but this study shows the opposite: the baby gets more oxygen when the mother doesn’t hold her breath.
Practical Takeaways
If you're planning a natural birth, ask your provider if you can push spontaneously in a side-lying or squatting position instead of lying flat on your back.
Publication
Journal
Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal
Year
2016
Authors
F. Vaziri, Amene Arzhe, N. Asadi, S. Pourahmad, Z. Moshfeghy
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Claims (6)
When giving birth for the first time, whether a mom pushes naturally while lying on her side or uses a forceful breath-holding technique while lying on her back doesn't seem to change how likely she is to need a C-section.
When women are giving birth for the first time and pushing during labor, pushing naturally while lying on their side may hurt less and feel less tiring than pushing hard while lying on their back.
When first-time moms push naturally while lying on their side during childbirth, it takes about 12 minutes longer than pushing while lying on their back with forced breath-holding—but it doesn’t make C-sections or baby problems more likely.
When women push naturally while lying on their side during childbirth, their baby’s blood gets more oxygen compared to when they push while lying on their back using a forceful breath-holding technique—but it doesn’t change the baby’s blood acidity or Apgar score.
When women give birth for the first time, pushing naturally while lying on their side doesn't hurt the baby's health or oxygen levels any more than pushing hard while lying on their back.