Did you know that giving birth while lying flat on your back is actually one of the worst positions to give birth in? Yet if you ask any woman who’s gone through labour, chances are she pushed her baby out on her back, legs spread, overwhelmed and in pain.
Birth is extremely painful; there’s no way around that. It’s an intense, active process where you are quite literally ejecting a human baby out of your vagina. And babies have huge heads. Contractions weaken, water breaks too early, perineal tears happen, and yes… you might poop your pants. It’s normal.
Of course, the supine position (on your back) exists for a reason. It gives medical professionals quick access to your body if anything goes wrong, and it offers a straightforward view of the birth itself. But that doesn’t mean it’s the best position for most people. Every patient is different. Some may need to lie on their back for medical reasons, but many would feel more grounded, and actually birth more efficiently, on their hands and knees, squatting, or even standing.
There are multiple birthing positions that help open the pelvic floor rather than close it. Spreading your legs on your back actually narrows the opening. Lying flat also pushes pressure onto your tailbone. Meanwhile, kneeling, squatting, side-lying, or being on hands and knees takes that pressure off, giving the baby more room to move through the pelvis. If there’s a position that allows the baby to slide out more easily, why wouldn’t we prioritize that?
At the centre of all of this is the mother’s comfort. Her body is doing the work. Her experience matters. And anything that eases the intensity of birth can also reduce complications. It’s not about “ideal positions”; it’s about supporting the person who is forming a human being inside her body, who is literally bringing life into the world.
That’s where doulas come in. And having one can be life-changing. A doula offers emotional support, focuses entirely on your comfort, and helps take the pressure off partners who may feel overwhelmed themselves. They have grounded experience, they know what to look for, and they know how to keep someone calm during the most vulnerable hours of their life. Unlike medical staff who juggle multiple patients, a doula is dedicated to you and only you. You often build that relationship months before your due date, creating an intimacy and trust that carries through labour and even into postpartum support. When nights are sleepless, your body is adjusting, and everything feels chaotic, having someone steady in your corner can mean everything. We all need help. Especially when it feels like the world is too much.
Birth is a mind-blowing moment. Mothers endure nine months of discomfort, nausea, swelling, insomnia, and the constant weight of a growing life resting under their ribs. Their bodies stretch, shift, and ache daily. Then labour comes. It lasts anywhere from 8 to 24 hours of effort, with active labour lasting 4 to 8 hours on average. That’s a long time to be in pain. And yet women do it. Many even choose to do it again.
They deserve respect. They deserve care. They deserve options. If we aren’t prioritizing their comfort or letting mothers’ birth in the position their body responds best to, then we have to ask ourselves: are we really respecting motherhood at all?