We often think of the mother as doing all of the work during labor. This is actually not true. During the first stage of labor the baby is twisting and turning trying to find the path of least resistance to allow themselves to be born.
During the second stage as the uterus is pushing the baby, and mom is working on pushing, many times the baby is also pushing itself out through the birth canal. Choosing positions to enhance this stage also help.
Stirrups & Foot Pedals
Breaking the bed down, or the use of instruments to help you push can either be beneficial or not. You can choose to give birth simply with the end of the bed attached.
Stirrups are the most common and are generally used with anesthesia, and sometimes after a very long labor. They hook on to the end of the bed and will support at least the calf area of your leg and sometimes the entire leg and foot. If you prefer to pull your legs towards you as you push you can do this. The drawback is that this can hyperextend your legs (pain later), most women are laying too far back to utilize gravity, and it can increase the pressure on your perineum making the tissue less resistant to tearing.
Foot pedals or heel cups are simply places to rest your feet while pushing. This can make the bed more like a birth chair. Many women, even with anesthesia, can use this type of support.
There are also a variety of other enhancements, like the squat bar, designed to help you squat on the end of the bed. It can also be used to place your feet against while pushing. Be sure to ask around to several people to find out if you have this available.
