https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 18 Jun 2026 09:46:15 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-177731 Mon, 04 Jun 2012 07:15:06 +0000 winniebee 177731@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No stirrups - DH held one leg while L&amp;D nurse held the other - I also held both legs. I had an epidural and my legs were total jello! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-177711 Mon, 04 Jun 2012 04:28:40 +0000 looch 177711@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I pushed against my husband with my top leg and one of the midwives using my bottom leg, it helped me to have a better push. I delivered on my side. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-167620 Thu, 24 May 2012 12:39:57 +0000 Mrs. Superhero 167620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I squatted holding onto a bar above the bed for my first, and was kneeling in a tub for my second...so none of the above? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-167485 Thu, 24 May 2012 11:17:09 +0000 loveisstrange 167485@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MegWag: They were pretty certain with me that I was going to deliver by forceps but I was required to push for an hour and a half first, maybe my situation just called for it. Addenbrooke's is also a teaching hospital attached to Cambridge University, so they might have different policies than a regular hospital. *shrug* </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-167479 Thu, 24 May 2012 11:14:03 +0000 MegWag 167479@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@zippylef: Funny. I gave birth in a British hospital too and they didn't even have stirrups at all. I guess it must vary from hospital to hospital...<br /> I also didn't push that long- maybe 15 mins? So maybe that had an impact on leg positioning too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-167327 Thu, 24 May 2012 09:48:21 +0000 loveisstrange 167327@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I used stirrups, but I gave birth in a British hospital and they just do things differently. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-167299 Thu, 24 May 2012 09:27:32 +0000 Mrs. Pen 167299@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was able to get a stronger, deeper push if either I was holding my legs or if DH and a nurse/midwife were holding them. Initially I was on my back while he was beginning to crown, but I couldn't deliver at that angel, so I switched to my side and had to have my legs held that way too- I was able to push him out right away after getting onto my side. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-167291 Thu, 24 May 2012 09:23:20 +0000 Pipers Mommy 167291@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>primary DH and nurse and I think I sorta helped to hold them, too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-167278 Thu, 24 May 2012 09:05:36 +0000 lavender 167278@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was a mixture of me, DH and a nurse. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-167006 Wed, 23 May 2012 23:55:36 +0000 Rosie Girl 167006@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My first delivery, my legs were held, second delivery, they were just loose on the bed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-167002 Wed, 23 May 2012 23:48:41 +0000 HLK208 167002@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrsdaredevil: I've had terrible dreams (twice) that someone I know turns out to be my delivery nurse (one of DH's ex-girlfriends!)! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-166996 Wed, 23 May 2012 23:10:32 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 166996@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DH held one leg and a nurse held the other (it was totally embarrassing because I went to college with the girl, she was a couple years younger than me. I was so mortified that she saw all my goods. Lol) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-166962 Wed, 23 May 2012 21:35:15 +0000 Andrea 166962@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was me, DH, and the nurse all holding them! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-166959 Wed, 23 May 2012 21:32:04 +0000 KT326 166959@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Dh and my sister held my legs for most of the pushing and I was also holding them. After 2.5 hours of pushing I needed some help getting lo out so the dr used forceps. For that part my legs were in stirrups but my dh and sister were still by my side kinda holding my legs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-166949 Wed, 23 May 2012 21:13:45 +0000 cyndistar3 166949@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I held one, Dh held the other. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-166910 Wed, 23 May 2012 20:36:43 +0000 runsyellowlites 166910@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I delivered laying on my side so I had someone holding my right leg up.. I believe it was one of the nurses </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-166884 Wed, 23 May 2012 20:19:01 +0000 cvbee 166884@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They held my legs and I liked it. I tried a couple other things, like stand/squatting, but went back to the nurse and DH leg-hold classic. For the final push-out they got me to hold my own legs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-166870 Wed, 23 May 2012 20:11:53 +0000 chopsuey 166870@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I held my legs up! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-166867 Wed, 23 May 2012 20:10:19 +0000 regberadaisy 166867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm the idiot that voted stirrups. It was actually held by the nurse and my husband. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-166862 Wed, 23 May 2012 20:09:16 +0000 Mrs. Bee 166862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>it's already blurry. i think i was holding my own legs? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-166854 Wed, 23 May 2012 20:06:31 +0000 mrs. wagon 166854@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wagon Sr. held one and the nurse held the other, and I was holding them by the thighs as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-166853 Wed, 23 May 2012 20:05:34 +0000 heffalump 166853@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH held one leg and a student who was observing held the other. I had stirrups for when I wasn't pushing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-166647 Wed, 23 May 2012 17:08:40 +0000 HLK208 166647@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The nurse and DH helped hold my legs but I started pushing with the stirrups. It took 3 hours so they didn't hold them the entire time. I wish my legs could have been free and loose! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-position-while-pushing#post-166637 Wed, 23 May 2012 16:56:13 +0000 MegWag 166637@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I keep reading about women having to have their legs held by their husbands/nurses/birth partners during pushing.<br /> And then I saw pics from my cousin's birth and and she had her legs up in those calf stirrup thingies.<br /> I just laid on the bed with my legs bent and pushed- no holding, no contraptions... It seemed really easy (relatively) and natural, but given everything I've seen and read I'm starting to wonder if I'm in the minority... </p>