Did you know birthing in an upright position can make labor easier, faster, and safer for both you and your baby?

✅ It’s true.

❌ Yet in most hospital-based births, the default position is lying on your back with knees pulled to your chest.

The exact opposite of what works best for your body.

Everyone deserves to know about the benefits of upright birthing and have the option to choose positions that work with their body, not against it.

Here are eleven reasons why upright positioning during birth matters:

1. You get help from gravity

Pushing a baby uphill doesn’t make sense.

That’s exactly what happens when you're on your back. Upright positions like hands-and-knees, kneeling, or standing let gravity assist with baby’s descent, which means less work and often a faster birth.

2. Better blood flow to baby

Lying flat compresses your aorta, the main artery that brings oxygen-rich blood to your uterus.

This can lead to heart rate changes in baby and an increased likelihood of interventions.

Upright positions keep blood flow optimized. It's a big reason why we’re told to avoid lying on our backs during pregnancy, so why should birth be any different?

3. More effective contractions

An upright uterus is a more efficient uterus.

When your position supports how the uterus is designed to contract, labor often progresses more smoothly and with less effort.

4. Baby gets into a better position

Upright and forward-leaning positions help baby rotate and move through the pelvis in the most optimal way.

This lowers the chances of baby getting stuck or labor stalling, which reduces your risk of unnecessary interventions.

5. Your pelvic outlet is wider

The base of your pelvis (where baby exits) opens more when you're upright.

More space = less pressure on the pelvic floor = fewer chances for injury 🙌

6. Higher birth satisfaction

How you feel about your birth experience matters.

When you're free to move, choose your position, and be an active participant in the process, you're more likely to feel positive about your experience.

Research shows this can reduce the risk of postpartum depression and anxiety.

7. Less pain

Movement, gravity, space, efficiency, all adds up to less discomfort during labor.

Upright positioning is a pain management tool that is especially helpful for anyone planning an unmedicated or low-intervention birth.

8. Shorter pushing phase

Studies show that upright birthing positions can reduce pushing time by up to eight minutes.

That may not sound like much, but when you're in it, every minute counts.

9. Fewer assisted deliveries

Vacuum and forceps-assisted births carry higher risks for pelvic floor trauma.

Upright birthing positions help baby move through the pelvis more effectively, decreasing the need for tools.

10. Reduced risk of severe perineal tearing

Using upright positions can reduce the risk of 3rd and 4th degree tears which are injuries that can have a lasting impact on pelvic floor health.

Your body was designed to birth with movement and space. Let it.

11. Lower chance of cesarean for "failure to progress"

When baby has space and gravity on their side, labor is less likely to stall.

This means less risk of ending up in a cesarean due to slow progress alone.

Choosing upright positions is a simple yet powerful way to protect your pelvic floor and improve your birth experience,  especially in hospital settings where interventions are more common.

If you’re planning a birth and want to learn exactly how to prepare and protect your pelvic floor, you're not alone.

Over 2,200 women have already taken the next step.

You can learn the controllable factors for reducing your risks for birth injury, too! 

✨Grab the Pelvic Floor Protection Plan now and prepare with confidence 👇