Factors that influence birth

Your body is perfectly designed to promote a healthy pregnancy and childbirth. For the majority of healthy pregnant people, childbirth progresses spontaneously without complications. However, there are steps you can take to promote this normal progression, and there are factors that can interfere with it.

What are the physical factors?

Many physical factors can promote the progression of labor.

Position of the baby

The position of your baby might play a role. Most babies navigate best through the pelvis if they are head down, with their face toward your spine. This is called an anterior position. During the last weeks of pregnancy, try to promote this positioning of your baby.

  • Avoid lying on your back.
  • When relaxing, choose forward leaning positions such as sitting on a physical therapy ball with your legs apart.
  • When resting or sleeping, lay on your side as far to your stomach as you comfortably can.