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Laboring in an upright position can aid in a faster and more comfortable delivery. Women who deliver at home or a birthing center often opt for a birthing chair, though they’re not used as frequently in hospitals. Hospital beds have come a long way, offering adjustable positioning and increased functionality that allows them to basically transform into a birthing chair, said Rebecca Keith, M.D., an OBGYN at OB Hospitalists of Kentucky, part of Pediatrix® Medical Group. “The back of the bed can be elevated so the woman can lean on it, and the bottom of the bed can be dropped to allow for the patient to be placed in essentially a throne position [to] emulate a birthing chair.” If you do choose to use a chair, you can sit forward or backward for leverage during contractions, said Dr. Keith. In between contractions, she added, you have a stable place to rest in the forward-facing position.
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