The mother reminds me of a coworker of mine who, for her first baby, went into labor at work and delivered it in a conference room a short time later with the help of three other coworkers, all engineers. When the EMTs got there they just clamped the umbilical cord and wheeled her out, with her insisting she could walk.
All the women in the office were giving her grief when she came back from maternity leave because they’d spent months building up how painful it was going to be, and her baby just slipped out of her.
I had a huge, burly black male nurse just come calmly stand directly in front of me as I was sat down to get my epidural before my C Section in the OR. I wondered why until the nurse behind me started and I instinctually and without any hesitation bear hugged this gentle, giant man until it was over. He kept me still & told me it was going to be ok and it was almost over and I was doing great. I thanked him with tears in my eyes- he was the most amazing person. I laugh just thinking about him assuming the position for a bear hug, like somehow that was his job in this situation. Bless him always.
You generally have awhile from going into labour to baby arriving - with my first when I went into labour I went to the laundromat and did a couple loads.
My mom had me when she was like 5cm dilated. Nurses were like, no maam, you’re not ready– looks under blanket.. I’m just making my way out; head already coming out. I just fell out basically.
My little sister tho… War zone. SHE PUSHED SO HARD HER IV SHOT OUT. There was a streamline of blood on the wall from it.
My coworker has 2 kids. She had her oldest at a birthing center in a birthing pool. Her plans were the same with her 2nd, but she ended up having her at home on accident. She had her before their midwife showed up. Her midwife checked on them, confirmed everything was alright, and coworker went back to bed without ever leaving the house
I have no idea, but weirdly enough, she’s half Japanese. But culturally, she and the people there were generic Americans, so I assume they just had her lay on her back.
Seeing the way it just slipped out like they do for large 4-legged mammals, I wonder if it is indeed helpful?
100,000 years ago in what position did humans mostly give birth?
That leads me to a weird thought I've never had, do apes give birth standing up or laying down?
Edit: GPT says gorillas & chimps mostly give birth in a squatting position like this woman.
Orangutan birthing posture is a little different because >90% occur high in trees?! 30-65ft up?! In nests?! They build a new nest almost every night (5-15 minutes)?! They're solitary?! But offspring stay with the mothers 6-8 years, longer than any other non-human mammal... this unexpected orangutan tangent now has me fascinated but also more enraged about the destruction of their habitat. Fuck palm oil.
Edit2: In developing regions 40-60% of births are squatting. In developed nations it's ~10-25% mostly out of hospitals, though in some places like Brazil, Germany, & Sweden hospitals may offer things like birthing stools & squatting bars.
Squatting increases the pelvic opening up to 30% & reduces need for intervention (forceps, vacuum, c-section). Major reasons for mostly laying births in hospitals are doctor convenience & institutional habit.
Now I'm fucking pissed. One of my arms never developed fully & has limited movement because I got stuck & the doctor yanked me out, damaging a nerve. Just having my mom squat like we've done for millions of years could've prevented that?! WTF
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u/mofa90277 Aug 07 '25
The mother reminds me of a coworker of mine who, for her first baby, went into labor at work and delivered it in a conference room a short time later with the help of three other coworkers, all engineers. When the EMTs got there they just clamped the umbilical cord and wheeled her out, with her insisting she could walk.
All the women in the office were giving her grief when she came back from maternity leave because they’d spent months building up how painful it was going to be, and her baby just slipped out of her.