Did you know that before 1600 Western Women gave birth squatting, sitting and standing?.
This changed when King Louis XIV of France ruled that in order for him to witness the birth of his children, his women had to give birth lying down.
Although that posture makes childbirth more difficult and painful, it soon became widespread, and French doctors had to invent forceps to avoid some of its consequences. In a short time, the obstetric instruments multiplied, and it came to believe that childbirth was always an emergency that required medical attention to be uncomplicated.
The idea that women should be guided by their own instinct when it comes to childbirth is growing in popularity. The number of expectant mothers opting for natural childbirth—understood as the birth where external intervention is minimal possible—is on the rise.
French obstetrician Michel Odent, one of the most notable advocates of natural childbirth, claims that the midwife should not stick to any rules, but obey her instinct, which makes her an expert in giving birth. Odent gave his patients total freedom to proceed as they please, and even allowed them to sit in a tub of warm water to relieve the pain from uterine contractions. That's where the idea of water birth came from.
Current physiology knowledge has shown that vertical birth—standing or squatting— allows baby birth to be faster and less traumatic. However, there is no such thing as a universal posture for giving birth. In the most primitive communities, early birthing mothers are guided by the council of the most experienced women.
