#birth asks

What's your favorite position to labor in? Do you like having physical support?

I never thought of having a favorite because it all hurt so much lol. I guess on my hands and knees with my husband pressing my back was the least bad since it was the best I could do for my back labor - posterior baby is no joke! but that was also when I realized I was hitting my breaking point because it just still kept getting worse and I realized nothing I or he does can truly help the pain.

3. What would be your preferred setting?

I assume you're asking for Sophie's preferred setting for her own birth and not watching others' births. Though she did unwillingly get a front row seat to that as well.

already answered for myself so I'll have Dr. Anderson take this one.

Women make a surprisingly wide range of attire choices when coming in, even after labor has gone on a while. They always get a gown if they want but I let them wear anything as long as I can get in there and do my thing when I need to. Every so often I get patients who keep their skirt or pants or tights on and try to put it all back on after I check them. they usually last two or three checks before they ditch the bottoms.

I really like when they have their own top and/or bra on and nothing else. they're usually covered by a sheet when dressed like that, so it doesn't look so exposed, but I can get in easily. Wearing her own clothes wherever she can is always cute, like she's trying to keep herself grounded when going through this kind of thing, a very compromised modesty.

Dr. A

What sort of verbal pain reaction is your favorite?

I really love when the girl starts saying how much it hurts - it's as if she's trying to ask it to stop, like it's too much. That point where the moaning and enduring turns to bargaining. But of course, her body is out of her control and it'll just keep hurting worse.

I have a personal connection and sympathy for when they beg me to get the baby out - I did the same thing! I'm always doing exactly what they're asking, getting the baby out as fast as I can, but I know how desperate it feels from Mom's point of view.

At the same time, it's really the only time I can take a direct role in getting things going. I can do things like break her water but that's still dependent on her body picking things up herself. But getting a baby out at the end, that's where I can physically take a hand to help it go as smoothly and swiftly as possible.

Dr. A

What would you enjoying doing to mom physically, such as physical support, medical procedures, help her reposition, etc.?

Don't tell anyone, but it's secretly satisfying when I stretch a patient's vagina a little bit and the baby's head slides out more. I know it hurts like hell (I've been there!) but it's so effective in getting mom over the finish line!

-Dr. A

(if you ask her as Maddie, you might get a different answer or at least different motivations!)

a nice blouse, maybe cardigan, cute skirt, and black tights. she picked a nice outfit for the day - maybe she had different plans before labor kicked in or she picked these just to look put together for the occasion while she's still smiling. and she'd have a few contractions still fully dressed in the triage room while being monitored. Her toes curl in the nylon tights, her legs chafe, her skirt rides up, her cardigan falls off her shoulder, gradually growing more and more disheveled as she winces and moans but still smiles and recomposes herself between waves of pain.

or course it all has to come off at some point. if she asked, of course I'd help her undress. especially if I were medical staff, normally I wouldn't help a patient like this but in her huge, vulnerable, pained condition she might need a little help tugging those panties down.

after that my only preference is for cute patterned socks of some sort. hospital gown, just a loose top, or maybe completely nude otherwise, screaming, sobbing for it to all end, and cute socks that normally brighten any outfit are now just useless against the agony she's in, almost a mockery as her feet twist and curl and kick in them.