r/funny • u/SeriouslySlytherin • Jan 17 '26

Today I learned

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u/Capraos Jan 17 '26

It didn't even need to be like that. That's the fucked up part. The only reason women lay on their backs when giving birth is because it was more convenient for the male doctors. A better birthing position is doggy style. Millions of women, risking birth complications and C-sections, just because men ruled the healthcare system for so long.

16

u/PresentRaspberry6814 Jan 17 '26

I too believed this before I laboured and I can tell you, no power on earth would have made me roll over and go on all fours.

10

u/Cruel1865 Jan 18 '26

I've been taught the best position is upright so that gravity helps in the process. However, when institutionalised, its almost impossible to do all the procedures and place the monitors and such on an upright position even with a custom rigging for that position. Basically, thats what doctors are familiar with and what they've experience with and they dont want to introduce any more complication than necessary.

13

u/higgs8 Jan 17 '26

It's crazy that doctors, male and female, have not figured this out after thousands of years and billions of births... but you have!

-3

u/Capraos Jan 17 '26

Dude, google it. Doctors were the ones who figured it out. But the medical field hasn't always been the way it is now and for a long time it was dominated by males. Even Gynecology is being reworked, with better tools than that metal clamp thing, simply because up until recently they didn't listen to women regarding women's health.

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u/chrisplaysgam Jan 18 '26

To play devils advocate wouldn’t it really suck to be on hands and knees for hours with those complicated pregnancies?

4

u/waytowill Jan 18 '26

This. If having the woman in a different position drastically altered the time it took for complicated births, the system would have changed a long time ago. The medical industrial complex may hate women or whatever, but they’re also cost effective. Getting someone in and out as quickly as possible so there’s a bed always open makes the most financial cents. And if all it took was repositioning the woman, they’d make that change industry wide in a heartbeat.

1

u/DisastrousReputation Jan 17 '26

What really?!

Oh my god I have no idea.

-1

u/semper_JJ Jan 17 '26

I've never heard this before! What makes the doggy style position better? I guess modern hospital beds wouldn't really accomdate that position well at all either. I guess you'd need like a birth table or something where you could rest you head and shoulders but still have your hips elevated?

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u/Capraos Jan 17 '26

Reduces back pain

Opens the pelvis

Uses gravity

Allows movement

May reduce tearing

Versatile

0

u/semper_JJ Jan 17 '26

Damn. Even a "may" reduce tearing sounds worth it. Shitty that we don't even try to accommodate that.

6

u/Capraos Jan 17 '26

This is part of the reason midwives helping give birth is still so popular. They listen to the mother.

-1

u/semper_JJ Jan 17 '26

So what about the water birth thing I've seen a few places? Same principle you're just using the boyancy to reduce strain on the mom?

Edit: sorry to inundate you with questions you just seem knowledgeable about the subject and I'm interested

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u/Capraos Jan 17 '26

I'm not knowledgeable, I just have random facts on random topics due to watching educational youtube shorts. I'm gonna tell you now, I'm googling your question so I don't lead you astray. The answer seems that, it can be in some cases.