Shellie Poulter
Doula and Educator
The Roll Over
Described by Penny Simkin in The Labour Progress Handbook. Each position is adopted for 30 minutes in the sequence or longer if the birthing person is sleeping comfortably. This is excellent for when resting in labour or if the birthing person has an epidural or is unable to move from the bed for any other reason. Keep repeating the sequence over as long as is desired.
If the baby or birthing person are uncomfortable in any of these positions, skip it and move onto the next in the sequence. If there are areas of tightness in the birthing person, these can be addressed with massage or movement if they feel this is something they would like to explore.
​
1. Semi-reclining - Propped up with the back of the bed and plenty of cushions. The legs can be stretched out or supported with a peanut ball or cushions
2. Left side-lying - pillows supporting knee to ankle or using a peanut ball to keep the knees apart (if it is known where the baby is in the pelvis, pillows can be adjusted as is appropriate to help widen the inlet, mid pelvis or outlet
3. Left Sims - The top leg is flexed up, bent at the hip and knee and supported knee to ankle with a pillow. The birthing person is semi-rolled forward, their abdomen resting on the bed
4. Kneeling either on the lowered foot of the bed whilst supported, on the bed itself with a peanut ball or birth ball to lean over and/or pillows or on the floor in the same position.
5. Right Sims - The top leg is flexed up, bent at the hip and knee and supported knee to ankle with a pillow. The birthing person is semi-rolled forward, their abdomen resting on the bed
6. Right side-lying - pillows supporting knee to ankle or using a peanut ball to keep the knees apart (if it is known where the baby is in the pelvis, pillows or a peanut ball can be adjusted as is appropriate to help widen the inlet, mid pelvis or outlet
