Parturition chairs

[justawench]

AKA "Groaning" chairs were used in birthing.

Here is a site with some pictures of period parturition chairs.

Alternatively, Webster's Online Dictionary defines groaning chairs as:

Groaning chair. The chair in which a woman is confined or sits afterwards to receive congratulations. Similarly "groaning cake" and "groaning cheese" are the cake and

Comments

[compassrose7577]

gotta give them credit, they were a pragmatic crowd back then.

I'd have to say, something like that would have looked very good to me after my son's birth....they had to cut me open as far as they could, and then some. Not good!

Could have used a good dose of the 'groaning malt'(don't ya just love their euphemisms!)at that time too.

Thanks!

[justawench]

"....they had to cut me open as far as they could, and then some."

Eeee! *crosses legs tightly*

I'd say a woman definitely deserved some of the groaning malt!

[compassrose7577]

All in all, a testimonial as to why I don't find the romanticism in pregnancy and child-birth. Nasty business, I say!

Groaning malts all around!

[naotalba]

My midwife actually had a 'birthing stool' that was modeled on the parturition chairs - but she forgot it at home when she arrived for the delivery. There was a sort of hilarious comedy of errors when I started pushing and we realized that a) we had no birthing stool, b) we had no plan B, and c) the hour or so that the pushing stage is supposed to last? Was 18 minutes for me.

I ended up having my daughter in a position I fondly refer to as 'doggie style.'

[justawench]

Oh my. So that Britney Spears statue pose is a viable method?

I've seen squatting depicted before (usually supported by others). I can see how the gravity assist could come in handy. I wonder if they'll say someday that our ancestors had the right of it and change the way it's done in hospitals?

[ballincollig]

I remember reading somewhere that the modern woman-on-back birthing position is more of an assist to the doctor, who can sit and have the...uh...action directly presented to him.

I agree with you: those birthing chairs make a whole lot more sense, though, for the woman doing the birthing!