Move with Purpose: How Baby’s Station Guides Labor Positions

Photo Credit: Erin Heuser Photography

Labor is a transformative journey, one where knowledge can empower you to feel confident and prepared. While most people focus on how many centimeters dilated the cervix is during labor, there’s another essential piece of the puzzle: your baby’s station. Understanding this term and how it affects labor progress can give you deeper insight into what’s happening in your body and how to adapt.

In this post, we’ll explore what baby’s station is, why it matters, and how to use this information to guide movement during labor. Whether or not you know your baby’s exact station during labor, understanding the concept can help you feel more in tune with your body and baby.

What Is Baby’s Station?

Baby’s station refers to where your baby is located in the birth canal. It’s measured relative to the ischial spines—two small bony points inside the pelvis. These spines are like a checkpoint; they help your care provider gauge how far your baby has descended.

The scale ranges from -4 to +4:

• Negative stations (-4 to -1): Your baby is still high in the pelvis, above the ischial spines.

• Zero station (0): Baby’s head is at the level of the ischial spines. This is often referred to as “engaged,” meaning your baby has settled into the pelvis and is preparing to descend further.

• Positive stations (+1 to +4): Baby is below the ischial spines, moving down through the birth canal. By +4, your baby is crowning, and birth is imminent.

Why Baby’s Station Matters

Understanding your baby’s station during labor offers several key benefits:

1. Guiding Your Movements

Labor is dynamic, and movement can help encourage progress. The way your baby moves through the pelvis depends on space in three sections: the inlet, mid-pelvis, and outlet. Certain movements and positions help open up these areas, creating space for your baby to descend. For example:

• If your baby is at a negative station, positions that open the inlet of the pelvis, like standing with one leg elevated or using a birth ball, can help.

• For a baby at a positive station, movements that open the outlet, such as squatting or leaning forward, are ideal.

2. Tracking Progress

While dilation (how open your cervix is) is often the main measure of progress during labor, it’s only part of the story. Station provides another layer of understanding about how labor is progressing. For example, you might be fully dilated, but if your baby is still high in the pelvis, more time or different positions may be needed to encourage descent.

3. Supporting Decision-Making

If labor stalls or slows down, knowing your baby’s station can help guide your care. For example, if your baby is at 0 station but not descending further, trying movements to open the mid-pelvis, such as lunges or side-lying positions, may help. If you’re not sure of your baby’s station, simply changing positions frequently and moving in ways that feel natural can still support progress.

How Can You Find Out Baby’s Station?

Your care provider can estimate your baby’s station during a cervical check by feeling for the ischial spines and determining where your baby’s head is in relation to them. Don’t hesitate to ask, “What is baby’s station right now?” Understanding this can give you valuable insight into what’s happening during labor and how to adapt.

However, it’s important to note that not everyone will have frequent cervical checks—or any at all—during labor. If you don’t know your baby’s station, that’s okay! Your body and instincts are often the best guides. Movement, gravity, and staying upright and active can all help your baby find their way through the pelvis.

Movement Matters

Whether or not you know your baby’s station, movement is one of the most powerful tools you have during labor. Changing positions frequently not only helps with comfort but also encourages progress. Here are some general tips for using movement during labor:

• Follow Your Instincts: If a position feels good, it’s likely helping! Trust your body to guide you toward movements that create space and encourage your baby to move down.

• Work With Gravity: Upright positions, such as standing, walking, or sitting on a birth ball, allow gravity to assist your baby’s descent.

• Stay Flexible: If something isn’t working, try a new position. Sometimes small adjustments, like shifting one leg higher or leaning forward, can make a big difference.

Partnering With Your Body and Baby

Labor is a collaborative process between you and your baby. Your baby is working hard to move through the pelvis, and you can support them by creating space and staying active. Each section of the pelvis— the inlet, mid-pelvis, and outlet—requires specific movements to help your baby navigate.

For example, when your baby is still high (-4 to -2 station), positions that open the inlet, like hands and knees or standing lunges, can be helpful. As your baby moves down to 0 station and below, you might focus on movements that create space in the mid-pelvis or outlet, such as squatting, leaning forward, or using a peanut ball in side-lying positions.

Even if you don’t know your baby’s exact station, moving freely and listening to your body ensures you’re working together with your baby in the most effective way possible.

Learn More

Understanding how baby’s station impacts labor and how to work with it is just one part of preparing for birth. My childbirth education courses offer a deeper dive into these concepts, including practical guidance on the best positions to open each level of the pelvis.

You can also access my Labor Positions Handout, a detailed resource with step-by-step instructions for positions that support labor progress based on baby’s station. This handout is available as a free download when you sign up for my newsletter. After confirming your subscription, you’ll receive a PDF that you can refer to throughout your labor journey.

Knowledge is power, and understanding your baby’s station can help you feel confident and prepared for the incredible experience of labor. Whether you’re moving instinctively or guided by the specifics of baby’s station, you are equipped to work with your body and baby for a smooth and supported birth.