Giving birth uprightMany - if not most - women still give birth lying down. Yet research shows upright labour is best. Campaigners say almost all women gave birth upright until doctors took control of childbirth. Maternity experts suggest gravity helps the baby descend more easily, that the baby is in a better position for moving down, and that squatting or kneeling helps the pelvis open wider, allowing more room for the baby to be delivered.