A Doula’s Guide to Labor Positions: The Ultimate Birth Support Tool
- Cheyenne Williamson
- Mar 1
- 3 min read
Let’s be real—when you picture labor, do you imagine a birthing person stuck in bed, gripping the rails, waiting for things to happen? That’s what most of us have been shown in movies and TV shows. But in reality? Movement is magic in labor. And that’s exactly why I created A Doula’s Guide to Labor Positions—a book designed to empower birth professionals, partners, and parents-to-be with the knowledge of how movement, positioning, and gravity can make all the difference in a smoother, more comfortable birth.
This isn’t just another birth book. This book is a LABOR (ha) of love, blending my real-life doula experience, my professional background as a graphic designer and writer, and my deep (lifelong, honestly) obsession with birth work. If you’re a doula, childbirth educator, or expectant parent, this is the resource I searched for at the beginning of my doula journey.
Who Am I, and Why Did I Write This?
Hi! I’m Cheyenne Williamson, a certified full-spectrum birth doula (currently focusing on birth work) based in central Indiana. I’ve had the honor of attending seven births in my first year of practice, but my love for birth work started way before that. I’ve been fascinated with pregnancy and birth since I was four years old (yes, really).
Before diving into birth work full-time, I worked as a professional graphic designer for seven years after earning my degree in professional writing, information design, and graphic design. In June 2024, I took a massive leap of faith, quit my full-time design job, and dedicated myself fully to supporting birthing families and creating resources that make birth education easy to understand, visually appealing, and incredibly useful. This book is the result of that journey.
What's inside the book?
A Doula’s Guide to Labor Positions isn’t just a list of poses—it’s an interactive, evidence-based manual on how different positions impact the progress of labor. It explains:
How labor positions affect the baby’s descent at different pelvic levels.
When and why to use certain positions (e.g., to relieve back labor, reposition a baby, or keep labor progressing).
Adaptations for people with epidurals, those experiencing stalled labor, and those facing fetal malposition.
Easy-to-follow, beautifully designed illustrations and descriptions for each position.
Whether you’re a birth worker looking for an easy reference or an expecting parent wanting to prepare for labor, this guide is designed to be both educational and easy to use in real-time—because we all know birth is not the time for flipping through dense textbooks.
Sneak Peek: The Flying Cowgirl Position
Now, let’s talk about one of my personal favorites—Flying Cowgirl.
This position involves the birthing person lying on their side with one leg raised and supported by a peanut ball, pillow, or partner. The knees are pushed back as far as possible to open the front-to-back diameter of the pelvis, with the knees open and feet together to further widen the pelvic brim .
Why is it so amazing?
Great for Resting – Labor is a marathon, not a sprint. If you need to conserve energy while still encouraging progress, Flying Cowgirl lets you lie down while keeping the pelvis open.
Epidural-Friendly – Not everyone has the ability to move freely in labor, especially with an epidural. This position works beautifully for those with limited mobility .
Helps Baby Engage & Rotate – Whether your baby is posterior (facing the wrong way) or just taking their time descending, this position uses gravity and space to encourage better alignment .
Relieves Back Labor – If you’re feeling that dreaded lower back pressure, this position can help shift the baby forward, taking some strain off your spine .
If this is just a taste of what the book offers, imagine having every go-to labor position at your fingertips, ready when you need it most!
Why This Book is a Game-Changer
I wrote this book because, as a new doula, I searched high and low for a comprehensive, well-designed guide on labor positions—and found nothing that was quite right. So, I made one! Whether you’re a seasoned doula or someone giving birth for the first time, A Doula’s Guide to Labor Positions gives you the tools to feel confident in navigating labor with movement.
If you’re ready to take birth support to the next level, grab your copy today!
Available as a spiral-bound Paperback & Interactive PDF!
You can also find me:
• Lulu
💡 Pro tip: Keep a copy in your doula bag, birth center, or bedside table—it’s that handy!
What’s your favorite labor position? Let’s chat in the comments! 🎉