Pushing sooner during vaginal childbirth is safe for women and babies, the best time to start pushing during vaginal birth is between two to one hour. The study of 2,400 first-time moms found early pushing didn’t increase the need for C-sections, it was also associated with lower odds of hemorrhage and infection.

According to the lead researcher Dr. Alison Cahill, chief of maternal-fetal medicine of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, the theory behind delayed pushing is that while they delay, the uterus continues to contract and perhaps ease delivery. Waiting an hour didn’t affect the need for a surgical delivery.

Pushing earlier reduces the risk of bleeding and prevents infections. Pushing starts naturally during the second stage of labour when the cervix is completely dilated. Using local painkiller prevents the pain in some women. Doctors will recommend either immediate pushing with contractions, or withholding pushing, letting the fetus descend spontaneously during the second stage of labour.

For this research, the participants were randomly selected to start pushing early or to wait an hour., all were given a local painkiller. The timing of pushing didn’t affect the odds of a normal vaginal delivery or harm the baby. It also didn’t change the need for forceps or vacuum or the need for cesarean delivery, the researchers found. Recent researches encouraged women to push longer to encourage a vaginal delivery.
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