Lying down to give birth is currently the most common way to give birth but traditonaly people would give birth upright. You can see that in artwork where women will be squatting or kneeling while giving birth in artwork all the way back to the Egyiptans. You can see it across cultures from Egypt to the Tonkawa Indian tribe of North America. Such as the black wood indian tribe that would kneel and hold on to a pole while giving birth.
Upright birth has many benefits. women who give birth upright can have shorter and less painful stages of labor due to the gravtiy pulling the baby through the birth canal . As well as reduction of the use/ need of forceps, suction, and episiotomies. The baby will also pass through easier due to the increse of pelvis size giving the cervix more room and is less likly to have an abnormal heartbeat. For the mother there is also less of a chance that her aorta is compressed due to the more room for the pelvis in a squatting position.
Upright position can also has risk for the mother and the child. In upright position due to the gravity the women can experiance more blood loss than if she where to lay down. There are even more dangerous risks for babies. For the infant there is an increase in laseration rates that could have deadly consicounces. Lastly and not surprisingly the upright position is the most tiring position to give birth in.