Background: Maternal position during labor is a key non-pharmacological strategy that supports physiological birth and women's active participation in the childbirth process. Although upright positions have been associated with favorable labor outcomes compared with supine positions, evidence directly comparing different upright positions-particularly in relation to maternal birth experience and perceived traumatic birth-remains limited.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effects of standing and squatting positions during the first stage of labor on the birth process, birth comfort, pain intensity, and perceived traumatic birth experience among multiparous women.

Methods: This study was conducted using a comparative interventional design. A total of 82 multiparous women were included and allocated to either the standing group (n=41) or the squatting group (n=41) during labor. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, the Labor Comfort Scale, and the Traumatic Birth Perception Scale. Outcomes were assessed during labor and within the first two hours postpartum. Statistical analyses included comparative and correlation analyses.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Multiparous women aged ≥18 years
• Gestational age between 38 and 42 weeks
• Singleton pregnancy with cephalic presentation
• Cervical dilatation ≥4 cm at admission
• Low-risk pregnancy
• Willingness to participate and provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Multiple pregnancy
• Presentation anomalies
• High-risk pregnancy (e.g., preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, placenta-related complications)
• Fetal distress or known fetal anomalies
• Any medical or obstetric condition requiring restricted mobility during labor