The first thing that came to mind when I read your post is: if hospital policy mandates that all women push and give birth on their backs, which is indisputably ineffective and harmful, what other ineffective and harmful policies and practices might this hospital be imposing? Routine IVs? No oral intake? Routine continuous electronic fetal monitoring (cardiotocography)? Confining laboring women to bed? Be that as it may, I suggest you talk to your care provider. Begin by getting clarification that you have, in fact, understood correctly that hospital policy is to have women push and give birth lying on their backs. Then, whether you understood correctly or not, ask your care provider to sign a note saying that unless necessary to treat a medical complication, your care provider affirms that you may push in any position you find effective. Alternatively, have you considered home birth? It is your least expensive option if you have to pay out of pocket, and having your baby in an environment with suboptimal practices and policies may end up costing you and your baby more than you ever want to pay. Thirty-two weeks is not too late to switch.

-- Henci

P.S. Just out of curiosity, where is this hospital?