If you are planning on having a natural birth, you may want to look into optimal fetal positioning. Optimal fetal positioning involves naturally helping the baby to rotate and move herself into a position that makes birth easier for both mom and baby. Often babies present themselves in posterior position, also referred to as “sunny side up,” which can make labor much more difficult, drawn out, and sometimes lead to an increased risk of cesarean. In posterior position, your baby is facing the same direction you are, with her back against yours. This happens more today than it used to because woman are more likely to be sitting in recliners and are less likely to be doing manual labor such as scrubbing the floors. Your baby will naturally swing her back towards wherever gravity pulls it most often, so if you find yourself frequently facing “north,” e.g. laying back on the couch, so will baby. Of course there are other factors, but your posture plays a large role.
What Is The Ideal Position For Baby?
Ideally, you want your baby to be in the “occiput anterior” position. This means her head is down, facing your back, with her back on one side of the front of your tummy. In this position, she is able to tuck her chin into her chest, so that the smallest part of her head will press on the cervix first. This position will allow your baby to easily maneuver through the birth canal. Most babies who start out in posterior position end up rotating during labor and are born in anterior position. Obviously, if your baby is already in anterior position, she has less work to do! Some babies (just a little over 10%) are actually born in posterior position. They call these babies “persistent occiput posterior.” Sometimes they just won’t move, even with optimal fetal positioning. They emerge looking right up at you! This is exactly what my son did.
How Do I Know Which Direction My Baby Is Facing?
Up until the end of your pregnancy, your baby will swim and turn around often, so don’t panic if one day she decides to flip into posterior position. You will be able to tell which direction she is facing by paying attention to her kicks and by the shape of your belly. If she is anterior, you will feel her kicks under your ribs and your belly will be smooth and hard where her back is pressed up against your tummy. If she is posterior, you will likely see her kicks jabbing near the front of your belly, and your baby bump may feel a little softer and appear flatter in shape. I knew my son turned around when my belly went “square” and I could see his feet moving across my stomach, right through my shirt!
Preventing and Flipping Posterior Babies
Fortunately, there are several exercises you can do that should help your baby move into position. First of all, maintain good posture. If you are standing and sitting up straight, your baby should naturally rest in anterior position. One helpful tip is to ditch the couch and sit on a birthing ball, which is likely more comfortable during your last trimester anyway. If your baby does decide to lay (and stay) “sunny side up,” try some of these exercises, (but keep in mind your baby might be stubborn like my son and stay put right where she is):
- Pelvic Rocking
First get on your hands and knees. Tuck your bottom under by contracting your abdominal muscles and arching your back. Then, slowly relax and return to a neutral position. This is a fun exercise to do in the living room while watching TV. Another perk is it can help relieve back pain and allow your baby to drop out of your rib cage a little bit. - Pelvic Tilts
For this exercise, lay on your back and lift your pelvis by tightening your abs. Relax and repeat.
What if my baby won’t flip?
From personal experience, I can tell you, “don’t worry.” My son turned around near the end of my pregnancy, after facing the right direction for the first eight months. He ended up being born “sunny side up,” which had my husband cracking up due to the look on his face as he came out. I did not have back labor as I was told to expect, and my labor was only 8 hours from start to finish. I had a normal, vaginal, drug-free birth. Just because posterior position increases your risks for long, difficult labor and cesarean, does not mean it guarantees it. Your doctor will be better able to predict the outcome of your baby’s position, but ultimately, you can’t bet on anything when it comes to having babies.
Other resources:
http://www.spinningbabies.com/
http://www.homebirth.org.uk/ofp.htm