What does it mean if the baby is "low"? « Back to Group Discussions

[TwilightJoy]

At my TV ultrasound at 8 weeks, the tech mentioned that my baby was low. At 12 weeks, I heard the heartbeat on the doppler and she had to search really low (into the top of my pubes ) to find baby. I was so excited to hear the heartbeat, I started crying, and completely forgot to ask what it meant that the baby was so low. Does anyone know? Does it just mean that the baby implanted low and everything is fine? Any increased risk factors?

TIA!



-TJ

[timesway]

i dunno if its linked,but my baby was high, and i was told in u/s they say u should have a full bladder as pushes uterus up.. therefore (this is a guess) perhaps your bladder is small, was empty, or u have less stuff pushing it up? i have a massive bladder that holds far too much wee and has subsequently collapsed and that would explain why mine was so high x
 

also this mite be helpful http://community.babycenter.com/post/a21358341/baby_sitting_low_in_uterus

[snozzberry]

No answers for you, TJ, but I have noticed from the belly thread that the other mamas' bumps look higher up compared to mine!

[Lynann]

DS1 sat low the entire pregnancy. It made me have to pee more often, and it didn't make labor any easier. (But the complicated labor with him had lots of other factors too.) It will probably give you more pelvic pressure later on, but baby may also move up as they grow. I'm not aware of it causing any complications unless you also have other pelvic issues.

[jacquelinej]

I agree with Lynann.  My first was low, I had to have a full bladder for ultrasounds for the first 5 months or more.  So uncomfortable and it was painful to pee sometimes because of the pressure.  Pain was so bad at one point I thought I had a UTI, but I didn't.  But no additional complications I was ever told of.  I also have a different sort of pelvis then other women, apparently.  It takes longer for me to show because of it.  When the first was so low and the pelvis thing, I didn't show until I was 6 months (I think I was 21 weeks or more).  It also made the ultrasound exams a little tough because they had to search longer for what they wanted to see.

[timesway]

what did they say was different about your pelvis?

[aHikaru]

DD was always super low and they had to search a bit to find her at times. This one is right at my belly button and is in the front and only takes a couple seconds to find him/her.

[Quinalla]

Just the baby being low isn't a problem by itself, only if say the placenta was partially/fully covering the cervix which I'm sure they would have told you if that was the case. It's not unusual to have a baby hanging out low and once they get bigger they move around everywhere in there.

[jacquelinej]

Originally Posted by jacquelinej 

I agree with Lynann.  My first was low, I had to have a full bladder for ultrasounds for the first 5 months or more.  So uncomfortable and it was painful to pee sometimes because of the pressure.  Pain was so bad at one point I thought I had a UTI, but I didn't.  But no additional complications I was ever told of.  I also have a different sort of pelvis then other women, apparently.  It takes longer for me to show because of it.  When the first was so low and the pelvis thing, I didn't show until I was 6 months (I think I was 21 weeks or more).  It also made the ultrasound exams a little tough because they had to search longer for what they wanted to see.

Well, I have never gotten the actual medical term for it, I am sure there is one.  I have a longish torso, short legs, I am 5'5".  I was also a long distance runner in high school and college and I suspect some of this is do to some damage combined with imperfect gene combination and being super flexible.  Both a blessing, and a horrible curse.  I can easily put my hands flat on the floor when bending over at any time and could go further if my arms had joints before the elbow!  I used to be able to squeeze my nose on the floor when doing hamstring stretches.  

My hips tilt at an awkward angle and they are a bit wider then the average (from more elastic cartilage) when I am pregnant.  Which ultimately means that while I do not need maternity clothes yet at nearly 13 weeks, the pants fit in my waist and are pretty darn snug on my hips.  It also means I have a tendency to fall from the hips spreading, (it is called splaying) and because my knees are not dead aligned under my hips as they should be.  Most likely this splaying is due to this being my 5th pregnancy, and my 4th out of the first tri although in my first pregnant they told me I would probably fall a lot.  And they were right, I do fall a lot, even more when I am pregnant and it doesn't seem to matter how far pregnant I am.  So I don't show as quick, but I fall more.  Good combo?  I think not.  I have to be super super careful on stairs, they are usually where I fall, much to my husband's distress.  But being flexible does have some very, how shall we say, adventurous quirks.  

It also means that right now I have a very pear-shaped look about me, which is particularly distressing in pictures.  My face is super thin (where it is obvious I have lost weight these passed 6 months) and my hips are super wide.  Blah.  I feel so out of proportion.

[TwilightJoy]

Thank you, ladies! I never considered the fact that baby would move around later. Silly me.

It's definitely on my list of questions for my 16 week appointment, in a week and a half.