Baby in less than optimal position « Back to Group Discussions

[kateaton]

I could really use some suggestions with this.  This baby has been favoring my right side all along.  Usually her back is along my right side, but sometimes she is just posterior.  I wasn't really worried about it but was seeing a chiropractor and doing pelvic tilts.

But now at 38 + 3, it seems to be getting worse.  I can feel her head on my right hip/pelvic bone all the time now.  It used to be just once in a while.  If I do pelvic tilts she will come off the bone, but go right back after a few minutes.  I just saw my chiro this morning and he said that I adjusted well and that everything was good.  But she's still right on my right hip bone.  I am familiar with the spinningbabies site and tried some rebozo sifting yesterday.  I'm trying to sit on my yoga ball as much as possible.  Had anyone experienced this?  What else can I be doing?

[Therese's Mommy]

Well, I can tell you this is my 4th and they have all been positioned this way.  I have had labors that have not been bad, even my 2 inductions weren't that bad.  With my first and second I had some pretty intense hip pain and with my 3rd I had some back labor, but 2nd and 3rd labors were what I consider on the shorter side (7 and 5 hours respectively) and both were 9 lbs and came out in basically a push or 2.  This child is currently positioned like this.  I feel almost nothing on the left side and it feels like my right rib cage is going to be broken from the inside.  I never tried anything to reposition them.  Good luck!!

[sere234]

No brilliant suggestions but I hope your LO moves into a better position in the next few weeks!

[kateaton]

Originally Posted by Therese's Mommy 

Well, I can tell you this is my 4th and they have all been positioned this way.  I have had labors that have not been bad, even my 2 inductions weren't that bad.  With my first and second I had some pretty intense hip pain and with my 3rd I had some back labor, but 2nd and 3rd labors were what I consider on the shorter side (7 and 5 hours respectively) and both were 9 lbs and came out in basically a push or 2.  This child is currently positioned like this.  I feel almost nothing on the left side and it feels like my right rib cage is going to be broken from the inside.  I never tried anything to reposition them.  Good luck!!

this is very comforting!  If you read the spinning babies site it makes you feel like you're guaranteed a c-section or dreadfully horrible birth if baby is in less than perfect position.

[Therese's Mommy]

Originally Posted by kateaton 

this is very comforting!  If you read the spinning babies site it makes you feel like you're guaranteed a c-section or dreadfully horrible birth if baby is in less than perfect position.

Oh no!  That isn't good for your psyche.  Just trust that your body will do what it needs to do.  Babies flip from breech to head down during labor so they can move alot.  I have never thought much about it.  My uterus is pretty tilted to the right which is maybe why my kids are always positioned this way.  You and your body will do just fine 

[katelove]

Mine is posterior sometimes too but the main issue is that her head is still floating. Same thing happened last time which is almost certainly why I ended up with a c/s. I am starting acupuncture on Tuesday (39+6) to try and get her to descend. I'll come back and let you know how it goes.

[kateaton]

Originally Posted by katelove 

Mine is posterior sometimes too but the main issue is that her head is still floating. Same thing happened last time which is almost certainly why I ended up with a c/s. I am starting acupuncture on Tuesday (39+6) to try and get her to descend. I'll come back and let you know how it goes.

Yes, mine is still floating too.  But, my mw keeps saying that it's normal for a third baby not to drop/engage before labor (this is my 3rd). She isn't at all concerned about this.  But it makes me a little nervous.  Let me know how the acupuncture goes.

[MrsKoehn]

I don't know where we all favored, but Mom said all 6 of hers were sunny side up. Her labors were 20 min - 17 hrs. Not too bad really. I've heard the ROT position makes that a bit more likely. That's where mine is almost all the time. He rolls over sometimes though. Like today was the first appt since August he's NOT been that way. His back was centered more but to the left. Now he's back on the right unless his feet and hands are growing out his back. Hehe  My MW is perfectly happy with this position. It's not THE best but it's not the end of the world either.

[katelove]

Originally Posted by kateaton 

Originally Posted by katelove 

Mine is posterior sometimes too but the main issue is that her head is still floating. Same thing happened last time which is almost certainly why I ended up with a c/s. I am starting acupuncture on Tuesday (39+6) to try and get her to descend. I'll come back and let you know how it goes.

Yes, mine is still floating too.  But, my mw keeps saying that it's normal for a third baby not to drop/engage before labor (this is my 3rd). She isn't at all concerned about this.  But it makes me a little nervous.  Let me know how the acupuncture goes.

I wouldn't be worried about it so much either if it wasn't exactly the same as last time. With my first I did nothing, thinking "she'll come when she's ready". Then suddenly I was 41+6 with a long, closed cervix and a floating head. It was like her head won't g down until I have a few contractions but I won't have any contractions until I have some pressure on my cervix

And now, of course, being a VBAC, I have so few options to try. At my clinic appointment last week I asked the Reg if she would try doing a strip and stretch. She was happy to but my cervix was too closed. I have the acupuncture appointment the day before the next clinic appointment so maybe more luck then.

I will definitely come back and give you an update. After 41 weeks I'm going to try acupuncture to induce labour as well. Apparently it will work in 1-4 sessions if it is going to work so it isn't a huge financial commitment.

[Thyme Mama]

Ugh! Sounds like a lot of us are dealing with less-than optimally positioned babies. Mine has been posterior lately and I'm sure it's because my SI joint is out. I've been having more than the usual amount of hip pain too. I have been doing the Inversion on the spinningbabies website, but I am going to ask my girlfriend who does adjustments/massage for a living to give me an adjustment. I don't want hours of back labor again. It was so horrible.
 

[kateaton]

Originally Posted by Thyme Mama 

Ugh! Sounds like a lot of us are dealing with less-than optimally positioned babies. Mine has been posterior lately and I'm sure it's because my SI joint is out. I've been having more than the usual amount of hip pain too. I have been doing the Inversion on the spinningbabies website, but I am going to ask my girlfriend who does adjustments/massage for a living to give me an adjustment. I don't want hours of back labor again. It was so horrible.
 

my SI joint was really bad for a few months- so painful.  Several chiro sessions has seemed to help, but strangely it's not helping baby's position.  I did find the inversions helpful, especially when baby kept flipping breech and vertex- she would respond very quickly to move head down after doing a few.  Thankfully, she has stayed head down for weeks.  She did move off my hip yesterday after doing an inversion and seemed to stay that way until this morning.  I really want to try the side-lying release (it's supposed to be great for asymmetrical and posterior babies) but I really can't seem to understand how to do it.  I wish there was someone who could just show me.

[MrsKoehn]

I had hubby help me do the side lying release. I don't know if it was because of that or not but my one hip HURT the next day. Pretty sure we did it right. I read and looked at it several times and he did once or twice....

[katelove]

Originally Posted by kateaton 

.  Let me know how the acupuncture goes.

So I had my first session on Tuesday. It was nice and I think I've been sleeping better since I had it but no head descent and, obviously, no labour. I'm having my next session tomorrow morning. I did have two very mildly painful contractions this morning so maybe things will start to happen after tomorrow's session.

[kateaton]

thanks for updating on that.  Is your LO posterior at all?  Mine was completely posterior at this week's appointment.  My mw mentioned acupuncture when I asked her if there was some sort of bodywork that would help, but then she sort of dismissed it and said that there's no guarantee and the baby could just turn back immediately following the session

She keeps telling me to do pelvic tilts- which I am!  But they do not seem to be helping a ton.   I just pray this kid turns the right way during labor.