stubborn posterior baby? « Back to Group Discussions

[storygirlcindy]

OK... has anyone else had experience with a baby who just really, really, really wants to be posterior??? Despite being one of the most active babes I've ever heard of (SHE NEVER STOPS MOVING), my little one always ends up reverting to either right occiput posterior, right occiput transverse, or occiput posterior - usually ROP. She has made brief excursions where she'll spend a day or two in ROA, and a long, long time ago (like 24 weeks) she was LOA for a few days, but those have been few and far between. She just loves the posterior position! I have been doing all the spinning babies stuff for months, as well as everything else I've ever read about encouraging a posterior baby to turn. We've had long talks about it, I've laid in a warm bath and tried to gently nudge her over with my hand, I've climbed up and down the stairs a bunch this week, I've put warm things on the front of my tummy to encourage her to rotate... and no luck. 

At this point, I am sort of feeling my "gut"/intuition say that I need to just let go of this, stop trying to control the outcomes, and let things happen as they happen. Women have birthed posterior babes before me, right? But, despite not being much of a worrier, I just can't stop my late-pregnancy anxiety from fixating on all the things that could go wrong... I could never kick into labor, I could labor for days and end up with a c-section (I am having a hospital birth), and so forth. Please tell me I'm being overly anxious, ladies. ;) 

Anyway, I'm wondering - has anyone else ever had a baby who just wanted to stay posterior even with all the rotating techniques?

Edited to add - I think part of my anxiety/frustration comes from the fact that as helpful as sites like spinning babies are, they sure do put a lot of pressure on the mom, goodness! I think I've absorbed this feeling that it's MY FAULT if the baby doesn't turn soon enough and my labor doesn't go according to the ideal as a result...

Edited by storygirlcindy - 2/22/13 at 11:24pm

[Sara79]

Lay aside any guilt as it to being your fault.

Sounds like you are very being very proactive. There are times when baby is posterior for a reason, baby needs to be born that way. I would def. continue with your spinningbabies I would make sure you are not reclining when you are sitting, pillows behind your back to prop you forward, sit on a birth ball. Are you seeing a Chiropractor? My Chiro specializes in working with pregnant women and she is awesome and helping in these type of situations..babies do not always turn...but we have been working on my keeping my pelvis adjusted so he can be in the most optimal position.

Hugs...I'd take deep breaths...she can still turn it might happen during labor.

[LightForest]

I had a similar experience with my first pregnancy. Tried everything to get her to wiggle into the best position! Spent a lot of time on the spinning babies site and got SO stressed out reading about how important proper positioning was. Anyway, she did end up rotating into position as she came through the birth canal and all was well.

This baby is persistently ROA or ROP, very occasionally LOA. Instead of stressing over things that I can do right now (38 weeks) to get the baby positioned well, I'm just focusing on the simpler task of keeping my body position symmetric and upright, and keeping my body loose and open in general. As baby descends a bit more and as labor commences, I will be more intentional about positioning and moving my body in ways that encourage the baby to turn and descend efficiently (leg lunges, stair/curb walking, hip swaying, time on hands and knees). But I'm choosing NOT to stress proper positioning at this time, knowing that a) baby is constantly in motion, and b) I will likely not give birth for another 3 weeks or so.

[Chapsie]

Cindy, both my kids rotated position in labor.  My first was anterior for weeks and all throughout labor, and then was discovered to be OP after 3 hours of pushing and I wound up with a c/s.  My daughter, on the other hand, was posterior to start off labor and rotated anterior.  

There are some thing that we just can't control.  I no longer sit on my couch, I always sit on a birth ball, leaning forward.  I do hands and knees positioning at least once a day... other than that, I leave it up to God!  It's out of my control at that point.

This is only one of many things that you can feel guilty about as a mom.  It's not worth it!  :)

[buko]

A couple of things I posted to a similar discussion in the Feb DDC, if they're helpful:

You know, if my babe is posterior, I will probably make some effort to get him/her to turn, BUT I found this discussion really interesting (particularly MsBlack's comments):

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/596366/is-loa-better-than-roa

---

Interesting stuff from Henci Goer that was JUST posted.  Read the comments, too:

http://www.scienceandsensibility.org/?p=6064

[babytoes]

First of all... NO GUILT!! This is not your fault at all, you just happen to have a stubborn little rodent and that's okay. Moving on...

DS1 was posterior, and I birthed him out that way. Yes, I had wicked back labor and that was zero fun, but I pushed him out in 20 minutes, and all was fine and forgotten. Sometimes we just have to go with the flow. I was so young at the time (17 years old and back 1992) I had no idea about posterior vs. anterior or how to get baby to move. I just went through labor with the idea that this is what it was suppose to feel like. Although my mother knew baby would come out sunny side up, because of all my back labor, she just kept telling me I was doing a great job and to keep going all the while putting tons of counter pressure on my lower back.

I would continue to do spinning babies, it certainly can't hurt. And like the others said, who knows, this baby may go anterior during labor! Your doing the best that you can.

[maydaymom10]

Just wanted to let you know that you're not alone. My baby is doing the exact same thing - usually ROT or ROA. I'm trying everything: exercises, weekly appointments with a chiro who specializes in Webster, etc. She just likes that side. And, I'm almost 39 week and having a lot of prelabor symptoms. So, I've basically resigned myself to the fact that there must be a reason this LO likes that side, and that I know babies can still rotate during labor. I'm preparing myself for the fact that this could be a tough one, and I'm OK with that.

Try not to let yourself feel guilty about it -- seriously there is sometimes nothing you can do about it. Keep doing what you've been doing and just try to relax and prepare yourself for whatever labor brings. Hang in there -- you never know what can happen in the next few weeks. :)

[storygirlcindy]

Thanks ladies! Your responses were exactly what I needed. ;) I think I just need to continue a reasonable degree of stuff to encourage things to be as healthy as possible, but STOP READING ABOUT IT - phew, I really appreciate the spinning babies exercises etc., but if you spend too much time reading her site it can really create some anxiety! I have had friends successfully deliver posterior babes who either rotated in labor or came out posterior and were just fine (and they all had epidurals too, which I don't plan to have!), so I really shouldn't worry too much. And Maydaymom - I've come to exactly the same conclusion. For whatever reason, my little one just LOVES that right side! 

Part of my anxiety stems from the fact that although I'm 37 weeks there is a high likelihood that I could go into labor at any time. Actually, we're all pretty shocked I've made it this far! I've been having pre-labor issues for over 2 months now, and the symptoms have just been picking up in the last week or two, so who knows. She might hold on til 40+ weeks, but there's a pretty good chance she won't. And oh yeah - one of those pre-labor "symptoms" that has appeared in the last week? Total. Crazy. Emotions. I have gone through 9 months of this pregnancy absolutely the calmest, most emotionally stable person I've EVER been. I have always been a big crier, but I've hardly cried at all in this pregnancy - up until the last week, when my emotions have officially taken the Crazy Train. I literally broke down in tears this morning because my husband said his brother wanted to borrow my camera today... LOL! So, that definitely influences my level of anxiety over the position thing!

Oh - and I've been going to a chiro all through the pregnancy. He doesn't specialize in Webster, but I figure since I've been getting consistent chiropractic care etc., I can't have developed TOO many pelvic chiropractic issues....

[jodieanneanton]

Don't feel guilty.  Baby will find the position that is ideal for him/her.  Labor with an LOA baby may be "easier" or "ideal" or whatever and it's fine to encourage it, but no need to feel guilt or anxiety over it!  My little one (born Wed!!) hung out ROP constantly, was "encouraged" by me to turn LOA...With exercises and chiro and even pep talks... and you know what?  The little guy turned breech right before (or during) labor and was born beautifully that way.  They know what they need better than we do sometimes.  

Glad you are finding peace with all the sage advice here.  We have such a great group of supportive women here!

[sarahb79]

Thanks for posting this! I can relate to much of what you said and it was nice to read your thoughts (and the excellent responses) to hear that I'm not alone. DD was born posterior 3 years ago and at 38 weeks this babe is posterior too. I was trying lots of spinning babies techniques to turn, but the past week I really haven't done much. I'm trying to "let things go". Baby's pretty engaged now and I think if a turn is going to happen, it likely won't be until during labour at this point.

Keep us posted. Good luck mama!

[storygirlcindy]

Yeah, I'm the same way, sarahb. Baby dropped down last week and has been showing more and more signs of at least early engagement since... I am getting the feeling it won't be til labor for us, either. Although, my OB did say something that reassured me last week when I mentioned that I wished she would turn anterior - he said that for a lot of babes, the passage through the pelvis is what gets them facing the right way, anyway. Like you said, I have been sort of letting go this week and just trying to trust that it will all work out how it's supposed to! At this point a long labor doesn't really scare me... I have been basically in "prelabor" for 2+ months so I'm to the point where the idea of real labor - even a long one - seems incredibly attractive because it will at least have a definite endpoint!!! ;) So, we'll see how it goes!