Please advise on Posterier Baby

[sylvi76]

Any suggestions on how to get a posterier baby to rotate and face forward? I have a 55cm birth ball I sit on alot.

[lilylove]

Try pelvic rocking, I think in yoga it is called the cat and dog pose. I've also heard laying on your left side can help. Good luck
Sandy

[plantmommy]

see http://www.spinningbabies.com/

It has a lot of info and suggestions!

[sylvi76]

Thanks for the suggestions, and the website! I'll certainly try those things.

[nikkyme]

My daughter was posterior - I am doing everything I can to try not to have this baby turn out the same way- and so far everything is a-ok.

My mw said 120 pelvic rocks a day, as well as the knee chest position. Lean forward when relaxing - like on a bean bag or over a chair (spinningbabies really is great). Also swimming - but not breast stroke - just scissor - kicks or freestyle would be great. If you can avoid an epidural, even better (try pushing on your side, no deep squats if the baby is still posterior)(i think thats right will double check if I'm wrong), and the knee chest during labor..plus pushing on all fours if you have to...and of course, the epidural makes it really hard- actually impossible to do that.

if I think of anything else I'll let you know...

Oh and stay out of a glider with your feet up - I did that the last month and it may have had something to do with her turning posterior during labor...

Good luck - you will be fine! :thumb :)
Nikki

mom to Lucy 1/28/02 - c/s
wifey-poo to Mike
mom2be to Jed - hopefully homebirth ~9/13/04 or so

[wombat]

Just wanted to add a few other things:

Are you planning on using a midwife? or OB in a hospital?

The reason I ask is because my dd was posterior from about 28 weeks on. Never turned. I used to do the exercise where you get down on all 4's and some others but she didn't move. I was just following my doula's ideas and some ideas from websites though - I didn't have an expert helping me.

Anyway the tough bit was being in hospital with an OB who had no ideas about helping OP babies turn. I had my doula but she wasn't really experienced. anyway labor stalled out, after getting to 6cm, I had no further progress for 12 more hours. All the OB could recommend was an epidural. I think that actually made it worse and I ended up with a c/s.

I heard most babies turn during labor anyway. My water broke early in labor which probably didn't help that. But if baby doesn't turn, your best bet is having an experienced midwife there. Don't expect any help from an OB.

[nikkyme]

I couldn't agree more. Actually, i am using 2 mw's, a rn/birth assistant, and a doula - lucky me - all at my house. Last time my OB never came in until I had pushed for three hours - on my back and once in a deep squat and then she said - "hmmm...she wasn't posterior last week was she ? (which she wasn't)... well were gonna have to do a c/s..."

dd had fetal tachy-cardia and i had a fever which didn't help things but I have learned so much since then, plus we weren't sure when my water broke. I found that the ican group has been a godsend for me in dealing with my c/s issues plus gaining confidence in alternative birthing techniques etc...

really I think I heard that 25% of all c/s are due to posterior babies and I have gained so much from going to ICAN meetings this pregnancy. The other thing that has helped is a giant painting I did of a baby in an anterior position in a pelvis - kind of Georgia O'Keefe-ish, but it just serves as visual reminder to think anterior- and just trying to be mindful of the positions I choose to get into.

I have also heard that there is a chiropractic techniqe that helps as well as acupuncture - which I would do if he goes posterior. But hopefully, all will be swell this time. I am determined to have a different birth experience this time.

[LizD]

My midwife says some babies are meant to be posterior and it might be ideal for the woman's pelvis. Both my babies were posterior- my daughter was anterior before labor but was born face-up. No back labor or bad pain that time.

This baby was posterior from as soon as we could tell, all the way through delivery. He was "true posterior" and not even turned to one side, definitely face up all the way. The back labor was definitely challenging but there was no turning him, obviously. I did not do any techniques or maneuvers, though one of the midwives began to try to turn him during birth. I stopped her since I could not bear it. I tried to deliver him comfortably, on my back or side in bed, but the midwife had be get up and squat holding the doorknobs to move him down past the bones. Then I lay back in my position of choice and he was born the rest of the way. He was a big nine and a half pounds too, though.

I just share my story to point out that delivering a posterior baby is not only possible (at home, too) but might be the way the baby is meant to come through the pelvis. I think my confidence in this made a difference in being able to get him out. I never thought of it as a problem.


Don't get discouraged if the baby remains posterior, just prepare for back labor and appropriate comfort measures, as well as methods for rotating the baby during labor, if that's what baby needs to do.

[kris1225]

My baby was posterior for a long time while I was pregnant and he turned either on his way out or before. I did all the suggestions from spinningbabies.com and it may have helped. I also labored at home in the water on my hands and knees. The birth story is in my siggy if yer interested...

[saharasky]

Had I gone to a hospital I too would of had a cs for lack of progression. 26 hours of back labour and only 5 cm ...but very thinned out. Water burst all over the mw (cause I pushed even though I was told not to ...just couldn't help it) and I was instantaneously at 10 cm ... dd came out face up after 1 hour of REALLY hard pushing (I have the pictures to prove it LOL ...I joke that they'd make good birth control).

I spent almost ALL of the labour on all fours in the bathtub .... did LOTS of pelvic rocking etc ... sometimes they just want to come out that way. However I am hoping for something a little different this time around.

[LizaBear]

My son was posterior throughout the majority of my pregnancy with him, and well into labour as well.

I did a lot of hands/knees stuff, but it would never convince him that anterior was "better".

The research I've done since has been enough to convince me that anterior was not a good position for him to be in. Sounds counter-intuitive I know, *BUT*, my placenta was attached anterior. SO - if my son turned anterior as well, his back/spine/etc. was putting pressure and a good amount of force on the placenta itself. Basically, my son was protecting himself and preserving maximum blood and oxygen flow by staying off the placenta until the last possible moment.

And back labour was horrible with him.

[sylvi76]

Thanks for all the helpful advice. You guys are so reassuring. It didn't even occur to me that this might be how it's "supposed" to be for my baby.

To the mama who asked me -

I am using a midwife, and hoping they'll let me go as naturally as possible. There is a jacuzzi in the hospital for mama's in labor, so maybe I'll be in that if it seems to be alot of back labor.

[Mami]

Another thing to consider is that your first line of action should be to try to turn your baby before he/she 'engages' in your pelvis(don't know how far along you are...), but otherwise a doula can help with fantastic turning maneuvers in labor too. For pre-labor try climbing stairs on your hands and knees sideways, first one side then the other. And, like someone else mentioned, limit reclining and spend as much time as posible on hands and knees. Also, you can try sleeping on your belly in a bean bag (or a swim-ring or a kiddy bathtub!) Physical therapists will also sometimes rent you their 'Preggo Pillow', they use it for massaging/treating pregnant moms lying on their belly(I rented mine for $1 a day for the last 3 weeks of my pregnancy). Good luck!

[sylvi76]

Hi Alexandra - well I'm due in 5 days! :)

And I am spending alot of time on my hands and knees. As well as some exercises on my birthing ball.

[Mami]

I edited to add a little to my previous post, but I really think climbing stairs sideways can work wonders too. Also you can use a sheet to cradle your belly while on hands and knees(you'll have to have someone else hold the sheet) then the person holding the sheet can 'sift' your belly from side to side to give your baby some potential movement to shift around(I hope that description is understandable). Doula's use a 'Rebozo'(sp?), but a plain old sheet will do the trick too. But beyond your best efforts, you know sometimes babies just know better, maybe there's some other reason for your baby to stay posterior. I hope your labor is wonderful nontheless. All the best to you!

[LizD]

There was a piece in Midwifery Today recently about a labor that stalled once the baby was turned anterior. When the baby was turned back to posterior it was successfully delivered. I don't know if I have all the details on that, but a concern for me would be that a woman would not be given all that time and leeway in the hospital, so consider carefully what your caregiver will be willing to work with.

[babynell]

My good IRL friend is a shiatsu massage therapist. She told me that there is an acupuncture/acupressure point that is VERY successful at turning babies.

Maybe go see a good Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncturist or shiatsu therapist.

Additional info I found doing a quick Google search: http://breech.supanet.com/

Good luck!