[LisaG]

Hi ladies,

As I wait around for pregnancy clearance I'm learning all sorts of things - and here I thought I knew it all

Ha!

Just curious what your experience has/hasn't been with fetal positioning - trying to get babe into LOA (left occiput anterior) by using various positions/exercises and eliminating postures that contribute to less than ideal positioning (i.e. couch reclining).

LisaG

 

[Sahara]

Does this mean you are actively trying to alter the baby's position throughout the pregnancy, or just if your midwife determines the baby isn't in the LOA? I'd like to hear more details!
Steph

 

[sadean]

I have heard of it, but have never bothered with it. It just seems like one more thing to do, that might or might not be effective in controlling the circumstances of a pregnancy. Who needs the stress? I try to do some of the stuff (like not slouching), but that is more to control back pain and have good posture than control whether the baby goes into or stays in a "good" birthing position.

I enjoyed both of my pregnancies immenselt, mostly becuase I didn't sweat the "should Is?" and just followed my instict and body cues ("if it hurts, don't do that" is one of my tenents).

It's not harmful, but it is just one more thing to innudate my mind. My first was sunny-side up and my second was face down, but I would have swore they were positioned the same (MAJOR back labor both times).

 

[USAmma]

I got my dd turned so she would be born sunny side down. I just did some pelvic exercises and then she turned. She may have turned on her own anyway, it's hard to tell.

Darshani

 

[Cathi]

Well, when fetal positioning is the ONLY reason that you had a csection, you tend to be rather paranoid about it the second time around.

I've read everything I can get my hands on about how to avoid a posterior baby and honestly with the increase in poor positioning in our lifestyles these days it's no wonder so many of us end up with babies who get stuck. Last time I commuted 2 hours a day in bucket seats, sat in a reclining office chair all day, came home and "put my feet up" and never once worried what position my baby was in. Had prodromal labor for 3 days, water broke spontaneously, back labor from hell for 27 hours at a birth center, and a csection due to ds's military presentation. My midwives didn't give a hoot about his position, only that he was head down. they never once suggested I get on my hands and knees during labor to allow ds to maneuver. Gee, thanks.

You can bet it isn't happening this time around! This baby has been LOA from as early as we could feel her position and I intend to keep it that way. People chide me for being so conscious of it, but I don't care. People tell me that you can birth a posterior baby and have no back labor at all. Maybe that's true, but it wasn't a picnic for me so I don't intend to repeat the scenario.

This is a subject near and dear to my heart and I pass along any information I have to new moms about how important it can be for some people to help baby position correctly early before labor begins. I'll let you all know soon how effective my efforts have (or have not) been. Just a few more days to go for us!

 

[Eman'smom]

With ds I didn't even think about postion and he was anterior.

With our new dd, I did tons of pelvic rocks, tilts, hands and knees, both in the weeks leading up to labor and labor, guess what, she was the posterior one. We never thought she'd be, I wasn't getting up front kicks or anything else.

 

[Destinye]

Hi

This is a helpful website I found, if you have not been there already. I am having twins so its a little different, but hope it helps you!

http://www.spinningbabies.com/index.html

Anna

 

[tinyshoes]

I've always been into fetal positioning--even way back when I was pg w/ #1 and planning on the epidural and thrilled for my scheduled elective Pitocin induction, I knew all about it.

It seems like a very crunchy concern, but lemme tell you, the OB and maternity nursing textbooks I'd check out of my university's biomedical library were all about fetal positioning and what is 'best.'

These medical OB texts, of course, don't mention that 'bothersome' element of pregnancy, the woman, and the role that she does indeed play.

My ds was transverse a few times during this past pg. LOA at 36 weeks, but then LOT at 37. And I had a weekend of "false labor," with contractions every 10 minutes such that my mws decided to come out to my house in case baby was born.

He wasn't, I wasn't dialiating..........and lo and behold, he was LOA, and was born 2 days after his due date.

Sorta OT, but another confound regarding positioning w/ fetuses in the womb can be their little hands! When a hand is up by the face, or under the chin, whatever, that will compromise the baby's ablity to tuck the chin under and have 'good flexion,' as it is described.

 

[LisaG]

Sahara,

OFP is about eliminating factors that contribute to malposition that Cathi mentioned (such as postural impact i.e. slouching, sitting with your feet up, sitting with knees higher than hips) as well as doing certain exercises/positions that can assist baby in obtaining a more optimal position (LOA). And yes, babies have been born sunnyside up and sunnyside down vaginally, but sometimes malpositioning can lead to the unfortunate outcome of a c-section.

I've also read that prodromal labor, and labor that's failure to progress, can be the body's way of trying to get the baby turned. It makes sense to me to eliminate "bad" habits and promote good ones in the hopes of supporting a good birthing position for baby.

Another link to check out for information is:http://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org/malpositions.htm

LisaG

 

[LisaG]

bumping up