[AutumnLeaves5]

Hi Everyone,

I learned the other day that my little guy is posterior. So I have been doing hands and knees/forward leaning postions for ~10 min at a time/several times a day to try to help encourage him to turn.

My doula mentioned some people think that a posterior baby may mean your water will break early, i.e. before your labor starts. That's what happened to me last time and I wound up being 'enhanced' (i.e., induced) and even though things went well I'd prefer to avoid the drugs this time...I did it without pain meds and it was intense and I'd like a gentler birth experience. Since I am only 1 cm. dilated and not effaced, my doula said I might want to consider starting evening primrose or cimifuga (sp.?) to help get me riper in case my h20 does break before labor again. Today I am 37 weeks and 1 day; last time my h20 broke when I was 35W and 5 days and my son was born 2 days later at exactly 36W.

I am going to look these up and call her to discuss. I'd speak with my MW before trying any of these but does anyone have experience/knowledge on this?

Thanks,
Maura

 

[MamaJenese]

Elliot was posterior and my water did not break until 9 cm and 20 plus hours of labor

 

[jee'smom]

I wouldn't try to do ANYTHING until I've done EVERYTHING possible to turn him (I hear the Webster technique by a chiroproactor and acupuncture is very effective.)

 

[guestmama9908]

Ella was posterior. My bag of waters didn't break until I was 7 cm and I forgot how effaced.

 

[DoulaClara]

Maura,

I think I've also heard of a technique where you lean back in a very warm bathtub, and place an ice pouch or frozen bag of veggies on your belly- that supposedly can turn some babies! I agree with the chiropractor suggestion.

Clara

 

[supermuma]

My two were both poseterior up until and during labor...my dd's water broke while I was pushing and wit ds, the midwife broke the water while I was pushing because it was getting "caught" on my pelvic bone and not letting ds through.

So, I don't really know about that water breaking early with posterior babe theory.....I have never heard it before.

I have heard the suggestion Clara made works really well..give that a try!

As Keri said, I wouldn't do ANYTHING to start labor until the babe was turned around-if that is at all possible. I might try and get it started once babe turned to anterior though....(if it were me and I was far enough along to go into labor

, like you are!) because I would be afraid babe would go back

(I am really trying to have an anterior babe birth exp. here this time!)

--You could take the evening primrose oil though....that wont start your labor and it can't hurt to try and soften your cervix at this point...I plan to start taking it once I reach about 35/36 weeks.

 

[manitobamama]

I've never heard of the water breaking with posterier babe theory either. This babe has been persistant posterier the whole time. I have been doing hands and knees position and floating in our pool on my tummy when the weather permits. I have a chiro adjustment scheduled for Monday and plan to get in there ever week till this babe settles anterior or the birth. I wouldn't try to induce or do anything other than convince the little one to shift around. I would stick to chiro adjustment if I were you.

 

[wawap]

Hmmm - well, DS was posterior & my water broke at (approx) 37.5 weeks. I ran straight to the hospital ((rolls eyes)) and also was induced.

Not sure if it was coincidence.

I'd try getting that baby to turn, though.

http://www.spinningbabies.com/ - lots of good things to try there & I'd see if I couldn't find a chiro. Good luck!

 

[acordio]

I am 38 weeks and at my appt. yesterday learned baby has turned to posterier too. Baby had been sitting pretty with back out on my left side forever then tuesday I noticed my belly shape was different. I won't be doing anything until I know baby is not postier.

 

[lucsmama]

mine was posterior and my water broke before labor started. i guess everybody is different. for me labor did start, it just progressed very slowly with very irregular contractions. i did end up being induced after about 36 hours from my water breaking. he never would turn, he came out sunny side up

 

[party_of_seven]

My #3 was posterior and stayed that way until labor started. Once labor started I spent a lot of time on my hands and knees, and she slowly turned around. My water did not break until I started pushing.

I would just suggest that you stay home as long as you can once you go into labor. You know that once they get you into that bed at the hospital you are going to be stuck on your back and strapped to monitors......which will all but garrantee your baby will remain posterior. Stay home and allow the contractions to help move the baby into an optimal position.....give the baby plenty of time to move when its right for him/her by avoiding an induction too.

 

[tatermom]

DS was born OP and my water did not break ahead of time (mw broke it at 9 cm)-- and I've never heard of any possible link between the two. Unfortunately I just found out yesterday that this baby is completely OP as well.... in spite of me trying to be careful about position (though I confess I do tend to lean back on the couch while using my laptop hanging out on MDC

). I'm definitely going to try Clara's suggestion of the tub and frozen veggies!

Anyone who's had a baby born OP-- did you have a subsequent OP baby? My mw mentioned that it could be something about my pelvic shape (just wondering because then I wouldn't have to feel bad about my position!).

 

[hellen]

Nobody ever mentioned anything about me having a posterior baby last time. My water broke before labor started at exactly 40 weeks.

 

[luckydog]

Heather, I haven't had an OP baby, but my babies certainly all seem to have a consensus on the most comfortable position in my uterus - 4 out of the 4 babies I've borne so far are strongly in favor of displacing the ribs on my right side. Ouch.

 

[attachedmamaof3]

Hnmmmm not for me that's for sure!! I went "overdue" with all 3 of mine, but the ONLY water that broke before/during labor was my last and SHE was the only one NOT posterior!!

DS#1 water was broken by MW

: during pushing stage
DS#2 water broke after his head crowned and began to come out...so technically it broke when his shoulders crowned haha
DD water broke during transition (only baby not posterior)

 

[FreeRangeMama]

My first 2 were both posterior. The first time the #$%@ doctor broke my water before I could tell her not to (though I was dilated to 7cm already). Ds2 was UC and born in the caul. DD was not posterior though and my water broke really late as well (as in about 5 seconds before her head shot out.......fast birth

). I don't buy that theory at all and I wonder where your doula got that information. I would ask her.

I could see a casual relationship between the 2 though. Good nutrition often leads to a stronger amniotic sac (hence less likely to break too soon) and good nutrition often accompanies an active lifestyle (which creates a stronger likelyhood of a well positioned baby). A more sedentary lifestyle often accompanies less than optimal food choices (thinking of the couch potato/processed combination that is unfortunately common in mainstream society) so perhaps that would be the common factor.

That said, posterior babies are just normal for some women and they don't necessarily mean a longer or more difficult labor. They can be just a variation of normal, so by all means try to turn the baby if you want, but don't worry too much about it if he/she doesn't turn. And don't try to do anything to make your body birth before it is ready. THAT will lead to more problems then any posterior baby.

 

[AutumnLeaves5]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your replies. I was a little panicked about this at first because my sis had a c-section with her first who got stuck sunnyside up. But the more informed I become it seems like that situation is much less likely if it's not your first (plus I am pursuing a different kind of birth experience etc.) And hearing about all the babes who were born posterior or who turned was helpful. And to be honest, I swear I now feel a round bum towards the middle top of my belly. So I don't know that he's stuck in any posterior position. If I think he is posterior though, I do like the bath suggestion Clara it makes sense, and if I think he's really stuck maybe I'll see a chiro.

Thanks again & take care of yourselves and your babes,
Maura

 

[attachedmamaof3]

Keep in mind, they can "get stuck" because of labor position as well...I have never had an ultrasound, so I didn't know either of them were posterior, but my body kept guiding me toward a hands/knees during labor with both of them and then a standing/kneeling during pushing/crowning/birth. My second was posterior with 2 nuchal hands and labor was 2.5 hrs!!! Like a PP said, for some women, posterior is a variation of normal....it is possible and don't let anyone tell you otherwise!!

 

[FreeRangeMama]

I had a baby who actually WAS stuck (as in his head was in a funky position and he couldn't descend). I went into labor on 2 separate occasions and finally after a long, hard labor he was born moments after he finally turned. I know it would have ended differently in hospital (likely c-sec for failure to progress after far less than the 27 hours of hard labor) but nature knows more than we do and he was born (in the caul) healthy, hungry, and HUGE. No tearing, quick recovery. Unassisted. Don't worry, your body knows what to do! And you are a strong woman who was made to birth this baby!! You can birth this baby regardless of his position. It doesn't matter when (or if) the babe turns. Just have faith in yourself and ignore bad advice