PREGNANCY DAYS For most pregnant women, carrying a baby to term is largely a mysterious process. This section helps new parents answer some of the most important questions about pregnancy and childbirth.

Position Of Your Baby

The position of your baby will determine the type and duration of your labor, also the outcome in your baby.

When should I worry about the position?

Till 36 weeks, it is irrelevant because the baby keeps on changing he position but after 36 weeks, it generally assumes a normal position. That is head down, curled up position with chin touching the chest and legs folded on to the abdomen with knee joints straight.

The back of the baby faces the front of you (occiput anterior).

What are the positions that my baby can assume?

1. OCCIPUT ANTERIOR

In this position, the child faces your back with his back slightly to one side of your abdomen. If he faces on your right, it becomes ROA i.e. right occiput anterior and if he faces to the left, it becomes LOA left occiput anterior. These are the ideal positions and best suited for normal passage in the birth canal.

2. OCCIPUT POSTERIOR

In this, the back of the baby faces your back and most of them shift to the normal position usually in the first stage of labor. 5% fail to do so and consequently you may still have a normal vaginal birth. However, labor may take longer, you may have back ache and you may need an assisted delivery.

3. BREECH

In this case, the baby’s buttocks face downwards and the head is under the ribs. There are different types of breech.

4. TRANSVERSE LIE

If your baby has his head towards the left or the right side, he is in transverse lie and unless he turns, you will need a cesarean section.

5. UNSTABLE LIE

A baby that keeps changing position after 37 weeks is said to be having an unstable lie. Labor may be induced once he is in a head down position.

Is there anything that I can do to change the position of my baby in labor?

A few things that you may do can help in changing the position of your baby.

• Sit with your knees lower than our hips
• When standing, lean over slightly as much as possible.
• Swimming may help. Breast stroke is best for this.
• Kneel and lean over a bean bag to watch television.

Is there anything that I can do for the breech?

• Apart from doing the exercises mentioned above, if your baby is still in breech position after 32 weeks, you could try to burn Chinese Moxa (Chinese herb available in a few places). When combined with acupuncture, this is believed to change the position of the baby.
  
• Regular swimming on our front may help to turn the baby because theoretically, the increased buoyancy may help to turn the baby.
  
• Adopting a knee-chest position for 5-10 minutes four times a day may help to turn the baby.
  
• Alternatively, kneel on the floor, knees apart and place your forehead on the cushion on the floor and raise your bottom higher up than the head.
• These tricks might just push your baby in the right position. Later on your doctor may manually try to change the position of the baby and if it is not your first baby, you can also try to deliver your breech baby vaginally.