Baby position how can you tell

Read time 5 minutes. Email Post Tweet Post. What is the best position for my baby to be in? Which other positions might my baby be lying in? Back-to-back — see below. See our article about maternity notes to find out the other abbreviations for baby positions that your midwife might note.

What can I do to help my baby to turn? What position in the womb is my baby in? Here are the tell-tale signs you can look out for: You might be able to visualise how your baby is lying from their movements.

Tickles might be their little hands waving around, while harder movements could be their elbows, knees or feet. If your baby is lying back-to-back OP position , your bump might feel squashy and you may feel and see kicks in the middle of your belly. Some babies completely spin to an anterior position during labor while others are born posterior. You may not experience any signs that your baby has flipped into a head-down position.

You need to get in there and feel around. But how? Pay close attention to the shapes in your belly, as well as the different movements you feel. It can be difficult to read the different lumps and bumps you feel on your stomach. It was created by Gaily Tully, certified professional midwife and author of SpinningBabies. To use this technique, wait until you are at least 30 weeks pregnant. Lie down in bed or on the couch. The arms and hands are likely near the head, and their tiny movements give them away.

Then feel for the back, butt, and legs, as well as larger movements. You may find it helpful to use a baby doll to play with different possible positions. If your baby is breech or in some other position besides head down, there are several options for delivery. Factors at play here include:. Before that point, the fluid in the uterus gives your baby plenty of space to move around. To confirm, you may also have an ultrasound or pelvic exam. This is done in a setting in which baby can be monitored and you can have an emergency cesarean section C-section if needed.

Most will take some time to rotate from posterior to anterior and then moving through the pelvis comes quicker. For those that stay posterior and find a hard time fitting the pelvis in that position, our Three Balances and Dip the Hip, Standing Sacral and other techniques can make a huge difference. Birth positions choices to match where baby is in the pelvis can be crucial. Acta Obstetrics Scandinavia Fitzpatrick, M. Obstetrics and Gynecology Vol. Obstetrics and Gynecology Vol , No.

Your obstetrician will talk to you about your choices and make a plan for the birth with you. Some babies lie across your womb from side to side — you might hear this called a transverse lie. If your baby's still in this position when your labour starts or you get to full term, you'll either need:.

You're also likely to be admitted to the maternity hospital for a week or 2 before your baby's born. This is because there's an additional risk of complications during the birth. Translations and alternative formats of this information are available from Public Health Scotland. Ready Steady Baby! How your baby lies in the womb. Other ways a baby can lie in the womb Some babies can lie in a: posterior position occipito-posterior - facing the opposite way with their backs to your back breech position - where their bottom leads first, and their head is at the top transverse position - across your womb from side to side It can be more difficult for babies to be born in these positions.