Browse Expert Advice ▾
@yogawestlondon You're welcome, happy to do it. Remind us again the day before it starts and we'll tweet again. 19 hours ago
Receive our newsletterIn this article Amanda Gwynne, Midwife, HypnoBirthing & Fertility expert explains the importance of guiding your baby into an optimal position and explains how this can be achieved by implementing a few simple daily techniques.
I am passionate about teaching pregnant women about optimal fetal positioning, and the side effects of a posterior position of the baby on their experience of labour and birth. Having experienced a posterior position (baby lying with his/her back to your back) during labour and childbirth myself, and how it effected the outcome of my delivery, has motivated me to spread the word. Sadly, when I had my daughter many years ago no one really knew about the effects of a posterior position and how to prevent or alter your baby's position before, and during labour. Thankfully, times have changed and we have the knowledge to help ourselves now.
During the latter weeks of pregnancy most babies will adopt a position with their back towards the front of their mothers abdomen. However, our 21st century lifestyle has encouraged an increase in the number of babies lying in a posterior position.
You can tell if your baby is lying in a posterior position if:
However, all is not lost! From 34 weeks onward your own postural awareness and habits can encourage your baby to lie with his/her back to your left front side of your abdomen. This position encourages the baby's head to engage in the pelvic brim with the baby's head in a flexed position. This has the potential to increase the possibility of a normal birth, due to a smaller diameter of baby's head and nice even pressure on the cervix (opening to the uterus) during labour.
There are many techniques you can use to encourage your baby into an optimal position during the latter weeks of your pregnancy:
A baby lying the other way round with his/her spine against your spine and facing forward looking ahead (like a soldier at attention) is often described by health professionals as being in a posterior position or OP position. It is a good idea to ask your midwife or obstetrician at your clinic visits what position your baby is lying in from about 34 weeks.
The side effects of having a posterior position prior to, and during labour and birth are:
Jean Sutton, pioneer of optimal fetal positioning suggests tips in early labour to encourage the baby to rotate in to an optimal position:
Studies have shown that just spending 10 minutes a day in the hands and knees position can encourage the baby to lie in an optimal position.
There have been many medical developments in childbirth since I had my daughter, but I think this simple technique has the potential to save many women from a long and painful labour with medical intervention and assisted delivery. It is simple and easy to implement these simple techniques into daily routine, but the benefits are enormous!
References:
Sutton J. and Scott P. 1995. Understanding and Teaching Optimal Foetal Positioning. Birth Concepts, New Zealand.
Robertson A. 2004. The Midwife Companion: The art of support during birth. Birth International, Australia.
If you would like any further advice or to discuss optimal fetal positioning please don't hesitate to contact me on: 0905 620 1241 (£1/minute from a BT landline. Calls from other networks and mobiles may vary*) or view my profile..
View the full list of Experts who can offer advice on child birth issues.
