[sodagirl]

So baby is generally posterior - or sometimes sideways - I can feel them pretty well. I'm 38 and a bit weeks but I only measure 35 (baby has dropped some and just measured small all along)
Last time at my midwives they said I should lean forward a lot and try to get baby to turn. I really don't want back labour - so I know I should do this. Do you have any suggestions? I generally sleep on my side - but I do wake up on my back sometimes - I can't really control what I do in my sleep!!! but I'm trying to work on when I'm awake!
thanks!

[3xCrazy]

are you nesting? Get on your hands and knees and scrub the hell out of the floors lol. Also, this may be a bit TMI, but if your DH/SO and yourself and still having regular sex, try doggy.

[josie_24]

I had heard in my class to also put your knees on the couch and then lean down to the ground leaning on your elbows (does that make sense??) It's the same concept as the washing floors.

[edgeofelise]

My baby's posterior, too. But she was breech until 35 weeks and finally turned, and now I'm scared to do anything on my hands and knees to bring her forward because she might just go head-up again. My midwives said not to worry too much about her being posterior, a lot of times they'll turn right before or during labor, and it's much easier to deal with than breech. That said, do you have an exercise ball? Rocking back and forth on that on your knees is really helpful, and it feels wonderful on your back.

[josie_24]

The spinning babies website has some good things to do too.
Occiput Posterior - OP

[Hippy Witchy Chicky]

Sitting on a birth ball helps I believe.

[UrbanMomma]

^ditto to looking at spinning babies, hand and knees, birth ball.

[~~Que~~]

It's probably best not to worry too much about positioning (other than breech) till early labor. Just stay active and rest when you are tired.

Here is a method from Nikki Macfarlane (CBI) that should help if your are having discomfort due to baby's positioning in labor:
http://everydaymiracles.us/PDF/rotat...ositioning.pdf

Penny Simkin also has a great labor guide that you can look at on her website, I think.

[sodagirl]

Thank you! You ladies are awesome!
I must have been to tired last night - spinning babies was just confusing me - but I'll try reading it again in a bit.
When I woke up baby was sideways at one point and even anterior at one point in the night - but is now back to my back - happy as can be. - at least I know they move!
Thanks for telling me they usually move in labour - I was getting worried because I've started to drop baby was going to get stuck that way!

[moon~maiden]

There are many of the same things you can do to get a breech baby to turn that can encourage a posterior baby to flip as well. I have a thread in the subforum all on breech babies. I have yet to make a separate one for posterior.

[NutMeg76]

There is also the possibility that your body is designed to birth a baby in a posterior position.

[lunarmagic]

My baby is posterior still as well, though with her I know it's because my placenta is anterior. What I'm trying to do is do things to loosen my ligaments and encourage her to turn, but I'm also not freaking out about her not turning - many baby turn during labor. Here's what I'm doing:
* sitting on a birth ball (to watch tv, eat, etc)
* leaning over my birth ball (with my chest on it, with my knees on the floor) - I love this one, it's so relaxing, I just kind of sway, put my head on my arms, and almost fall asleep, lol.
* I do cat-cow stretching (on all fours, arch back and release). Then I sway and wiggle my hips too. Feels really good when my tailbone gets tight and compressed. I try to do this one before bed, to loosen up everything before I sleep. I also like to do it in the morning when I wake up.
* Trying to limit my time slouching/leaning back, like I normally do with my laptop in bed.
* And in general just staying active... walking, dancing, cleaning, etc.

Spinning Babies does have a lot of great information and positions to try, but yeah, it's a little overwhelming and confusing. I'm trying to distill from it what I can, and I have a few notes on what positions to do/try in labor to get her to turn, especially the belly lift and tuck (The Abdominal Lift and Tuck).

I'm also kind of mentally preparing myself for a longer, harder labor (my first one was quite short - only 6 hours of mostly easy labor), and with a posterior baby I'm thinking it'll probably feel best to be on hands-and-knees or leaning over my birth ball. Other than that I'm just going to take it as it comes, do what feels best during my labor, and be determined to get through whatever happens.

[Isaeph]

I tried turning Israel too, but the monkey wasn't having it. He ended up being born posterior with a nuchal hand also. I did a lot of the spinning babies stuff, but in the end I decided that maybe that was just the best position for him. I know that I make short cord, and I knew that my placenta that time was partially anterior, so I didn't want to stress him out and jeopardize his safety with a supposed short cord (my cords are *just* long enough that I can nurse the baby if I hunch over as far as I can). Labor was harder than my labor with Ele (Trupie was a medicated, induced labor...so I don't compare). 4 days v. 4 hours. The first 3 days weren't bad, they weren't too productive, got me from 3cm to 5cmish. Then it took a few hours to get to 6cm once my contractions came closer together on the 4th morning. I labored mostly without help until the last couple of hours when I needed dh to squeeze my hips as hard and as tightly as he could. It didn't take the pain away, but it made the pain momentarily bearable. And as far as pushing, I found hands and knees with Ele perfect, but hurty with Israel so I squatted instead.