Digital Book Discontinued Preparing for Birth v2.4 | Page 32

26

Variations : Fetal Position

Babies move a lot and their position can influence the start , speed or sensations of labor . “ Presentation ” refers to the “ presenting ” part , or the part that is coming first ( usually the head ).
Transverse or Breech
Transverse : baby is side-lying and the presenting part is a shoulder . Vaginal birth is not possible for a baby in this position . Only 0.05 % of babies are transverse at term .
Breech : baby ’ s head is up . Breech may be footling breech ( foot or feet presenting ), frank breech ( legs are straight up , with buttocks presenting ), or complete breech ( baby ’ s bottom is down with the legs folded at the knees as though sitting cross-legged ). 3.5 % of babies are breech at term .
If you know that baby is breech or transverse prior to labor , discuss your options with your care provider for encouraging baby into a vertex ( head-down ) presentation , such as :
• Chiropractic care ( Webster technique )
• Specific exercises , movements and postures
• Homeopathy and herbal remedies
• Moxibustion done by an acupuncturist
• External cephalic version ( ECV ) to manually move the baby into a head down position
If all efforts to encourage baby to turn to vertex fail , a cesarean may be suggested . Most breech babies are born via cesarean section .
Positional variations may lead to labor that is longer , more difficult or more painful . Ask your care provider about their approach to identifying and correcting baby ’ s position .
The Occiput Anterior ( Anterior / OA ) position , when baby is facing mother ’ s back , is ideal as the baby fits more easily into the pelvis , allowing for steady pressure on the cervix .
A vertex presentation , when the baby ’ s head is flexed with the chin tucked down , allows for the narrowest part of the head , the occiput , to pass through the pelvis first . 95 % of babies assume this position and presentation for birth .
Posterior
Some babies are occiput posterior ( OP ), with baby ’ s back against mother ’ s back . This position may contribute to a slower or stalled labor and / or increased back pain .
Baby may be encouraged into an anterior position during labor with the following :
• Use upright positions .
• Walk or move during or between contractions .
• Rock , sway or do hip circles .
• Get on hands and knees or lean forward to reduce pressure on your lower back and help draw baby ’ s back toward your front ( belly ).
• Use lunges , squats or other hip opening positions to widen the pelvis .
• Push in positions that open the bottom of the pelvis and allow the sacrum to flex .
26
Labor and Birth