Helping baby turn around

[MrsFabuloso]

I know it's only early yet, being almost 29 wks, but I want to know what techniques I can use to try to help my baby turn to a more favourable position for labour.
He has been feet down since I could feel him moving and besides wanting him to turn for labour it's also for my own comfort. Almost all movement is in my pelvis. As he gets bigger and stronger he's kicking me in the cervix, bladder and back. His kicks are starting to hurt, particularly in my bladder, sometimes it's so hard I can't control my bladder and leak a little bit (sorry tmi!!), especially since my pelvic muscles never got back to their normal strength after my DD's birth.
So are there exercises, stretches or yoga poses I can do to try to help move him? I'm also really worried about him staying breech and ending up with c/s, which I am really scared of! Again I know he still has 10-12 wks or so to turn himself, but to me he seems so comfy and anything I can do to make him move I will try!! So can anyone help??

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Check out spinningbabies dot com.
Good luck!

[Ellibam]

hands and knees!!! is the best
dont sit on a couch sit on a ball or a dining chair backwards. it tilts your pelvis the "right way"

[EJM]

Try to lean forward when ever you can

I have read that our lifestyle changes and comforts like lounging around and bucket seats have contributed to more babies being the wrong way round! Women use to be on their hands and knees scrubbing etc which helped baby get into the right posi...

I was told by my midwife to try and lie on my left side, using a pillow to lie slightly on my tummy.. this encourages bubs to be in the best position as it helps his back and head to fall into my tummy, rather than be against my back with his face facing my tummy. My bubs has been in the same position for weeks, so he has only a few degrees to turn to get into the right position for birth - most babies will rotate clockwise - so if they are head down facing your left, it will take them a lot longer to rotate around (hense I dont lie on my right side as this would encourage his back to fall to the right)

I hope that is not to confusing... when my midwife was explaining it to me she had the baby/pelvis visual aides, so it was much easier to understand!

I am having a homebirth, so I really want everything to be in the right position!!

Good Luck

[Trillian]

Don't worry about it too much at this stage thoguh. Being aware of your posture etc is great because often you do need to start early to avoid any positional problems in late pg, but it isn't uncommon for baby to still be breech at this time, so don't be alarmed if all your work doesn't do anything yet OK?

[Beach Mama]

I agree with Trillian that it may not happen right away but from 30 weeks it is important to practise the Optimum positioning stuff. Izzy was posterior so I know I will be on hands and knees and fit ball from 30 weeks for 10 weeks non-stop to try to stop it happening again!

HERE is a thread with links for you to the spinning babies stuff and other resources hun!

[rufalina]

Another thing I read was to put your car seat upright (no recline), as this will also tilt your pelvis. My bub is posterior, and with lots of correct posturing, swimming, and sleeping techniques, he has started to turn anterior.

[nellnell]

hands and knees and down dog worked for me. Bub turned at 35 wks and stayed there - yay

[Indadhanu]

I started stessing at 28 weeks after a midwife appointment (Bubble is bum down and facing the world!), and have done a lot of what is suggested on the spinning babies website, as well as watching my posture and making sure I am leaning forward most of the time. But I just wanted to say don't worry too much... last week Bubble spun around a lot, head down, then head up then head down and now back to head up again (cheeky little thing!), so theres still heaps of time and room for them to move.

I know what you mean about the kicks though, when she gets active I can pee 4 times in an hour just because of the kicks and pressure she puts on my bladder! Not much that can be done except getting into positions that take her off your bladder (head down bum up is good for moving her away from the bladder even if she doesn't turn).

[MrsFabuloso]

Thanks for all of the advice girls. It seems to have worked for now. At my antenatal appt today, the ob said he has turned (I though he had I had some BIG movements in the last day or two!) and is laying on my left side, which is great for labour. I am more comfy and my back is no longer sore all the time. I didn't even get up to pee last night which has to be the first time in weeks, maybe even months! LOL.
I will continue with the bum up position a few times a day, and I'm conscious of my posture.

[rufalina]

Kel - that is great news! keep up the good work!!!

[rachael24]

Keep us updated and keep up the awesome work !

[Julie Doula]

That's great news, Kel, keep up the hands & knees to encourage him to stay left anterior, and avoid reclining backwards.

This article about Optimal Foetal Positioning may be helpful:

Optimum Foetal Positioning

All the best!