Posterior position

Thanks guys, I feel quite confident now, if you girls can all do it, im damn sure I can!

you'll be fine belle, and your baby still has plenty of time to turn remember. mine turned back on sunday morning, i was wrapped...and so far i haven't felt it turn back to posterior again so i'm really hoping it stays like this now

Belle, Olivia was posterior at my OB appt on the Thursday before she was born and when I went in to hospital, one week later she was in the perfect position so she turned herself. Don't be overly panicked about her position yet because even though she is posterior now it doens't mean she will be when you do into labour.
You can have a posterior labour and birth.

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Just make sure you are not on your back when trying to push.

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too bloody right - it hurts when they make you do that!

That said, Belle, I pushed Flynn out (he was fully posterior - didn't turn at all) without forcepts or ventouse while on my back without drugs. It can be done, for sure :) I actually had a great birth, all things considered.

Has anyone come up with a theory on why some babies are posterior? Does it have something to do with a more roomy pelvis, or what? My first two girls were facing the right way from early on, but this little one, as far as the midwife and I can tell, is consistantly posterior - slightly left or right, but generally with his back to mine. Is there something that makes this more likely, or is this just a quirk of this baby?
BTW - will be getting off the computer ASAP to go sit on my hands and knees! ;)

My midwife said to me (DD was posterior in late PG/early labour, despite me trying all the tricks) that some babies are a bit tangled in their cords, some babies mums spend a lot of time sitting leaning a bit back - like on sofas etc. - apparently posterior labours are rarer in countries where squatting round a fire/kneeling is still a common way of spending time, the western way of sitting leaning back in cars/sofas/recliners/office chairs etc. is not helpful as bubs gets heavier. I was told to sit backwards on a dining/office chair or sit on a beanbag with my knees lower than my hips as much as possible. She also said that for some bubs the inside of mum's pelvis is more comfy for them if they stay posterior. Chiropractors can sometimes help with that as there's a move they can do which re-aligns your pelvis a little. Apparently the majority of babies turn during labour, during the late 1st stage. In my case i had 11 hours of pre-labour (only about 2 or 3 hours of that was actually work though) with back pain in between contractions as she was posterior and once she turned she came FAST. I was lying on my back in the bath for a lot of it, and once i got out things suddenly sped up. She was posterior at 1st VE and crowning at 2nd. Apparently early labour is a really good time for bubs to get well-positioned so it's good to be comfy, upright and active during the 1st stage to give bubs a good chance to get bundled up right for the ride down and out. Some women seem to have posterior bubs. I have a friend who had all 3 of hers posterior. There's a particular pelvis type which i think can be more prone (is this in the Pink kit?). It's by no means inevitable, it's just a tendency, and there's masses you can do to help.

If you're in a posterior labour there's things your assistants can do for you, like providing counter-pressure on the back of the sacrum, applying a heatpack to your sacrum, and some massage techniques which Sheila Kitzinger covers in her Pregnancy and Birth, which make a BIG difference.

I think with posterior bubs, the chances are they'll turn. You can do moves to help them turn and learn techniques in case they don't turn. It doesn't mean you're in for a terrible labour; with the informed help you might have a FAR easier labour than a woman with an anterior bubs but no birthing skills/knowledge/doula. Yet another time when knowledge is power. :)

Bx

My baby is also in the posterior position. I have looked into it a lot and have spoken to a few ladies who managed to turn their babies from posterior to anterior. Everyone suggested going on all fours, sitting forward so that your knees are lower than your pelvis and the others that have already been suggested. I've also heard that the baby will turn its back to where it's warmer so you can try putting a hot water bottle on your front while someone hold something cold on your back. Acupuncture works well too aparently (I am going to try that this week). As a last resort you can try the homeopathic remedy Pulsatilla (just check with your LMC first). A friend of mine who was at full term took a dose recommended by a naturopath and was told to go to the beach and crawl in the sand on all fours. It worked, he turned and she gave birth a few days later. Hope something works, I'm trying them all too. Good luck.