baby turning in 3rd trimester

[Phteven]

At my last appointment a couple of weeks ago the midwife said that my baby was oblique with its head down near my left hip and its bum under my right ribs but today I could swear that its wriggled itself sideways so its head sticks out on one side an its bum sticks out the other side 8-[ My tummy is a new shape, I'm getting kicks in differant places and my ribs don't hurt as much. At this stage (28 weeks) does it matter which way bubs is facing? When do they usually start to go head down?

[mooshie]

dachlostar

lani was breech up until 35wks - i remember feeling her turn the morning of my ob appt - when he was going to discuss options if she was still breech. i mentioned that i think i felt her turn that morning and he did a quick ultrasound and there she was head down - she didn't turn again from the position.

good luck and btw i can't believe how quickly your prg has gone.

[Liz]

I have no idea what position bubs is in! Must ask OB next time I see him. I think coz I said in the beginning that I wasn't very happy having ultrasounds each visit, and he assured me they'd be very quick... he's been EXTRA quick and so I'm not getting much detail. LOL. I will ask next time tho. Have no idea where my placenta is, or bubby's position or anything.

I feel most kicks under my right ribs, and general thumps down the bottom.. would this mean head down?? I've heard tho that bub's can turn over at any time.. I've even heard of bubby turning feet or bum down at the last minute, after being in the right position for weeks.. so I guess anything can happen.

[Phteven]

You don't need an ultrasound to check what position bubs is in - most midwives can do it by feeling and your ob should be able to as well.

[Liz]

hmm.. that's true. No one's been feeling or measuring my belly yet tho. All that happens at my visits is the nurse checks my urine and takes my blood pressure... then I see the OB, he has a quick look at whatever he looks at with the ultrasound, asks if I have any questions, and that's it! I'm wondering if after the 28 weeks they'll start doing more. Altho I asked the nurse if she's ever going to weigh me and she said no. She said they can tell just by looking at me if i'm putting on too much weight.

*shrug*

[Sal]

I didn't have a doc/midwife attempt to find out how bubs was lying until I was 28w along. Since then at all visits they check. I think you've got until about 34w for bubs to go head-down, before there are any worries about breech or transverse positions.

[Alan]

Hi Dachlostar

You have plenty of time for your baby to turn into the right position and no one would be worried that the head is not down at this stage.

Ivana_baby

I would expect them to start feeling your belly at your next visit, but if they do an U/S at every visit then they may not bother to measure.

[Jennifer13]

Dach

One of my pg books I read a few weeks ago said that at around 23 weeks it was common for babies to lie across ways, like you're describing, I was very surprised when the ob said mine as lying head down already. The instructions with the fetal monitor I bought to listen to the hb also said to listen under my belly button at that stage as babies are usually lying across, but who knows how reliable that is.

Another book said it was common for second and subsequent babies to go head down later, so if this little one is not down as early in the pg as you were with Yasin that's probably normal. None of my friends who are pg for the second and third time have their babies head down yet and all are almost at the end of the 2nd tri.

[BellyBelly]

I was a breech bub and was nine days overdue. BUT... I turned head down on the day before I was born

[Fi]

At my 26/28 week check up Jenna was still breech, and the dr said that if she hadn't turned by 32 weeks, I would have to make an appt at the hossy to discuss options.
Of course I completely panicked thinking I would have to have a c/s, but at the next checkup she had turned.
I think its a bit mean to get mums worried about it before about 35 weeks.

You can do a google on baby mapping which is fascinating. It teaches you to map exactly how bubs is lying - its very interesting! Of course having a midwife handy would be a lot better, but this is pretty cool too.

Fi

[kas]

Dach - My little bundle is still in the same spot he has been in since day dot. I still have him lying across ways with his head under my right ribs, bum at the bottom - breech- and legs on my left side, I will get to see him again next week at another u/s to check on his growth but i think i may ask OB tomorrow as well as i am getting kicks/punches in different places now so he has either grown or moved!!!!

From what i understand they don't start talking positioning until about 34-35 weeks, so i a, hoping that he gets his act together by then [-o<

Ivana - I don't think i started getting measured till mid to late 20 weeks, and i have never been weighed

[Alan]

Hi kas

Here is a couple of tips to help your baby turn head down

Put a radio low down on your tummy and play music to your baby.
Spend 20 minutes or so on your hands and knees every day
Shine a tourch at your baby from just under your bump

[Jennifer13]

Fi - Thanks for the baby mapping suggestion, I found some interesting stuff.

Alan - as well as turning baby head down do you know if there is anything that can be done to turn baby from posterior to anterior, or is this something that happens usually in labour without much intervention in the meantime? I'm guessing it's probably not something to worry about until after 35 weeks anyway?

[BellyBelly]

You can also google optimal foetal positioning for best positioning - lots of great info. The best things to do in labour to help with a posterior bub are things that make the pelvis move and open like climbing stairs, doing lunges on a chair (one leg on chair, one on floor and lunge - also good for cervical lip).

[Jennifer13]

Oh no Kelly - not stairs!!! My most dreaded form of exercise since I've been pg! I might start on the lunges first...

[Alan]

Hi Jennifer

Your baby has plenty of time to tourn on it's own but you could try spending 20 minutes a day on your hands and knees and as Kelly said exercise

[angel_eyes]

My OB told me bubs had turned by about week 28 and it's still in that position.

From what I've heard they can keep turning back and forth even up until labour.