Posterior position

Hi guys, went for my 36 week check up today and everything is going well but my ob said the bub is in posterior posi, which is spine on spine.
Can anyone tell me what I can do to help the bub turn over on its own? Should I do some rocking or go on all fours for a while?
Im also wondering if this has anything to do with my bad back pain....
If anyone has any ideas it would be much appreciated.
Thanks

Hey Belle,
there are plenty of sites (including this one if I remember rightly) on optimal foetal positioning. Generally, they say that the baby's back is the heaviest, so anything to do with gravity that can make your baby's back come forward will help. Apparently breast stroke is good (without the normal stroke legs, just do a kick), as well as rocking on all fours, sitting with your legs lower than your bottom, sleeping on your tummy (with lots of pillows). According to some articles, it is not enough to do it for a few minutes, you have to do it for an hour or so.

As for the back pain, I am not sure. My SIL had terrible back pain when bubs was posterior, but that was in labour, it is supposed to give you a back labour. Not sure about pre-labour though, that could just be standard pregnancy back ache!

Good luck!

I have heard that a posterior baby can cause back pain so you could be right there.

There's HEAPS of info on websites about ways to turn posterior babies. Just google it and you will be overwhelmed with info. Crawling and swaying your hips while on hands and knees is meant to help. You're meant to avoid reclining position so you should watch TV etc kinda leaning forward.

Also, there's lots of stories of babies that are stubbornly posterior and turn themselves during labour.

GL!!

Hi Belle
Try getting on the floor on hands and knees or you can put your head on the floor and leave your bun sticking up. Do this for 20 mins trice a day. And as others have said there are lots of web sites one I can think of is spinningbabies.

Lots of great advice here and you might want to check out THIS thread - lots of links and articles -including the spinning babies one!
Good luck!

Thanks everyone for your replies, I will take all that info in and give it all a try as I really wanna push out the bub as apposed to C- section.

i'm in the same position as you belle, and my back is killing me!! have been trying to sit/lean forward and did the all fours thing alan suggested a couple of times yesterday (my dog thinks i've lost the plot).

I know it is terrible I find it the worse when im driving, may have to give that up soon.....

Hi Belle,

I know what you're going through only too well hun!! My bub is 2 wks old and he was posterior as well. The back pain is labour was in a league of its own, he didn't actually spin until his head was out. But, the good news is that he was born vag (no c-section) and no tears. If your bubs doesn't spin, what worked for me in labour was put the fitball in the shower with a towel on top of it (so you don't slip off!) and lean forward and roll your hips from side to side. This with hot water running down your back is heaven!!
Good luck babe!

well, good news...my bubs has turned and is no longer posterior. yah!!

Belle, I'm just curious as to why you would assume you need a c/s for a posterior bub? It is very possible to vaginally birth a baby in this position without the use of instruments - my previous baby was birthed posterior and this baby is now posterior too. I did have some sucess with exercises to make him turn, but he keeps going back to posterior so I will have to cope with it during the birth now I think. I am still persevering with the exercises though

Posterior babies can make the birth a little harder, but not impossible.

My DD wasn't posterior, she was sideways! One shoulder against my spine & the other at the front, so she never engaged properly. I wasn't told til I was in labour & thats when I had to sit on the exercise ball in the shower & against the side of the bed for about 7 hours rocking side to side. You are lucky you were told so you can find out what to do to turn your bub. I wish I knew & got the chance to try the ball before I had all that back pain!

Hi Belle....James was a posterior little man but I trained him using the suggestion that Alan has given, by being on my hands and knees on the floor, he'd turn really quickly and the relief was instant. He moved back into the posterior position quite a bit and at least if it got too uncomfortable I could get immediate relief.

Not sure about how this one is, but I'm ready if it's going to be the same!!

Hi Sherie,
Im just going by what a few people have told me, that if I am not big enough in the pelvis area that the bub will not fit through in the posterior position.
Im happy to hear that it is possible to push the baby out as this is what i really want to do.

You will be amazed at how much your pelvis can open up to get the baby through it. Think of the pelvis as a gate - it will open up as much as it needs to let the baby through. The idea that the pelvis wont open up enough to let a baby through regardless of it's position is somewhat of a myth and cannot be judged until labour starts - you can't tell by looking at a woman that her pelvis is too small. Use gravity to help you during labour to help bring the baby down and also use positions that will help baby turn too - spending time on all fours helps immensely in giving the baby a hand to turn around.
HTH and good luck!

Hi Belle
It is possable to push out a posterior baby it usually just takes longer. Just make sure you are not on your back when trying to push.

Hi Belle


I just wanted to say that my bub was posterior and I birthed her fine. Back ache wasn't an issue for me during my labour at all. I just had the normal pain and discomfort of labour, so much so that we didn't realise bub was posterior until the end. I was able to labour at home, and then went to hossy just before she was born. So not needing an epi or anything. So a posterior labour isn't always horrendous (sp?).
I am also very small (157cm, and pre preg weight of 46kg) so size doesn't mean anything either! Pelvis' are sure amazing things!!

All the best for the birth and beyond!!

My dd was posterior until I started pushing, and then she turned. Yes it was a really long labour, but it was so worth it in the end especially as she was a vbac. I would definately do that again any day over another c/s. I had no back pain at all.
Most posterior babies do turn in labour, and I have now read of quite a lot of women that have pushed their babies out still in that position. So don't freak out if your bub doesn't turn even after you try the techniques, as they will more than likely turn during labour. Just make sure during contractions you are in leaning forward positions. And pushing may take longer, but you can do it!!
Good Luck!!