One of the questions that pregnant women ask themselves as the time of delivery approaches is whether their baby will be well positioned at birth. In fact, its position is checked in each ultrasound to see if everything is going well, a very important issue at the end of pregnancy, because the position of the baby is decisive in the development of labor.
In the last ultrasound the doctor will pay close attention to how the baby is positioned, although he can also find out at the time of delivery through a vaginal examination or Leopold’s maneuvers. This is how the baby comes from the breech, with its spine resting on the mother, crossed or on the crown.
The ideal position is longitudinal
During pregnancy, as the fetus’ head grows, it rotates inside the uterus until the skull fits into the pelvis. It usually happens from the seventh month, continuing until the day of birth, especially in new mothers.
The reason that the fetus can move until the last moment in a non-first-time mother is the distention of the uterine and abdominal muscles produced by previous deliveries. That is why the baby can move easily during the last weeks.
The ideal posture for the baby to be born is in a longitudinal position, the spine of mother and child are parallel, the child supporting it in the maternal abdomen, with the head down, and the crown embedded in the maternal pelvis.
Why is the baby not positioned well?
In many cases, the reason why a baby is not in a cephalic position at the end of pregnancy is never known, but there are certain factors that can make it more likely that our baby will adopt another position:
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In multiparous mothers who have already had several children and whose uterus is usually more dilated, giving the baby more space to move.
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When there is too much or too little amniotic fluid.
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In cases of placenta previa.
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In multiple pregnancies.
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When the uterus has an abnormal shape or growth, or has certain abnormalities such as fibroids.
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In mothers with a history of premature birth.
When the baby comes breech
About four percent of full-term pregnancies the baby is breech, according to the Federation of Associations of Midwives of Spain. When scheduled cesarean section is discovered it is usually the option if the baby does not turn between the last ultrasound and delivery.
Although cesarean section is not always necessary. The Care Protocol for breech delivery at term of the Spanish Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics (SEGO), opts to attempt a vaginal delivery in the case of a fetus with adequate fetal intrauterine growth and an estimated weight of less than 4 kg.
To avoid caesarean section, an ultrasound at the time of delivery should show that the baby’s head should be flexed or indifferent (in no case can the baby be looking up).
You should be in a pure breech position (legs up, butt in the birth canal) or full breech (both feet in the birth canal).
If it comes across or in a posterior position
If the baby were crossed, it would be necessary to resort to cesarean delivery. It is not very common for the baby to be crossed, but it happens when he is lying on his back and the head can be to the left or to the right of his mother’s abdomen. In that case, one would have to resort to cesarean delivery.
The diagonal or “shoulder” position is also rare, but both situations are often experienced by moms who have had more than three children.
In the event that the baby is in a posterior position , that is, his spine is supported by that of his mother and presenting a part of the head that is not the crown, labor may be slower and with more difficulty in the descent , but it can be a vaginal delivery .
Some exercises that help to move the fetal position
No scientific study has shown that certain exercises collaborate and help change the position of the fetus during pregnancy and it is the specialists who will determine the best situation to help you deliver. Still, there are some measures that seem to help the baby roll over :.
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Regular breaststroke swimming is an excellent exercise for your baby to get into a cephalic position as it helps relax the pelvis and abdominal muscles so that the baby can turn more easily.
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Control our posture throughout the day. For an optimal baby position, the ideal is to sit upright with the back slightly bent forward. It is also better to sleep on your side than on your back.
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Get on your knees on the ground and rest your head on your forearms on the ground, or do a handstand with help in the pool.
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A gynecologist can perform an external cephalic version when the baby is breech, a manual procedure in which the doctor attempts to turn the baby with a massage on your abdomen.
Photos | iStock
In Babies and More | Five great concerns of pregnant women in the third trimester: do you feel identified ?, The last medical check-ups before delivery: what they consist of and when they are carried out
