Optimal Foetal Positioning, another stick to beat us with?

[wahwah]

I have to confess that I guiltily ignored all the information about OFP with my first pregnancy and my son's presentation was fine. At the time I couldn't find any proper research to support the conclusions and decided that my need to collapse on the sofa was greater than supporting some crazy agenda.

So was I just very lucky? Is there a proper research basis for this? Or is it all an old (mid)wive's tales? Does anybody actually know?

[kekouan]

It definitely helped me feel like I was doing something to help - DS was on the wrong side apparently (spine to my right).

I would try OFP all the time, and he would move, but would move back again just as quickly. In the end i realised he was staying exactly where he was and spent my last few weeks of pregnancy beached on the sofa, instead of straddling a bloody dining chair.

:-p

[lollipopmother]

What is this OFP, I've never even heard of it.

[wahwah]

Lollipopmother, see www.babyworld.co.uk/information/birth/assisted_delivery/positioning_baby_for_birth.asp or www.homebirth.org.uk/ofp.htm, but caution, you may become convinced and curse me for opening your eyes!

Kekouan, I find that quite resasuring, I always imagined babies would pretty much lie where and how they wanted.

[Buckets]

I would say you were lucky. Having had an excrutiating back labour that went pearshaped I will be trying everything I can just in case this one comes out before it's scheduled op.

[wahwah]

Hi Buckets, I totally understand that you wish for a different outcome and will do anything to achieve that, but when you say I was lucky, is it because you have any knowledge of any research to support OFP, or just a feeling?

[kekouan]

wahwah - "this thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/49/415339?fm=8431473#8431473" might help you
(it did me)

[kekouan]

hmm.. why didn't that work.

this thread

[Buckets]

You're right, I think all people who have a relatively-pleasant first labour experience are just lucky!

[schneebly]

with ds1 I knew nothing of OFP and spend my whole pregnancy slouching on the sofa -cue on off false labour starts and long back labour, artificial rupture of membranes and syntocinon.

With DS2 I straddled dining chairs and used a birthing ball and he came out rather easily!

[addictedtoharibo]

You were lucky - or i was unlucky! Spent far too much time on back and ds ended up nearly back to back...kind of more like sideways.

Anyway the result was 20 hours of contractions to get me from 0 - 3 cm. Coming at least every 5 minutes and lasting 90 seconds. Not fun!

Once he had turned I went from 3 cm to him being out in 1.5 hours but still....

Do it! Prop yourself up on the birthing ball...go swimming...anything!

xx

[lollipopmother]

Having read those sites I can't really get worried about sitting on the sofa as I spend 4 hours on a bus and 9 hours at work per day every second is with me sat down, so what will be will be, although I might take up swimming every now and again as I really should start trying to be healthy.

[Pruners]

Message withdrawn

[SheherazadetheGoat]

i was obsessed with ofp and dd in the last month went back to back adn face presentation during labour and then the feckign consultant gave me a lecture at my 6 week check up about my sedentry lifestyle being to blame. sedentry my arse i walked miles and spent hours on various forward postions on my birthing ball. oh and i slept entirely on my left side. for the whole sodding pregnancy but i distinctly remember turning over in bed to talk to dh and feeling her thump into place on my spine.

hi pruners do you still want to do something tomorrow or has my rant put you off!

[MrsTittleMouse]

It's a stick.
I did OFP and it did not work. I had a dreadful OP labour and delivery, and OFP became something else that I had done "wrong".

[HollyGoHeavily]

Agree totally with Pruners.

Why is all advice that people don't like (normally because it involves a bit of effort) dismissed as a stick to beat us with.

If you don't want to do it just ignore the advice. Let those of us who are interested in hearing what professionals think balance on our birthing balls while watching the tv

[SheherazadetheGoat]

holly i did heed teh advice and while i accept it is only advice it was used by the consultant as a big stick to beat me with.

i would still advise folk to do it as most of the advice has other benefits in terms of keeping well during pregnnacy.

and oh how i longs to loll on teh sofa on occassion but i manfully balanced on that sodding ball.

[Lulumama]

you know what, you don;t have to do it!! it is not about a stick to beat anyone with, you can ignore or take on board any or all of the advice and opinions re pregnancy.

some women do say that using different positioning techniques in labour is more beneficial, but again, anecdotal

www.spinningbabies.com has more info

[SheherazadetheGoat]

is anyone listening!!!! it was used as a bloody stick to beat me with. someone acknowledge me or i will get cross.

[BeauLocks]

When I had ds2 by vbac he was a dream delivery because he was in the best position. For me it made for the best possible labour. Ds1 was not in a good position I ended up with a em c-section after 52 hours of labour.

[beansprout]

I had a back to back labour and a huge baby that couldn't get out which resulted in an emergency c-section. I had tried OFP but would happily have done a lot more if I could have avoided that experience.

Not sure how this is a "stick". I only ever heard about it on MN, no professional ever mentioned it!

[MrsTittleMouse]

I acknowledged that it was a stick!

Have to admit that I get a bit at people who did something different for a second birth and had an easier time, and then go on and on to everyone else to do what they did. It's probably because I'm because I did do everything right, but ended up with a dreadful birth and am still living with the consequences.

Anyhow.... I was told by the MW who got me through most of DD's delivery that the main problem that I had was that she was a first (and big). According to her, my uterus was "toned" but that pushing lumpy DD out would have sorted that out (!) and that a baby would be able to turn around now, should I have another (which hopefully I will in October).

[SheherazadetheGoat]

sorry tittlemouse - you did. am intrigued by your 'toned' uterus how did you manage that?

[MrsTittleMouse]

I think it must be genetic. There have been babies born face-to-pubis on both sides of my family so I really don't think I stood much chance. I certainly didn't do any uterus exercises!
But, as I said, pushing out DD has apparently down-graded my uterus to flabby (not the MW's actual words!) so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the positioning will be better this time.

[SheherazadetheGoat]

good luck with your flabby uterus!

[lollipopmother]

haha at toned to flabby uterus, sounds very odd!

I acknowledge that it seems they used it as a stick to beat you with by the way Goatie! I do wonder whether it's a load of crap because I bet there's far more women that sit on the sofa and nothing happens than the position being wonky due to it, but no one can ever tell even if it's their second baby, if they do all the exercises and the baby is in a good position there's nothing to say that it wasn't going to be like that anyway. I suppose you take these things as you will, I have a ball for ab-crunches (yeah right!) that I might start sitting on instead of the sofa.