33 weeks and I have a stargazer - what to do?

[MissMitten]

Hello. Just got back from midwife and the baby is head down but with his back to my back. I'm told this is likely to mean a longer and more painful labour. I've been encouraged to get on all fours and sway my hips, and indeed he does respond to that with some impressive movements. But then when should I stop? Presumably he could flip more than once and I'm not sure when to tell him to stop! Haven't mastered the art of telling which way round he is myself yet. Any advice? Thanks!

[fannybaws]

Missmitten, at 33 weeks this is likely to be of no consequence at all!
Baby still has loads of room to move around and will probably be in another position right now.
As you get closer to term ie 36-38 weeks some midwives believe that optimal foetal positining can help line a baby up in the right position.
Good link here.
www.homebirth.org.uk/ofp.htm
HTH
ps..am also a midwife

[MissMitten]

Marvellous, thank you fannybaws! I will stop worrying about it. I think my (very lovely) midwives were just keen to recount their own stargazey birth experiences and must have forgotten to mention that I still have plenty of time. Baby now seems to be doing a somersault right now, so clearly there's still plenty of space in there.

[idlevice]

It wouldn't do any harm to read up on techniques to improve baby's chance of turning in case the baby doesn't so you have something to draw on later, &favourable labouring positions in case you do end up with a B2B laobur. B2B labour does seem in general to be harder, as you would expect from the basic mechanics, but if first baby then even harder cos you don't know what to expect from the whole labour & childbirth process at all. Interventions like syntocinon, ventouse or forceps could be more likely, & tearing/episiotomy, so also try to get as informed on those in case, which makes good sense anyway as they still might apply.

[FruitSaladIsNotPudding]

Try to avoid sitting back in armchairs etc. Not a failsafe by a long way, but sitting back does encourage baby to be back to back.

[VeryLittleGraveEaters]

Spinning Babies

Everything you need to know about optimum fetal positioning.

[twinklespeciallyforlittlegirls]

I found those links useful when I was pg with DC1 who was still breech 3 days before labour started. Don't take it personally though if you try everything and he's still not where you want him to be. I spent the last 8 weeks trying to get mine to behave but baby did a full flip at least once every 12 hours and was still doing it in labour :)

Also, my 4'10" sister gave birth to an 8lb 7oz back-to-backer with no pain relief and no stitches, so it's not always worse!