Help - confused - How do you know your baby is up or down?

[PJen]

Girls at 32 weeks and later could you please share with me if you do notice your baby's position and how? Where should/does a baby that is head down kick and where would your baby kick if it is breech? I am trying to figure out where my baby is and am very confused!!!!!

I'm 34 weeks and for the last few weeks I've felt almost constant pressure on my bladder and a very heavy feeling in my pelvis, so I'm sure that baby is head down, I can also feel knocks and bumps under my ribs on the right side and my abdomen feels hard so I think baby is head down with bum facing forward and feet towards the right.

I sometimes feel very light knocks at the front and if tummy is softer then I guess baby is back to back with me and using his hands but always seems to turn around again, there's a website called spinning babies that has a section on baby mapping, it helps you to work out what you are feeling and where the baby is lying.

I know if you can palpate your bump and locate what would be either a head or a bottom, a head will move about more than a bottom.
Both my DCs were breech untill about 36weeks when they did a big movement and went head down. DC1 did it while I was lying in bed in night and it was very freaky. I lept out of bed and stayed standing for about half an hour thinking I could get baby to settle in the head down position.

I'm 31 weeks and the midwife told me last week that he's upside down - don't know if he's still like it, but I can feel extra pressure on my bladder, and what feels like the baby moving his head down there (his feet were down there a few weeks ago and believe me, this feels different!).

Also, what I think are the kicks are mostly just under my ribs on the right, and round the middle I get lighter sweeping movements, which I think are his hands. Plus, the left hand side of my bump sticks out more around belly button height and I think it's his bum - when it moves the whole of my bump seems to shift about!

At our antenatal class they keep emphasising to sit forward as this makes baby get into the optimal position, apparently.

Sorry, am onyl 22 weeks, but seeing you all talk about feeling your babies getting ready to be born has made me all hormonal (blub). They're real people already aren't they? (Yes I know that's stating the bleedin' obvious, but this has made me a bit unreasonably emotional for what was probably meant to be a quick practical advice thread!).

errmm...yep I'm off now ...

D

deliaskis - enjoy those weeks you've got left in your second trimester! Before you know it you'll be 30+ weeks and waddling about like a big tired lump too!

Get your MW to show you how much a head moves if baby is breech at any appointments. Mine did this week and it makes it a lot easier to tell head from bum.

lol delia hello hormones!

mine is sideways just to be awkward and I feel movement all the way accross my tummy as she is pulling her feet up to her mouth, and pressure under my right rib but no pressure down low

I'm really paranoid about bending down now because I think I'm squishing my baby's head!

giddy, I keep thinking that, it's going to get 'worse' before it gets better, argh!

[chants to self 'it will be worth it, it will be worth it]

D

Deliaskis I you being in 2nd trimester... I loved my 2nd trimester... I was emotional, round but not heavy and so glowing!! Now I am heavy and waddeling around with a pain in bum! lol...

Japh what do you mean by head moving? when you move it with your hands to left and right you mean? I am not sure what movements you are referring to...

My baby was breech till a week ago at check up. I am going again next week for an appointment but really want to figure out myself... I feel movements all over the place but mostly under my ribs... both small hands and bigger feet movements under rib so I guess she is still sitting up with her feet in her face! I feel a round sphere most of the time under my right hand - on the side when she is sleeping. It seems to be her favourite sleeping position... more to show that she is a little human with her own characteristics and favourite sleeping position!!!!

giddy I am totally paranoid about sleeping on my right side and squishing her head!!

Palpate

Place your hands flat on tummy when relaxed or you feel lo moving. Move them around pressing gently. There will be one place where it feels really hard - that's usually the head - sometimes you can even see it sticking out Also pay attention to where the kicks / nudges are - ESP the sharper ones.
Mine is breech and I feel the hard lump of head between 12 and either 3 or 9 o clock (imagine tummy as a clock face with 12 being the highest point)

What if the hardest bit seems to be in line with your belly button on one side? Does this mean the baby is most likely transverse?

I have no idea where mine is though three weeks ago the midwife said she thought it was breech. I am not getting any pain under my ribs and only occasional pressing on my bladder.

I have the midwife tomorrow so will be asking but I am completely confused (at almost 32 weeks) about where my baby is.

look here for help in baby positioning

MrsGubbins this article of baby positioning is amazing. I have started my own chart now. This is really helpful. Thank you so much for sharing....

And according to this, my baby is still breech! Will monitor her closely and we shall see...