33 weeks - baby position

[Binglesplodge]

My midwife can tell that my baby is head down and at the moment its back is usually at the right side of my bump though sometimes it does a bit of tourism and spends a while along the left. She has recommended the Spinning Babies website and says I should be trying to get it with its back along the centre of the bump for delivery. I have some questions...

How early should I be doing this? How important is it to do at all if the baby is head down and still moving around?

The reason I ask is that all the recommended positions (always sitting up straight, no leaning back, keep knees below hips) are extremely uncomfortable for me at the moment as I have rib flare which is only alleviated by leaning back or lying on my back, and piles for which the recommendation is to keep my feet up! I realise it's really important for the baby to be in a good position when labour comes but I am not keen to put myself through increased pain for the next 7 weeks as I'm already struggling to get comfortable, even in my preferred positions, and the idea of sitting in a way that hurts for the rest of pregnancy makes me want to cry.

Help?

My baby's spine is on the left and I've not been told to try and move it?! Have you tried a birthing ball? Only relief I can get sometimes!

JFlo: from what I've read, left is better than right. :-)

33 weeks!?! It will move a fair bit before due date. I'm 37+5 and been head down since 28. Baby can happily slide from left to right and mw and consultant say this is normal. It will most likely find its position.
It would be worrying if it was locked onto position hardly moving for 9+ weeks surely?

Spine on the left side is the optimum position as once baby descends down during labour it will turn round a bit so that spine is down the centre for delivery. Sometimes when they are spine down the middle before labour starts they can then turn too much the wrong way and end up back to back.

Think once you're in the third trimester it can't do any harm to do exercises that help get baby in the right position.

Sitting on birthing/gym ball is really good as keeps back and pelvis straight which gives the baby a better chance of getting itself ready.

ColdTea - I don't mind doing exercises that help the position but I suspect there's no use doing those unless I also follow all the other advice so that the baby doesn't just go back to where it was. That's what is making me miserable - the idea of not being able to put my feet up or sit leaning back propped up on pillows to help all my aches and pains for the rest of this pregnancy feels like a punishment today! I've already given in and sat back for a bit because sitting upright makes my rib pain much worse.

Mine is also lying with back down the right hand side, though I'm 38w. I asked the MW about this just this week and she said it was perfectly normal, it's just sitting to the right as various guts etc are taking up the space on the left. She never mentioned trying to move it at all. I know I'm spending too much time lying reclined on the sofa, but it's just too comfy!

It sounds miserable OP. Are you able to manage going for a walk everyday? As that would have same sort of effect as the birthing ball/exercises. Don't worry too much about the exercises when the pain is this bad, but if you are lying down or leaning back, try and keep back supported and straight. In other words you want to try and avoid slumped positions as much as you can.

Has midwife suggested referring you to a pyhsio? Hope it gets better for you.

Thanks, ladies. The midwife recommended paracetamol and said the rib flare should resolve once the baby is here, so I figure I just need to put up with it in the meantime! Until today I'd been feeling pretty fortunate compared to those with PGP who are having a horrible time...

Since I'm only 33 weeks and the baby is still wandering around a bit of its own accord, I think I'll do the exercises on the website but also allow myself to put my feet up when I need to. If it really hasn't settled to the left of its own accord in the next few weeks I'll have to grin and bear it then and start following all the advice to the letter even if it's not very pleasant! I'm sleeping on my left side every night even though it's painful so it's a shame that isn't encouraging the baby to find its own way over to the left side of the bump. Perhaps the right side is just more comfortable :-)