Position of baby... How can you tell...

[dabihp]

Baby been lying back to back... but i have been doing exercises to move it, how can i tell if its in the right place (ie, optimal labouring position with back at front of my belly?)

Have a bit of extra padding on tummy, so its sometimes had to distingish which bit is which...

I think a scan is the best way to tell.

During both of my pregnancies, the Dr got the postition wrong. With DD, the Dr detected that she wasn't moving much. Sent for an urgent scan which showed DD was breech (kicking bones so couldn't be felt!)

With DS, the Dr was convinced he was breech so sent for a scan so we could book a section or attempt to turn. Scan revealed DS wasn't breech.

dabihp have you been feeling a lot of movement at the top of you stomach? The reason i ask is in my 1st pregnancy my ds was laying head down with back facing the right way and i felt a lot of movement at the top of my stomach and with my 2nd pregnancy i am having the same feeling and had it confirmed that baby is laying head down in the correct position. I know there is some things that you can do to encourage the baby to turn inside you so that you can have a natural birth, and i found the best one was to get on all fours and keeping your legs bent underneath you slightly spread and place your arms by your head (you can use your arms to rest your head if you want!) and try laying in this position for at least 10 minutes it will feel nice on your back as well! And hopefully it will help turn baby. Hope you find this info useful! Good luck!

Will have to try that, realy want a natural bith this time!

Also sit the wrong way round on a chair and lean forward, resting your arms on the back of the chair.
You can sit and watch tv like this!

Avoid lying back on sofa etc... your baby's back is his heaviest part so will tend to turn towards the floor... so if you're leaning forward it should turn!
if that makes sense?

Ask your midwife next time you see her... I could never tell with ds what bit was what!

With both my pgs, I could feel the baby's bottom in my ribs - and often it would bulge out when the baby tried to stretch, IYSWIM. Both were head down, back facing forwards, bottom jammed under ribs on my right hand side, legs and arms were over on left hand side so I felt most of the movements over there. Can you tell where the bottom is and are you feeling the kicks in one specific place?

I think where baby is back to back your bump takes on more of a concave shape. You should be able to feel the bum and back when it is optimally positioned (ie facing into your spine)

could feel its bum, but then the little thing moved around and it was all kicks!

mind you have a couple of weeks to get it into right position, they usually engage at 36 weeks. las t baby didnt engage at all, so this time i will be on my hands and knees doing pelvic titls from 35 weeks plus!

Mine were all back to back and the things I noticed were,

My belly button never popped out, as there was nothing pressing against it (MW pointed that one out!)

All the hard kicking was under my ribs, and very low down.

Being OP still means you can have a good birth, there are a few threads on the subject. I'll see if I can find one to reassure you if it doesn't decide to move!

OP Thread