How to turn a baby from posterior to anterior position...?

[Wilkiepedia]

Am 34 weeks, baby is head down but posterior (back against my back so feet are kicking out my stomach). MW has told me he needs to turn so he is facing my back (anterior) but nothing I do seems to work and am starting to stress!!!!

I have started sleeping on left hand side where possible, going on all fours to watch TV for half an hour at night, sitting up straight backed with crossed legs.

What are the chances of him turning anyway and IF he doesn't turn, what does this mean for my labour?

Is my second pg, DS1 was anterior so didn't have this worry.

Second pregnancy is a good thing! Both my DDs were posterior, DD1 was born that way (ouch!) but DD2 did move as (ahem) she had more room - DD1 had created the space. Posterior labours tend to be longer as the baby doesn't engage as effectively with the cervix, but there are lots of cases of babies on MN that turned during labour, so it's never too late.

(by the way, my DD2 is now almost 7 months and I still relish resting on my back after weeks of all fours and bolt upright )

well, there is plenty of time for him to turn, and you're doing the right things.
quite often OP babies turn during labour anyway, so it's not a given that he'll be born OP even if he is right now.

fwiw though my second baby was OP. there was NO budging him.
it does usually mean more of an effort to push them out though if they don't turn during labout because they aren't in the "best" position. ds2 came out with a very squashed forehead after 6 hours of labour, of which 1hr 20 was pushing!
it was hard work getting him out but he came out and it was all ok.
you often get more of a back labour, with an op baby

My placenta is anterior apparently - could this be having an effect?

I can beat that yesterday - I had a 5 hour second stage with DD1 and 3 hour with DD2!

I think that I must have a weird pelvis though as I am very unusual - especially for second deliveries -as all my friends have had lovely quick labours second time around.

I thought that babies tended to face the placenta (as a general rule) so an anterior placenta should be a good thing for you Wilkie. Optimal positioning is the best thing that you can do, in any case.

Mine turned to anterior during labour. I think this is quite common. The strength of the contractions turns them around. Try not to stress too much . It was all quite quick and straightforward, posterior at 34 weeks doesn't necessarily mean you will have problems.

Mine too turned during labour (dd1), have been told this one is back to back too! (currently 7 days late) There is still time for your wee one to turn round though good luck

anterior placenta is at the front therefore facing the placenta would mean feet at the front and back to your back (ie OP). It is a real pain, had this with both of my first two and had my 20 week scan today and I have another anterior placenta. They do move though and you're doing all the right stuff to encourage it.

Whoops! Of course, anterior placenta = facing forward.

He doesn't need to turn, by the way. I think Lulumama had a baby that was born facing the "wrong" way (a VBAC too IIRC) and she had a lovely birth.

I have had to posterior babies and look like I am heading the same way with no 3. For dc 1 and 2 I didn't know so couldn't do anything about it.
The advice I have been given is:

Swimming breaststroke
Bouncing on a gym ball
Never sitting with your legs above your pelvis, even in the car, if it means sitting on a cushion
Yoga
Lying on left side

Hope that helps

Your baby may turn in labour, and is more likely to if you adopt positions to encourage this eg all fours or squatting.

Sometimes it is the particular type/shape of pelvis you have that determines which was you baby is most likely to settle, and if you have the type of pelvis which encourages a posterior position, there is not a lot you can do about it.

The most important thing is to avoid lying on your back, or being semi-recumbant (half sitting/half lying) on the bed during labour, as your baby is likely to stay in the posterior position. Avoiding an epidural, or having it sited as late as you can will also help, since you will be far more mobile without one.

Finally, when you are watching tv in the evening, try turning an upright chair with a back (dining chair style) the other way around, and sitting straddled on it with a cushion on the back to rest your arms/head on. This encourages your pelvis to open up, and so gives your baby maximum room to move into a good position.

Thank you all ladies - this is really stressing me out!!!

Spinning Babies is an excellent site on foetal positioning.

3 of my 4 babies have been posterior. The first wasn't so easy but the other 2 turned in labour with no bother. Positioning in labour is key ime. I tend to be standing or on all fours, leaning forward. Sometimes an OP baby takes a few days to settle into a good position with pre-labour niggly contractions going on for days. The website above is definitely worth a look. Good luck

DS1 always laid on my right side, so I had a very odd looking bump, occasionally he laid with his back turned inwards too - so sort of half and half.

I was told then that as long as he wasnt in that position once he was enagages all would be fine.

I ended up being induced and so lying on my back but DS1 managed to turn himself round and considereing i was induced, epidural etc my labour was pretty short - 12 hours from when they broke my waters to delivery and DS position wasnt a problem.

This time, no2 is nearly always back to back, and again on the rright hand side! I am 36 weeks so have been told to make sure when sitting that knees are always lower than hips, and lean slightly forwards with legs"ahem" open (although at this stage dont think i could sit for long with my legs together anyway!!!

I try to sleep on my left, but with all the weight on my right it is very uncomfortabe & I always wake up on my right!

Tamtam - yes DS2 is on my right hand side or back to back. Have decided not to stress cos I can't do anything about it!

A few things you can try now and while in labour:

• pelvic rocks on your hands and knees or while standing....tilting your lower pelvis forward...works well either up on the bed, on a mat on the floor, or in the tub/shower (great with warm water around you)

• side lunges....hold onto a chair and partner or wall for support...one foot on a chair turned 90 degrees from your body....lunge towards that side back and forth

• lie on side and have partner rock your hips backward and forward.

• straddle a birth ball, hold onto something for support, and rock side to side....works well while watching television

• sit in a straight back chair turned around so that you are straddling the seat and facing the back of the chair...you can place a pillow against the back to lean against...also good position while watching television

• avoid reclining positions...better to put pillows behind you for support so that you are leaning slightly forward in the last weeks of pregnancy

• as was said, if baby is still posterior while in labour, avoid lying in bed...worst place to be unless you have to be there. Walk, use birth ball, pelvic rocks, etc.. Early epidural, if you choose to have one, may prevent baby from making the rotation during descent.

doulaic (sorry wilkiepedia for hijacking your thread) Could you explain your first tip in a bit more detail as I cant quite work out what you mean and how should my back be - straight,curved, arched??

Im a bit more worried this time as I know that second+ babies often tend not to "engage" until labour has begun, and im certain from my size that this one is going to be fair bit bigger than his/her 8.10 pound brother!

Pelvic rocks or pelvic tilts:

Easiest is on your hands and knees...straight back, then tuck your lower pelvis under like you are trying to press out the small of your back...back will slightly round, rocking your bum forward and back.