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It is crucial to know the position of the baby inside your womb as the day of your delivery draws closer. Gynecologists usually consider the downward head position perfect for normal delivery, particularly when the face is aligned with the spine to a certain angle.
Now, not every to-be-mama is lucky enough to have the advantage of the optimal birthing conditions. Belly mapping is the way to know and make last-minute improvisations to ensure a safe, natural childbirth. Don’t be struck if your obstetrician, gynecologist or midwife hasn’t mentioned this to you. Knowing is always better than not knowing.
Belly mapping and childbirth
Belly mapping is a part of pre-natal care. Knowing the position of your baby is essential because it might or might not be the best delivery position. Taking a note of that, the position can be altered or preserved for a short and smooth delivery. Mothers often take up workout regimes like kegel, pelvic balance, etc. to ensure a comfortable, normal delivery. But, without knowing what their position is, these exercises are no good.
When to map the baby in your tummy
The second trimester in its later part is the best time for belly mapping. It is around this time that the home position is taken and remains so until birth, unless intervened. Your target position for normal delivery should be a head-down anterior position, as mentioned above. It is then that the baby can tuck its chin in while pushing out of the birth canal. So, when you know the position, rotating the baby gets easier.
How to belly map?
This is not as critical as it sounds. You would need a non-toxic sharpie. Alternatively, you may also use a regular ink for finger painting. In order to visualize the position of the baby, it is best to keep a doll handy. Here’s a step-by-step of the process:
With the marker, divide the bump into four equal quadrants. Now trace the head of the baby. Anything that feels like a gossamer orb is the baby’s head. Once you feel it, determine where its hands are. They should be close by.
- Now, feel the heartbeat. This you might not be able to do by yourself. Take the help of your doctor. Once you find it, mark it up.
- Feel the baby’s buttock, which for the record, might feel round like the head. It should be near to where you feel the kicks most. Play with the doll to create a parallel of the baby’s position.
- By the end of the process, you would have drawn the entire baby on your tummy as per its position inside. If you are artistic, add strokes and colors to make a beautiful graffiti.
