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As your baby develops in your womb, there’s a slight possibility that they may change their position, which can be unfavorable for both you and your baby during the delivery time. Your doctor will check the position your baby is in during the final weeks of your pregnancy. The ideal position for a normal and successful delivery is the anterior position in which your baby’s head is pointed downwards, closer to the birth canal and towards your back.
While most babies naturally place themselves in this position, some may get into the breech position, which is when the feet or the baby’s butt are located closer to the birth canal. This can be a bit problematic during the delivery and your doctor may recommend a Caesarean section rather a vaginal birth.
However, don’t fear the worst just yet and conclude that surgery will be the only way to bring your little one into this world. If your baby is in the breech position, there are certain things you can do to make sure that they get into the right position so that you can have a natural delivery without much trouble. These three tricks are recommended by gynecological experts:
1. Make an appointment for a ‘version’.
If during the 37th week of your pregnancy your doctor tells you that your baby is in the breech, he may recommend you to get an external cephalic version, commonly known as a ‘version,’ done. A version is a process in which your gynecologist applies external pressure on your abdomen with her bare hands to make your baby move so that they can get into the right position.
Doctors believe that all pregnant women whose babies are in breech should go for a version, unless there’s another complication that deems surgery necessary. The good news is that in nearly 50% of the cases, a version is successful in getting the baby into the right position. If you’re worried about risks, you should know that the chances of risks such as prematurely ruptured membranes are low. In any case, you should get the version done in an acute-care facility.
2. Go for walks
There’s nothing like moving around yourself to get your baby moving. Long walks as well as stretching the muscles in your calves can help in loosening the connecting tissues and the ligaments that are present in your pelvis and uterus. This can, consequently, give your baby more space to move about so that they can come back to the anterior position.
In fact, doing squats is the best way to give your baby some extra room to move in your womb. However, you should only do squats if your doctor allows it.
Here’s how you can do squats: Stand with your back straight, and your feet arm’s length apart. Bend your knees till they come above your toes. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat five times.
3. Prepare yourself to ease delivery
Posterior babies are more likely to push against your tailbone than anterior babies do, and this can cause some serious discomfort. Known as ‘back labor pain,’ you need to prepare yourself from before-hand to minimize the discomfort you experience. One of the safest ways to do this is to sit on a birthing ball on your hands and knees and have counter-pressure applied to your hips. You can also sit straight until you are dilated 6cm to get relief from this labour pain.
Luckily, the odds are stacked against posterior births, and only 8% of babies are in this position when it’s time for the delivery. So relax and don’t panic if your baby is in the breech. Just try these exercises and keep consulting your gynaecologist.
