
You can then lightly draw or paint your baby on your stomach to help you visualize how they’re lying. You may find it helpful to use a baby doll to play with different possible positions. Then feel for the back, butt, and legs, as well as larger movements. The arms and hands are likely near the head, and their tiny movements give them away. Using a washable marker or finger paint, gently mark where you feel your baby’s head (it feels like a small bowling ball). You may even want to try belly mapping following a prenatal appointment so your doctor can give you some guidance on baby’s position.
To use this technique, wait until you are at least 30 weeks pregnant.
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It was created by Gaily Tully, certified professional midwife and author of. You might even try belly mapping - a process to estimate baby’s position.
With practice, you may start to understand what you’re feeling. It can be difficult to read the different lumps and bumps you feel on your stomach.
hear their heartbeat (using an at-home doppler or fetoscope) on the lower part of your belly, meaning that their chest is likely lower than their legs. feel hiccups on the lower part of your belly, meaning that their chest is likely lower than their legs. feel smaller movements - hands or elbows - low down in your pelvis. feel larger movements - bottom or legs - higher up toward your rib cage. feel their bottom or legs above your belly button. baby’s bottom/legs would be in your fundusĪll these findings can also be confirmed via ultrasound to give you the clearest picture.īut how can you figure out your baby’s position at home? Pay close attention to the shapes in your belly, as well as the different movements you feel. baby’s back position would depend on whether baby is anterior/posterior, but generally baby will have either their back to your belly (anterior) or your back (posterior). They’ll also feel around for your baby’s cephalic prominence, which simply means which way your baby is facing. With this technique, your provider will feel for what part of your baby is presenting in the pelvis, then for your baby’s back, and then for what part of your baby is in your fundus (up high, near your rib cage). But how?įortunately, your doctor or midwife is trained to feel for your baby’s position using what are called Leopold’s maneuvers. You need to get in there and feel around. There’s really no easy way to tell just by looking at your bump. You may not experience any signs that your baby has flipped into a head-down position. Related: What Your Baby’s Position in the Womb Means Some babies completely spin to an anterior position during labor while others are born posterior. If your baby is posterior even in early labor, they may still turn throughout the process as contractions move them around in the womb. Posterior presentation can mean a longer or potentially more difficult delivery, sometimes requiring a vacuum, forceps, or cesarean section. When your baby’s chin is tucked, it helps the narrowest part of their head go through the birth canal. In this position, your baby’s back is at your back.Īnterior is the ideal position for an uncomplicated vaginal delivery. Occiput posterior: This position means that your baby is head down but facing the opposite direction. It means that your baby is head down with their back against your stomach and their chin tucked into their chest. Occiput anterior: This position is the most common. Some positions make this journey easier than others, especially considering how different parts of your baby’s skull are wider and narrower than others. Your baby’s head must fit through the pelvis on its way into the vaginal canal for delivery. Why does this make a difference? It comes down to geometry. There’s also the matter of which way your baby is facing. National Library of Medicine.Being head down is just half of the equation when it comes to birth. American Journal of Perinatology 7(1):66-70. Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology 43(2):176-182.
Association of fetal position at onset of labor and mode of delivery: A prospective cohort study. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.Īhmad A et al. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. Bab圜enter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world.