Understanding Posterior Babies

In celebration of the OP baby


I found this amazing blog post all about posterior babies, written by a midwife.  It has lots of visuals and explains why babies are posterior and what it means for labor and birth.  I especially appreciate her perspective of posterior position being a variation of normal birth rather than a problem.

Position Change and Movement During Labor

It's important to be active during childbirth. Change positions every 20 minutes, even if it's a small shift from one side to the other. These movements help the baby shift and descend into and through the birth canal, and they can even help give the laboring mother comfort during labor.

I found this great blog post on At Your Cervix (written by a Labor & Delivery Nurse):

Getting in position -- making changes to shake, rattle and roll

"Up. Move. Lean forward. Lie on your far left or right side. Squat. Walk. Dance. Hands and knees. Modified lunges. Sway from side to side."

The author discusses the common issue of back labor, which most often is a result of a posterior or otherwise malpositioned baby. She explains how position changes during labor can help move the baby into a favorable position, make labor less uncomfortable for the mother, shorten the duration of labor, and even avoid a c-section.

"Why so many posterior babies? Simply put - we're a reclining society. We sit back in our recliners, couches, office chairs, dining room chairs, rocking chairs and more. Our babies get into these funky positions from us lying back...This is why it is so very important to get up and move in labor"

She also explains that even with an epidural position changes during labor are possible, and important.

Please read the post.

Here are some more resources for information about positions during labor:

One With Child: Labor Positions

Positions for Labor and Birth

Doing the Labor Dance

How to get baby in the best position for childbirth - no back labor!

Non-pharmacological methods of pain relief for childbirth

I know I can post more than this. If you're interested in more information about positions during labor, please post a comment.

How to Get Baby in the Best Position for Childbirth - No Back Labor!

This is an excellent video that shows the positions you can use to encourage your baby to move into a favorable position for birth. This is especially helpful if the baby is in a posterior position:

For more information about posterior babies, please read my previous post:
When Baby is in a Posterior Position

Click on the following link to access the same video on Youtube:
How to Get Baby in the Best Position for Childbirth - No Back Labor!

Upcoming Forum on Breech Birth

My midwife has a monthly forum for all of her pregnant ladies. I'm particularly excited to attend this month's forum this Thursday. One of the moms who has recently given birth had an amazing experience when she birthed her baby breech. Yes, that's right, the baby came out feet or buttocks first! She is going to come and share her birth story with the rest of us, and I'm really excited to hear it.

In past years vaginal breech delivery was not unheard of. I personally have a brother who came out of the birth canal buttocks first. Physicians used to delivery breech babies vaginally all the time, but nowadays the common medical approach to a breech position is to automatically do a cesarean section. In my opinion it's another example of unnecessary surgery, and I'm always thrilled to hear of a baby being born vaginally and safely, especially when there were complications that would have likely elicited medical staff to prep for surgery.

For more information on positioning of the baby, please check my earlier post on posterior babies. Much of the information also applies to breech position. The knee-chest position mentioned in that post is an excellent position for moving the baby out of the birth canal to allow it to move into a more favorable position.