Baby Sitting the Wrong Way in Belly

C.,
Don't worry about having a c-section. While it takes a little longer to heal, it's nothing to fear. I've had one c-section and I'm having another one in January.

Best of luck!

Hi Carrie. How far along are you? Both of my kids were sitting the 'wrong way' and by the time delivery came around they went back to normal. The doctors never seemed as concerned as I was. My daughter moved all the time. One week she would be in the correct position and then change again, and I don't know how because she did not have any room to be moving around:)

I've had two c-sections and it really wasn't that bad. I was still up and mving around to take care of the baby the very next day. I was able to breastfeed right away and my recovering was quick.

Although I do have a scar, it is very low along the pubic bone. I could still wear a bikini if I wanted to! Good luck to you. I hope everything works out well.

Hi,

You have enough to worry about. I wouldnt worry to much about the way the baby is right now. I just had twin girls in June and baby#2 was tranverse and baby #1 was head down ready to go. One Dr appt the babys head was on my right and when I went to have the babies she moved and her head was on the left. At one point (early in the pregnancy) they were both breech so you can see that babies move all over the place.

I had to have 2 c-sections. The first one was a breeze! He was breech and I went in and felt no pain and all went well. the second one not so much but then again I was having 2 babies not just one so things were a little different.

Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy and dont sweat the small stuff. If the Dr has to do the aversion then he has to in a few months it wont really matter. All that will matter is you holding your precious little girl!

Good Luck!

Don't worry about either issue, the position of the baby or the C Section.

Number one- the baby can change position at any time. Some babies stay in one position others do not. My son was in a different position every time we went to the doctor. Your post doesn't say when you are due.

Number two- C Sections are not anything to worry about. Some moms have scary stories others do not. People are more apt to share the scary stories, because that is what sticks in their mind. But, in today's world with a lot of great doctors and medicine a planned C Section is the way many women are chosing to go for various reasons.

With families being so spread out now, I see a lot of planned C Sections in my nursing career because it allows more family and grandparents to be there to welcome the new member of the family.

As a nurse, if I had to choose, I would not allow anyone to reposition the baby manually. It is very uncomfortable and doesn't guarantee your baby won't move right back, so it doesn't guarantee you won't have to have a C Section anyway.

So save yourself some stress. If you have to choose between having the baby repositioned or a C Section, make the best decision for you, but I would get a lot more info from your doctor before you choose either option.

It sounds like you have a lot of questions still, and getting those fears or questions answered will help this process go better for you as the mom.

Good Luck.

Hi C.! I'm M., and i'm certifying to become a Childbirth educator.

I'm sure it's scary to be somewhere 'unfamiliar' with this pregnancy, and the mention of a section is not something one wants to hear most times, especially when you're already familiar with a regular delivery.

How many weeks are you?
Transverse babies are not uncommon. Most will turn on their own as the 'end' nears, others do need little help, but it's not a large percentage that remains transverse, and yes, like a previous poster stated, babies CAN and DO turn even in the late stages of labor.

there are things that you can do to encourage the baby turning. I would recommend getting a good book on natural childbirth, and they will have excercises you can do to encourage the baby to turn.

you can also consider going to a chiropractor. Check out www.birthyear.net under the directory for chiropractors that specialize in pregnancy care. Chiropractic care, by aligning your spine and balancing your body, can encourage a baby to turn.

Accupuncture is another method used to turn babies.

(both accupuncture and chiropractic care have higher success rates than external versions, are less invasive, and have lesser risks.

here's some resources to look at, I know it says 'breech' but they can work for transverse as well:

http://www.birthingnaturally.net/birth/challenges/breech....
look at the "more information" part as well for more links.

http://www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBMarApr01p47.html

http://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org/malpositions.htm

http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/breech.html

we also have a great ICAN group here in town, you can find it on the www.birthyear.net site as weel. It could be of use to you (and any pregnant woman really, since our cesarean rate in this town is 1/3 anyways).

speak with your provider about the options you'd have if the baby remains transverse, like:
'would you let me go into labor and see if baby turns'
'woulc you be ok with me laboring in an upright position/walking so to encourage baby to turn' etc...
you may or may not find that you're ok with the responses you receive. You may or may not feel that a cesarean is the best choice.(ICAN can also help prepare the 'best cesarean experience') You may or may not consider a change of care providers if you know you've got other choices (there's some great providers listed on birthyear as well, who would be more likely to 'allow' you to go into labor.

Ultimately, there's A LOT you can do before an external version, and before a cesarean. the choice is yours. :)

I hope it is of help.

C.,

I really agree with Renee. The baby can change position anytime - especially if you are not due yet. So relax and think good thoughts!

If the baby's position doesn't change by the end of your pregnancy, I personally would also decline version and prefer elective c-section. Version doesn't guarantee the baby will not move back and baby might not tolerate it well. Baby is monitored during the version and you would be taken to the urgent c-section if there is a sign of baby distress. Version is unconfortable and some people choose to have epidural for pain control and for a backup if there is a need to do the urgent c-section.
Having elective c-section would be my choice. You still can have vaginal delivery after c-section. There is some risk involved for the mother (anesthetic risk) and recovery time might be longer, but I still consider it better at the given situation.
Good luck,

Z.

I have had two c-sections and they were 13 months apart. It really is not that bad. The surgery takes less than 45 minutes and then you are on your way to a wonderful new life with your baby. On piece of advice, get up an walk as soon after the c-section as possible. Don't wait until the second day or it will be a little more painful.

Stay at home Mom of two boys 5 and 4.

C.,

Don't worry! I am a Labor and Delivery nurse and a childbirth educator. Because you have had babies before, there is extra room in there for your baby to move around. The head is the heaviest part of the head and should work it's way down. Don't worry.
S.

Hey C.,

I have a daughter just getting ready to turn 10 months old. She was sitting "the wrong way" when she was just 3 days away from her due date. She flipped on me and let me tell you it hurt soooooo bad. I went to Dr. Owen Bell to have my aversion. My sister in law works at providence hospital in Labor and delivery and she reccomended him. He was able to turn her in about 10 minutes. It wasnt as bad as I thought it would be. THe scariest part for me was the medicine that they gave me to relax all of my soft tissues which also makes your heart beat very fast. There is a very well trained nurse in there constantly watching the screen to make sure baby is ok... THey told me to come prepared to stay in the hospital for 3 days just in case... I figured I could do it and it could work, or I could not and have to have a c section either way. It was something I would do again. I would def recommend Dr. Bell to you. He was great at explaining everything... You may see bruising on your belly when it is over though... I didnt get any. I was just very sore. Also do not lay down for a few hours after. How far along are you? Good Luck!!!!

C.,

I have 2 beautiful girls and I had a c-section with both of them. Abbie (2 yrs.) my first one was breached. I had to have 2 aversions done and they ARE not fun. I won't lie to you. It does hurt. What they did to me was lube me up with that gel they use and do an ultrasound to find out where her butt and her head were. Once the doctor found it he put one palm on her butt and the other on her head and then started to push them and he pretty much neaded my belly like dough. I had this done twice and both times about a week after it was done she would rotate back into place. She was stubborn and still is!!! They also told me to lay in a reclyner on my back upside down to do some "gravity" excersies, It looked so stupid when I tried them one day. I gave up and accepted the fact that I had to have a c-section.

I loved having the c-section. The only thing I didn't like was the cathader that they have to put in you. It hurt me. It feels like a huge pinch inside. I can tell you more if you would like. They gave me a spinal (anestetic) and it didn't hurt very much. My 5 mon. is crying. Hope this helps you a little.

B.

C. B.,
I am a certified birth doula in Beaverton, and saw your request for information. My suggestion would be to use the hands & knees position and try rocking your pelvis back and forth/up & down (this is known to free up space in your pelvis & allow your baby to turn). Another thing to try would be to lie down with your bottom raised up with pillows above your heart (also allows for extra room for the baby to turn).
I'm not a medical doctor, but I have seen these positions work many times with my clients. One last suggestion (and I know it sounds weird) is to put a pack of frozen vegetables on the side of your belly where your baby's head is (not for a long time, just a minute or two at a time). Babies typically will turn away from cold and toward heat. Hope some of these suggestions work, and I wish you the best for your upcoming birth.

Hi C.. I commend you for seeking help so regardless of the decision you make, you make it informed which can certainly help with the fear factor of all this.

As a mother and a doula, this is my experience. A version, although there are risks, I do not know personally of anyone who has had an emergency due to this proceedure. However, it is possible and it would be negligent for the docs not to tell you about the "possible risks". Versions sometimes work, sometimes doen't. Some alternatives are accupuncture. Find a referral for someone who specifically has experience with baby's position. Try pregnancy yoga for positions to encourage a better position for baby. Some less scientific measures (but certainly don't hurt are to play music with headsets low (near your pubic bone) to encourage baby's head to go toward the sound as well as an ice pack near the baby's current head position--theoretically the baby would move away from the cold.

Something else to consider is that maybe the baby has a short cord or some other reason that makes it best for baby to be in that position. No way to know for sure, but if all efforts to turn baby fail, it may just be the way it is. You can know you tried everything you could.

About you fear of a cesarean...are you taking a childbirth education class? What specifically is your fear? I always believe it's best to have some of that fear resolved prior to birth, regardless of your fear of cesarean, fear of tearing with a vaginal birth, fear of pain, etc. etc. Here are a few ways to combat some of this fear...1. Information, gather information to be informed. 2. affirmation, gather positive stories from other mothers. Ask what was positive about their cesarean. Remember that this is the birth of your child and what could you do to make it the very most positive experience possible. Do you want music playing, baby brought to you as soon as possible? What photos do you want? You get the idea.
My very best to you. Feel free to email me with any other questions or accupuncture referals etc. ____@____.com

My daughter was transverse until about 3 hours before I went into labor.

How many weeks are you? I seriously would not even think about an aversion until you are in labor. They can move right back if they aren't coming out soon.

I also wouldn't let them talk you into anything until you go into labor. Because you'd be surprised how much they will move once the contractions start. I get a little irritated at how much they want to intervene these days... I imagine there were just as many transverse babies back in the old days as there are now.. yet those babies made it out :)

C., my SIL was in the same situation. I recommended she position herself in some very specific ways and her baby turned head down the very next day!

Get into a hands and knees position on the bed or the floor. Begin rocking the pelvis back and forth in this position. It will appear like you are doing a cat stretch when rocking the pelvis back and then your belly button will be closer to the floor when rocking the pelvis forward. Do this for several minutes several times throughout the day, until your baby turns. You will know when your baby turns because your belly will look different.

Also, find a straight backed chair and straddle it, so that you are sitting backwards on the chair. Lean forward and allow the belly to hang forward. Release all tension in the abdominal muscles and visualize and imagine allowing lots of room in the uterus for your baby to turn head down. Sitting this way allows for more room for the baby to change position and helps to swing the baby's spine in alignment with the front of your body.

You could also get into a pool and allow the belly to hang in the water, again releasing all tension and visualizing the baby moving into the right position.

I hope that helps!

Also, a chiropractic adjustment could be very beneficial as well as acupuncture, massage...

There is a local non-profit organization called Birth Year Network (http://birthyear.net) that has a directory of professionals who specialize in pregnancy and birth and you could find the contact info for chiro, acupuncture and massage professionals who are skilled with pregnancy concerns.

Please contact me if you have any additional questions.

All the best!

Happy birthing days,
A. Swanson
HypnoBirthing Childbirth Educator

I understand how nerve racking this can be but it's really not bad. I had twins a year ago and the 2nd baby was transverse while my first was breech and I was also nervous when the told me I was going to have a c-section. I have a 3 year old who I delivered without complications and a few friends who had c-sections with mixed results so I was pretty unsure of the whole thing. I think both ways of giving birth have their positives and negatives in different ways. It really is nothing to worry about (if that's possible when your pregnant). I'm sure it will all turn out great and you will get a beautiful baby in the end.

I have never been through what you are going through. But I did have to end up having a c-section. I thought it was going to be the most horrible experience of my life. It wasn't half as bad as I thought. They give you so many pain killers, that you don't feel a thing. The only thing is afterwards. It takes a little longer to recover than from natural birth. If you have any questions about the procedure, I'll be glad to help you out. It's not as big as you are thinking. I was the exact same way, and kicked myself afterwards for being that way. Good luck, and I'm sure the baby will move by herself. They usually do. Good luck!!!

I personally never went through this, but one of my coworker's daughters did. They tried to turn the baby about 3 weeks before the due date (supposedly before she got too big to turn by herself) and actually caused the baby to pass away. I really don't know if it was because of getting tangled in the cord, or damaging the sac, or something else, but she had a healthy normal pregnancy up to that point. I hate to scare you, but I would bet that most people just go with the flow - assuming the doctor is always right - but why not just wait to see if the baby turns naturally and then if not, have a csection at the last minute, rather than putting the baby at risk and possibly having a csection anyways. Nature has a way of working things out usually. Good luck with your baby!

Hi C. -
I had a c-section with my son (my pelvis was too small for natural childbirth), and I wanted to reassure you that it was fine. We had a scheduled date, and I went in and they set up all the iv's and stuff. The very worst part about it was the shot in the back for numbing, and that just hurt like a bad bee sting in your back. 3 days after my c-section I was shopping at Target :) I hope this eases your mind a little. I was a little scared too, but a c-section is nothing to be scared of. Feel free to email me if you want to know anything else. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have :)
N.

Hi C.

I just want to wish you good luck with everything. There are a lot of options to weigh, and I hope that you pick the best one for you and your baby and not because it is what your doctor wants. Babies are on their own timetable, my daughter turned a WEEK before I was due. We opted against aversion because of the inherent risk to the baby and were prepared for a c section just in case she didnt turn on her own. If the aversion goes wrong you might end up with a premie instead of a full term baby by c section. I ended up having a c section anyway due to her size, and they really arent anything to be afraid of as long as you prepare yourself for all the options that will get you your baby as safe and healthy as possible.

I wish you nothing the but the best and keep thinking good thoughts! Babies like those too!

I know you have already got TONS of advice... so I just thought that I would throw my support in the ring... Both of my babies were c-section and it isn't anything to be scared of. I even had a pretty rough c-section the second time and I still feel that it really isn't a big deal. I know it is a surgery and that is scary, but just like everyone has said, you can still get up and walk around, nurse normally, all of that. Plus, I have seen a lot of natural births and c-section babies are so beautiful because their heads don't get the cone shape. (Not that other babies aren't beautiful... :)) Oh, and my 1st baby was transverse at a couple of visits... then when I went into the hospital- dialated to a 4, she was in perfect postition. When they checked me at 6 centimeters, she was transverse again. At that point, the c-section has to be emergency and depending on your doctor, you HAVE to have general anesthestic (all the way knocked out). So, if they give you the option of scheduling the c-section, go for it!! If you have ANY questions about my c-sections please feel free to email me...

Although C-Sections have a longer and more painful healing time, they really are not that bad. I had an emergency C-section with my first child and had a schedule C-Section with my final child. I have absolutely no regrets. After a few days you are able to go about you regular routine. With a scheduled C-section, they are more concerned with taking their time to make the incisions and with getting the baby out. Because of the time and care they take, you heal better and with little pain. You should be able to be awake during the procedure, which means within 20 seconds of your baby being born you'll get to see her and even hold her. That moment for me was what made the surgery completely worth while.

I had aversion and that was worse than the C-section. I would make sure that you have some support with you when you have the aversion. It was painful (I am a wimp) but it wasn't so bad and my c-section wasn't bad at all. You are medicated of course so you won't feel anything. Don't worry it will all work out. The aversion didn't work for me so they scheduled the c-section and it went fine.

I have given birth vaginally to two babies who were both breech for a while. Some things that have been proven to move a baby are playing music softly down low. Your baby will want to move closer to hear it. Some people like to have daddy talk the baby down too. Sometimes shining a flashlight low on your abdomen can entice a baby to move towards the light too.

Since it is your 3rd baby, your muscles are looser and there is more room for your baby to move around. So all hope is not lost! I really hope she drops for you, I was terrified of having a c-section too!

First off I wish you the very best luck with either way it goes. I have 3 boys and the last one had to be C-section. And I know every body has different experiences and healing time. But as for my personal experience it was hard. The operation it self was a piece of cake but there was pain after it was all done. I had a hard time getting out of bed and was very thankful that my husband was there to help. And just to let you know because none of my friends told me. But after the surgery pain starts to fade then this firer pain from your nerves firing back up comes on. I am not trying to scare you any more than you all ready are because either way it goes you are still going to have a beautiful little baby. But I will tell you with having other kids around plus a new baby and trying to heal up if there is any way you can get some help you might want to. good luck and congratulations. J.

C.- My first bay was upside down as well...they tried to turn her (ouch!)with no success. I had a c-section..scary but truly a piece of cake. When I got pregnaunt with my second child they told me I option to have another one..I chose to. You and the Dr pick the date your child is born, it is scheduled, you are awake and comfortable the entire time, bleed a shorter amount of time, and recovery really isn't as bad as you might think. AND to top it off your baby will have a beautiful round head :) Good luck-if you want more info contact me I'd be happy to walk you thru the entire process.
H.

I personally didn't have that problem, but know lots of people who did. You don't say how far along you are, but I have heard that a lot of times the baby will turn on its own. I do have a few friends that had aversion and they didn't get a hole in their sac. As for C-sections, there's nothing to be scared of unless you're at risk for something that you didn't mention. I did have a c-section with my first due to cord issues and I didn't feel a thing. I have a little bit of a scar but it's not noticeable to anyone but me. The doctors will do what is best for you and the baby.