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Correct fetal position during pregnancy. Low presentation of the fetus during pregnancy. Head-first presentation

From 28 weeks of pregnancy, the doctor not only listens to the baby's heart, but also determines his position with his hands. It can be longitudinal, transverse or oblique.

Normal is the longitudinal position when the baby is located along the uterus and in this case the woman can give birth on her own.

In a transverse position, the baby lies across the uterus and this makes natural childbirth impossible. There is also an oblique position. This is an intermediate option between longitudinal and transverse. The child will also not be able to be born on its own.

During pregnancy, the fetus can change its position many times, since there is a lot of space in the uterus during the first two trimesters. But as the baby grows, the space becomes less and less, therefore, in the last weeks before childbirth, the fetus takes the most convenient position for him, in which he will arrive before birth. It should be noted that the transverse and oblique position of the fetus is quite rare and is observed in about 0.5-0.7% of cases in relation to the total number of births.

What you need to know about fetal presentation?

As a rule, expectant mother will hear the term "presentation" in the last trimester of pregnancy. Presentation is determined by that part of the fetus, which is (presented) closer to the exit from the uterus. This is usually the head or buttocks. The baby's presentation determines how the baby will progress at the time of delivery.

Head-first presentation

The head presentation is considered the most favorable for childbirth. But here, too, various options are possible. Among them, only one is considered normal - when the child's head passes through the birth canal, bending in such a way that the back of the head appears first. This is an occipital presentation and the vast majority of labor (90–95%) takes place in it.

There are times when, with a cephalic presentation, the head does not bend, but is thrown back. Then they talk about extensor presentation.

There is also a forehead presentation (the head passes through the birth canal area of ​​the crown), frontal (the forehead is the adjacent point) and facial (the child's face is presented to the entrance to the small pelvis). All these options are united by the fact that the circumference of the head passing through the birth canal is larger than in the occipital presentation, which creates certain difficulties in the birth of a baby.

Fetal presentation: pelvis or legs?

If the buttocks or legs of the fetus are felt in the lower part of the uterus, they speak of breech presentation. It is not so rare - in 3.5% of all genera.

Distinguish:

Pure breech presentation - the buttocks of the fetus are facing the entrance to the pelvis, and the legs, bent at the hip joints, are extended along the body to the head.

Mixed breech presentation - both legs (or one) are presented, crossed with each other (pose "in Turkish").

Foot presentation occurs when the legs of the fetus are facing the entrance to the pelvis.

Most often in this group there is a pure breech presentation (in 67% of deliveries), less often - mixed breech (20%) and leg (13%).

Causes of abnormal presentation of the fetus

One of the main reasons for the incorrect position of the fetus is the possibility of increased mobility in late pregnancy. This happens more often in mothers who give birth again. In such cases, the anterior abdominal wall is often stretched, and the muscles are flabby, which does not allow to fix the uterus and the position of the fetus well. The reason for the wrong position may also be polyhydramnios, small size or prematurity of the fetus, which gives him the opportunity to swim freely, changing his presentation.

The opposite situation is also possible, when fetal mobility is limited. This option often occurs with oligohydramnios, multiple pregnancies, large size of the baby, or increased tone of the uterus: in all these cases, the child simply cannot return to normal presentation.

Finally, various obstacles can interfere with the correct position of the fetus: anomalies in the structure of the uterus, myomatous nodes in its lower part, a narrow pelvis, etc. In addition, placenta previa is a condition in which it attaches to the lower part of the uterus and blocks the birth canal, so it can also prevent the fetus from positioning correctly.

How is fetal presentation determined?

In the later stages of pregnancy, the expectant mother herself can approximately determine the presentation of the fetus, focusing on the nature of its movements. If the tremors of the baby's legs are felt literally under the ribs, then most likely the baby is in a cephalic presentation.

The doctor determines the presentation of the fetus, starting from 28-32 weeks of pregnancy, although the baby takes the final position only by 34-35 weeks. For this, special obstetric techniques are used. First of all, the location of the fetus can be found out by probing the abdomen of the expectant mother: with a head presentation above the bosom, a solid round head is determined, and with a pelvic one, the baby's buttocks are less dense and with a smaller volume. In addition, the heart of the child with a cephalic presentation is well heard below the woman's navel, and with a pelvic presentation, above this level.

With the transverse position of the fetus, its head is felt in the lateral part of the abdomen, and the heartbeat can be heard in the navel.

In childbirth, the presenting part is specified with the help of a vaginal examination.

As a rule, an obstetrician-gynecologist can easily determine how the fetus is located by checking his assumptions with the help of ultrasound, which also allows us to clarify the size of the fetus, identify anomalies in its development, and establish the location of the placenta. In this case, the option of cephalic presentation or breech presentation must be determined by the location of the fetal legs, bent head, etc.

When is a fetal presentation bandage needed?

If the fetus is in the wrong position, wearing a bandage is often canceled, because it can interfere with the baby's rotation into the correct position. If it was possible to correct the presentation before the 36th week of pregnancy, then the bandage, on the contrary, is very desirable - it will help fix the normal position of the baby.

How to correct the position of the fetus

If the examination reveals the wrong position of the fetus, then starting from 28-30 weeks of pregnancy, it is recommended to perform a special set of exercises aimed at correcting this situation. All of them stimulate the baby's movements. therefore, they must be performed during the period of his wakefulness. According to various estimates, the effectiveness of such gymnastics is about 75%.

The attending physician should recommend a set of exercises. If the expectant mother has any complications or had problems with a previous pregnancy, it may be necessary to exclude something or completely abandon such physical activity. So, contraindications will be previous operations on the uterus, placenta previa, uterine tumors, late toxicosis, severe chronic diseases.

Most often, the Dikan exercise is recommended to correct the presentation. It should be performed 2-3 times a day before meals: first you need to lie down on a hard surface, after ten minutes, roll over over your back onto the other side and lie down for another 10 minutes. Repeat this exercise 3-6 times. In the transverse and oblique position, it is better to first lie on the side where the child's head is.

1. Standing on all fours as you exhale, lower your head and round your back, while inhaling calmly return to the starting position. Repeat 5-10 times.

2. Standing on all fours, lift your pelvis up and in this position, resting your feet and palms on the floor, take 10-20 steps.

3. Kneel down on your elbows. Alternately lift your legs up, each 5-10 times.

4. From a standing position on all fours, straighten both legs, lifting the pelvis up (the heels are lifted off the floor). Repeat 3-5 times.

5. Lie on your back and bend your knees, placing your feet on the floor. In this position, raise and lower your pelvis. Repeat 7-10 times. In the same initial position, lower your knees first to one side, then to the other, repeat 5-7 times in each direction.


You need to understand that gymnastic exercises are not always effective, sometimes without giving any result. But in the absence of contraindications, it is still worth trying to change the situation.

In modern conditions, obstetricians have abandoned the production of external rotation of the fetus by the head, which was practiced ten years ago in obstetric hospitals for a period of 34-37 weeks. This procedure is unsafe for both the mother and the child. It is fraught with a number of complications, including placental abruption, premature birth, deterioration of the fetus, the development of immunological conflicts between the mother and the fetus.

How will the birth go with an incorrect presentation of the fetus?

If the baby is in a transverse or oblique position, then the best method of delivery is a cesarean section.

If the breech presentation is preserved at 38 weeks of pregnancy, the state of the expectant mother and the fetus is assessed, the method of delivery is selected and a plan for the upcoming birth is drawn up: either they recommend resorting to a cesarean section, or they are allowed to give birth on their own, but under the constant supervision of a doctor. The decision in favor of natural childbirth is made under the following conditions: the fetus and the woman in labor are healthy, the structure and size of the pelvis are normal, the child is female (boys in the breech presentation have the likelihood of a scrotal injury) and is in a pure breech presentation, presumably has an average weight, no entanglement the umbilical cord around the neck.

As for the extensor cephalic presentations, usually such a diagnosis is made already during the first stage of labor during a vaginal examination. Spontaneous childbirth is possible with the anterior head and, in some cases, with the facial presentation. However, it should be borne in mind that the likelihood of birth injuries for the mother and child will be higher than with the occipital variant. In the case of a frontal presentation, a cesarean section is performed.

Natural childbirth in breech presentation

It is recommended that a mother-to-be with a breech presentation go to the hospital in advance - about 1-2 weeks before the expected date of birth. In the first stage of labor, the woman in labor is closely monitored. This is necessary because of possible complications: so often there is an early discharge of amniotic fluid, weakness of labor, prolapse of the umbilical cord, oxygen starvation of the fetus.

For the prevention of premature outpouring of water and loss of the umbilical cord, the expectant mother is recommended to observe bed rest. You should lie on the side where the back of the fetus is facing.

The development of weakness in labor with breech presentation is an unfavorable turn of events for the fetus, and most often in this case, labor ends with a cesarean section. This is explained by the fact that the use of stimulation of labor activity with medications in the first period is dangerous, as it can provoke the development of additional complications.

In the second stage of labor, the fetus continues to be monitored, and the weakness of labor is prevented with medications. Since the pelvic end is smaller than its head, the expulsion period may begin earlier than the due time, when the cervix has not yet fully opened. The baby's buttocks are the first to be born, immediately after this, the danger of oxygen starvation of the fetus sharply increases due to the pressing of the umbilical cord against the walls of the small pelvis. At this point, in most cases, a perineal incision is made. This measure is necessary to reduce the likelihood of injury to the head, which will be the last to be born. After the birth of the fetus to the level of the shoulder blades, the doctor helps the shoulders and arms of the fetus to be born, and then frees the head.

The third stage of labor - the birth of the placenta - is no different from birth in a normal presentation.

You have been waiting for the moment when your baby begins to move in his stomach, and now, finally, he has come. Since the baby is reliably surrounded by amniotic fluid, he can freely and safely move his arms and legs, turn over as he pleases, and even acquire the first "bad" habits: for example, sucking a thumb. However, over time, it will become more and more difficult for him: after all, the baby is growing and the free space around him, accordingly, becomes less. Until the baby is limited in movement, it is impossible to paint the position of the baby in the abdomen by week. After all, he can take any position, from the pelvic to the transverse. Meanwhile, the expectant mother cannot be bothered by the question of how the baby is located inside her. After all, this can affect the course of childbirth. The change in the position of the fetus in the uterus ends by 33-34 weeks of pregnancy: then the baby takes a stable position. As a rule, this is the optimal position for childbirth, which doctors call cephalic presentation, anterior view. This means that the baby is located inside the woman, head down, and the back of the head "looks" at the mother's belly. However, the position of the baby in the stomach may be different. This can disrupt the normal course of labor. However, since doctors determine in advance how the child is located in the woman's uterus, they take action on time.

So, for example, the baby can be buttocks or legs down, and this is called the pelvic position of the fetus. Such a presentation of the child can be influenced by:

  • uterine abnormalities
  • malformations of the baby
  • re-birth

In such a situation, a normal delivery is possible, and in some cases a woman is referred for a cesarean section. The doctor calculates all the risks in advance. Typically, a decision in favor of a routine delivery is made if:

  • the future mother is not older than 30 years old and is completely healthy, and the baby also pleases with good health, has a normal weight and appears on time
  • no uterine abnormalities are observed
  • the size of the woman's pelvis is normal
  • baby's neck
  • the future mom in the past had no problems with pregnancy and childbirth
  • a woman is expecting a girl (if a boy appears in a similar situation, then at the time of birth in this position, he may experience a strong load on the genitals)

The birth of the baby in this case will be accompanied by the keen observation of the heart monitor, and if any difficulties arise, the cesarean course will be carried out. A woman can immediately stop her choice on him, even if the doctor does not see any particular obstacles to natural childbirth.

An oblique position of the fetus can also be observed: the child is in the woman's uterus obliquely. After pouring out the waters, he can turn straight. True, it is not known what will be below, the head or the legs.

A low fetal position means that the baby has turned head down, as needed, but too early: around the second trimester. This can threaten the termination of pregnancy, but only if this location is accompanied by other symptoms, for example, such as:

  • shortened cervix
  • prolonged, painful uterine tone

This phenomenon occurs due to the anatomical features of the woman's pelvis. With timely action, the expectant mother has every chance of delivering a child who will appear on time and healthy.

How to determine the position of the baby in the stomach?

Of course, an experienced doctor is able to accurately figure out how the baby is located in the woman's uterus. But many expectant mothers want to learn how to define it themselves. In principle, there is nothing complicated in this procedure, and many women who have given birth during the next pregnancies are easily able to understand what position their baby is in.

If you have a stethoscope, you can listen to your belly and thus determine the position of the baby. If the baby's heartbeat is caught best on the left side of the lower abdomen, then the baby is positioned correctly. If we are talking about breech presentation, then the place where the heart is heard more clearly will be located higher (at the level of the navel or above it).

Every day the pregnancy develops, the baby grows in the womb. He is already losing the ability to actively move, since there is very little space in the uterus. At 32 weeks gestation, the baby already takes a stable position, he turns with a certain part of the body towards the exit of the birth canal. He can turn: head, buttocks, legs, knees, shoulders or arms. Therefore, in the third trimester, in addition to the general condition of the mother, gynecologists find out the presentation of the fetus during pregnancy, how tall it is and how much it weighs. These indicators will depend on how the delivery will take place - naturally or by cesarean section.

First, let's figure out what fetal presentation means. It's simple, this term is how the baby will progress at the time of childbirth. The doctor carefully looks at the ultrasound, how the baby is located in the abdomen, so that the woman has time to prepare for childbirth (especially in cases in which a cesarean section is indicated for a pregnant woman).

Let's name the main types, what is the presentation of the fetus:

  1. Cephalic presentation of the fetus is considered the most optimal and correct. In this case, if the child does not have any pathologies, childbirth takes place in a natural way. Ideal if the baby is facing the occipital region of the birth canal. Complications can arise if doctors diagnose a low presentation of the fetus, which can cause labor to begin prematurely. There are several positions of the fetal head. They depend on flexion or extension of the neck. There are the following head positions:
  • anteroposterior presentation of the fetus - when the head passes mostly along the birth canal (it is better in such cases to do a cesarean in order to avoid birth trauma to the baby and mother);
  • frontal - when the baby's neck is very unbent, which makes the head area too large, so it cannot pass through the birth canal (with this presentation, only a cesarean section is performed);
  • facial presentation of the fetus is the most dangerous, because the child's neck is completely unbent, he must pass through the birth canal not with the back of his head, but with his face (in order not to break the baby's neck, a cesarean section is required).
  1. Breech presentation of the fetus is the position of the child in which he is facing the exit with his legs or buttocks. Therefore, there are 2 types of posterior presentation of the fetus:
  • breech presentation of the fetus - it occurs in 35% of cases, with it the buttocks are facing the exit, the legs are extended at the knees and bent at the hip joint (with such a breech presentation of the fetus, childbirth can take place in a natural way, but it is very risky for the health of the baby and the woman in labor - ruptures cannot be avoided);
  • foot presentation of the fetus - the baby can face the birth canal with legs extended at the hip and knee joints, with one leg fully bent at the hip joint, and the other straight, with two legs bent at the knee joint.
  1. Transverse presentation of the fetus (it is also called oblique) - the child is located in the womb horizontally in relation to the exit through the birth canal. Doctors usually recommend that such women in labor have a caesarean section, because if you try to unfold the baby in the womb, there is a high probability that he will be injured.
  2. Longitudinal presentation of the fetus - when the child is located in the womb vertically in relation to the exit through the birth canal. It can be with head and breech presentation.

Below we will present you with a photo of the positions of the baby in the abdomen, which we have just told you about, so that you can visually imagine what it looks like.

Fetal presentation: photo

In what position should the child be in the abdomen at different times?

Until 32 weeks of gestation, the fetus does not occupy a stable position in the uterus, because it can turn several times a day, then with its head down, then with its bottom. This happens especially often if a pregnant woman has polyhydramnios, or the walls of the uterus are stretched, which does not restrict the movement of the child.

At 33 weeks of gestation, the baby already takes a stable position in which he will be born. He can no longer turn, he can only move his arms and legs, unbend and turn his head to the sides.

Abnormal presentation of the fetus: causes

Abnormal presentation of the fetus can happen due to certain factors:

  • a pregnant woman has polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios;
  • pathologically narrow pelvis of the expectant mother;
  • low position of the placenta;
  • strong and tight umbilical cord entanglement in the baby;
  • the umbilical cord is short;
  • the woman has a tumor in the uterus;
  • if a woman has previously had childbirth, which took place by cesarean section (in general, in this case, the cause is a scar);
  • a woman's uterus is abnormal;
  • the tone of the uterus is reduced;
  • the woman is multiparous or has several children;
  • the myometrium is thinned.

Obstetric diagnostics: where is the baby in the abdomen

Doctors can use one of 3 ways to determine how the baby is in the belly:

  1. An ultrasound scan will be done. This can be done at any stage of pregnancy, but in order to get an accurate result, you need to do an ultrasound scan in the last weeks.
  2. They will conduct an examination by pressing their palms against the belly of the pregnant woman. An experienced doctor will determine by touch where the baby is in the abdomen:
  • across or along the axis of the mother's spine;
  • which part of the body - the head or butt of the child - is in the area of ​​the fundus of the uterus (under the liver).
  1. During the onset of labor, when the cervix has already opened. During a gynecological examination, the obstetrician probes with his fingers the parts of the fetus's body that are presented to the exit from the uterus.

How to understand how the child is located in the stomach on your own?

A pregnant woman will be able to figure out for herself which part of the abdomen the child is in by the movements that the fetus makes in the womb:

  • if it is located with the head up, then the woman will feel the frequent shocks of the baby in the area of ​​the inguinal folds on the right or left side;
  • if the baby is located across, then the woman's belly becomes very wide (the expectant mother may feel sharp, painful movements from the legs of the fetus, and prolonged pressure when he bends and unbends the head);
  • if the baby lies with its head down, then the woman always feels how he pushes her into the right hypochondrium or liver (a woman can very easily feel the baby's knees, feet, head).

As you can see, it is quite simple to determine the presentation of the fetus yourself. You just need to learn to listen to your feelings.

Abnormal Fetal Presentation: Exercises for the Mother

If you are diagnosed that the baby in the womb has taken a wrong position, this is not a reason to panic. The doctor will prescribe you special exercises that will help change the presentation of the fetus. What is it like:

  1. Lie on a hard surface on one side and then on the other side, alternating between them, turning over every 10 minutes, 5-6 times. Do this exercise 3 times a day.
  2. Lie on a hard surface, put your feet on the wall and lift your pelvis (you can put a pillow). Try to do this exercise for 30 minutes, 3 times a day.
  3. Get on your knees, rest your elbows on the floor. Stand in this position for 15-20 minutes, 3 times a day.
  4. If the child is in a cephalic presentation, the doctor may advise you to wear the brace so that the child does not turn around again.

If you are expecting a child, you should understand that in many ways the birth of a healthy and strong baby depends only on you personally, on your lifestyle, nutrition and inner mood. Take care of yourself and your baby! Easy and quick delivery to you!

Video: "Presentation of the fetus"

Term Presentation the expectant mother usually hears in the last trimester of pregnancy. What is the position of the fetus in the uterus and how can it affect the outcome of labor?

There are only two options for fetal presentation - pelvic and cephalic presentation.

With a cephalic presentation, the head is attached to the cervix to the exit from the small pelvis, and with a breech presentation, the pelvic end (buttocks or fetal legs). During the first and second trimester of pregnancy (up to 28 weeks), this does not matter at all, since until this time the baby is quite active inside the uterus, because he is still small and there is enough space for his acrobatic exercises.

If you do an ultrasound scan before 30 weeks or determine how the baby is lying by examining and feeling the abdomen, it turns out that in 30-35 expectant mothers out of 100, the baby is in breech presentation. But as the fetus grows, it takes a fairly stable position in the uterus, and by the time of delivery (on average, by 40 weeks), most babies take the cephalic presentation, which is more preferable for childbirth, and only 3-4 babies out of 100 are born in the breech presentation.

Head presentation it is considered the most favorable for childbirth, because in this case the head of the fetus - the largest part of the baby's body - first passes through the birth canal, and the rest of the body (trunk, legs) are born quickly and without difficulty.

At breech presentation the pelvic end passes through the birth canal first, and when removing the head, difficulties may arise, since the head is a more voluminous part of the body.

There is another condition that can be called an abnormal position of the fetus in the uterus. This is a transverse position in which the head and pelvic end are located in the lateral parts of the uterus, and the shoulder of the fetus is adjacent to the exit from the uterus. In this position, the baby cannot be born on its own at all.

So, after 28-30 weeks of pregnancy, a diagnosis of "breech presentation", "cephalic presentation" or "transverse position" can be made.

Risk factors

Breech presentation and transverse position of the fetus can occur in the following cases:

A mother expecting a second or third baby. In repeated pregnancies, especially if the anterior abdominal wall is stretched, the muscles are flabby, the uterus and the fetus are not sufficiently fixed by the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall, the likelihood of a breech presentation of the fetus is higher than in the first pregnancy.

With polyhydramnios. In this case, the baby swims in a large amount of liquid, he has more room for maneuvers, so he can often turn and change the presentation from the head to the pelvic and vice versa.

With anomalies in the structure of the uterus or uterine myoma. In such a situation, it may be more convenient for the baby to be located in the breech presentation, since the pelvic end is smaller in volume than the head, and in the presence, for example, of myomatous nodes in the lower part of the uterus, it is the pelvic end that is located there. With a low position or presentation of the placenta, when the latter is located in the lower part of the uterus.

With fetal malformations. It is believed that heredity is a predisposing factor for the occurrence of a breech presentation of the fetus. So, if a mother was born in a breech presentation, then it is highly likely that her daughter will be born in the same way.

The establishment of the head in the pelvic area is also hindered by the narrow pelvis.

Among the reasons, the most common is prematurity (20.6%), followed by multiple births (13.1%), a large number of births in history (4.4%), a narrow pelvis (1.5%) and others.

The greatest number of breech presentation in premature birth is explained by the disparity between the size of the fetus and the uterine cavity. So, with a fetal body weight of up to 2500 g, it occurs 5 times more often than during childbirth that began on time. As the fetal weight increases, the frequency of breech presentation decreases. In women who have multiparous, laxity of the anterior abdominal wall and inferiority of the muscles of the uterus are noted, due to structural and anatomical changes in the uterus.

HOW TO CHANGE THE POSITION OF THE FRUIT

While you still have time, it is worth trying to change the situation. What are the ways to "turn" the baby?

The main thing is a healthy lifestyle

Good nutrition, frequent walks in the fresh air, indispensable physical activity (within reasonable limits) - swimming, walking, exercising - all this is very important! Many doctors argue that the reason for the increased incidence of unsuccessful positions of babies in the mother's belly is too comfortable life without physical exertion. We are pampered by soft sofas and comfortable cars, and not everyone remembers about physical activity and sports.

During the day

Try to sit on hard, straight, firm-backed chairs rather than an overstuffed couch, armchair, or sofa. If you are sitting on the couch, do not lean on the back. Sit on the edge with your legs apart and letting your stomach lie freely between your legs.

Often sit on a chair backwards - facing the back of the chair. If you can buy a special ball (fitball), sit on it as often as possible, for example, when watching TV or doing simple exercises for pregnant women. If you are driving, try temporarily abandoning it, or keep the back of the seat straight at all times.

Exercises

Stand on all fours from time to time, swinging your hips from side to side. This position is especially good when you feel your baby is awake. You can move around the house in this position - useful and funny!

Without getting on your knees, put your hands down, touch the floor with your hands and in this position (not very comfortable, however,) walk around the house. Sit on the floor with the soles of your feet together

Press your knees as close to the floor as possible, and pull your feet towards you. Sit like this for 10-20 minutes 2 times a day.

Dikan's exercise: 2-3 times a day before meals, lie down on a flat hard surface - first on the side where the baby's head is displaced (usually this is either the right or left hypochondrium). After 10 minutes, roll over over your back to the other side and wait another 10 minutes. Repeat the flip 6 times. Do this exercise several times a day.

Try to sleep on the side where the head is displaced. The crumb does not like this kind of gymnastics: as a sign of protest, he performs a somersault in his mother's tummy.

Lie on your back with something under your lower back so that your pelvis rises 20-30 cm above your head. Stay in this position for 10-15 minutes. At the same time, under the influence of gravity, the head of the child rests against the bottom of the uterus, and the baby himself, who apparently does not like it very much, often turns into a cephalic presentation. Exercise should be done several times a day before meals.

Sit with your knees apart shoulder-width apart, your buttocks between your heels, and your toes parallel to your legs. Now, in a sliding motion, lower yourself to the floor, resting on your head and hands. Your ribcage should be bent downward as much as possible, and your pelvis should be raised as much as you flexed.

A complicated version of the described exercise: hands are put behind the back and raised up. Lie in this position as long as you can, as it is natural during pregnancy and safe for you and your baby. Breathe in as described in the first exercise - belly and perineum, and mentally communicate with the child. Say sweet words to him, ask him to turn over.

Do the well-known exercise "bicycle" - 5-10 times a day, as best you can.

Lie on your back and bend your knees. Raise and lower your pelvis about 10 times.

From the same starting position, lower your knees first to one side, then to the other (5-10 times).

If the position of the fetus has improved, the doctor will advise you to wear a bandage to consolidate the achieved result.

Method # 1

Exercises are performed before meals 4-5 times a day. Lie on your side opposite the fetal position. Bend your legs at the hip and knee joints. Lie down for 5 minutes. After that, straighten the upper leg, then, with an inhalation, press it to the stomach and straighten it with an exhalation, slightly bending forward and giving a slight push towards the back of the child. Repeat this movement slowly for 10 minutes. Lie down for 10 minutes without moving. Exercise 4-5 times a day.

Method # 2

Introductory part: walking is normal, on toes, on heels, walking forward and backward with rotation of the arms bent at the joints, walking with high knees lifted to the side of the abdomen.

Main part

Starting position - feet shoulder-width apart, arms down. Bend to the side (exhale) and straighten (inhale). 5-6 times in each direction.

Stand with your hands on your belt. Tilt back (inhale), slowly lean forward, bending in the lumbar region (exhale). Feet shoulder width apart, hands on the belt. Spread your arms to the sides (inhale), turning your torso to the side, bring your legs together (exhale). 3-4 times.

Facing the back of a chair, extend your arms and grasp the rail (at waist level). Bend your leg at the knee and hip joints. Lift it to the side of the abdomen, reaching with your knee the hand lying on the rail (inhale). Lowering your leg, bend in the lower back (exhale). 4-5 times with each leg.

Stand sideways to the back of a chair, your foot on its crossbar, your hands on the belt. Hands to the sides (inhale), turn the torso and pelvis to the side, make a slow tilt, lowering your hands down in front of you (exhale). 2-3 times in each direction.

On your knees, rest on your elbows. Raise straight legs up one by one. 5-6 times.

Lying on your right side, bend your left leg at the knee and hip joints (inhale). Straighten your leg (exhale). 4-5 times.

The starting position is the same. Make circular motions with your left foot. 4 times in each direction.

On all fours, arch your back like an angry cat. 10 times. On the left side - exercises 6, 7.

Get on all fours, resting on the forefoot. Straighten your knees while lifting your pelvis. 4-5 times.

Lying on your back, lean on your heels and the back of your head. Lift your pelvis (inhale), take the starting position (exhale). 3-4 times.

The final part is 3-5 slow exercises while sitting and lying down.

Attention: before performing these complexes, be sure to consult your doctor. If there are any complications (or there were problems with previous pregnancies), these exercises may not work for you.

What else will help

Let's list a few more factors that can affect the position of the baby.

Water!

Swimming is considered one of the best physical activities for an expectant mother. And in the case of breech presentation, many experts recommend regular visits to the pool. It is useful to swim on the back as well as dive.

Osteopathy

If possible, visit an osteopathic doctor. In his arsenal there are many techniques for solving typical pregnancy problems, including those that help to turn over an incorrectly lying baby.

Reflexology and acupuncture

Perhaps there are practitioners of this profile in your city. Be sure to contact them. As a self-help, it is recommended to massage the little toes 2-3 times a day.

Homeopathy

A homeopathic doctor will advise you on the right remedy. Magic peas can sometimes work a miracle in a few days. Homeopathic remedies are sold in specialized pharmacies or you can order them.

Self-hypnosis and visualization. Psychologists often emphasize the great power of thought. Imagine the baby clearly, head down. Look for pictures in pregnancy books or magazines showing a normal baby sitting in the belly.

Copy them and hang them in a prominent place. The more often you look at them and instill optimistic thoughts in yourself, the higher the chance that the child will roll over. Visualize the baby's turn while deeply relaxing.

Try to imagine not the process of turning, but an already overturned child. You can also write and use affirmations - special phrases, the repetition of which also sets up a positive result. For example: "My baby is in the most comfortable position for childbirth", "The position of my baby is good for a soft and natural birth" (statements should be made in the present tense).

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How to determine the position of the baby in the stomach


It makes sense to try to determine the position of the baby in the abdomen after the thirtieth week.

1. Where does the heart beat?

The easiest way to "find" your baby is to find out where your heartbeat is best heard. You will need a regular stethoscope, some patience and luck. Start listening in the lower left segment of your abdomen - there you can hear the heartbeat in most babies who “fall into place”. Your goal is to catch sounds with a frequency of 120-160 beats per minute. You don't have to limit yourself to the front of your abdomen - in some positions, the heart is best heard when you hold a stethoscope to your side. The heartbeat is best heard where the baby's upper back is.

This method will be very useful to you if you need to understand whether the baby has turned over for childbirth from breech presentation to head presentation. Find a place where the baby's heartbeat is heard best, and each day, as you do exercises that should help it roll over, see if that location changes. With a breech presentation, it will be higher than with a cephalic presentation.

2. Belly Mapping - belly map.

This is the author's method of midwife Gail Tully from the USA. For those who read in English, it will be interesting to go here: Belly Mapping. This method allows you to independently, without the help of ultrasound, determine the position of the baby in the abdomen, and we teach him in our classes.
In short, its essence is as follows.
First, you need to observe the child's movements (what they are generally found in him, and in which part of the abdomen you feel them). Then, being in a prone or semi-lying position, feel the baby while the uterus is in a relaxed state. As a result, you will be able to make a "map" of the abdomen, on which you can mark the following:
- where you feel the strongest kicks (these are the legs),
- where you feel slight movements of small amplitude (most likely these are the hands),
- where there is a large bulging area that looks like a head (this is a butt),
- which side of the belly is more firm and even (the back of the child is located there),
- where the doctor last heard the baby's heartbeat (the upper part of the baby's back is located there).

How to distinguish cephalic presentation from breech presentation?
In any case, you will feel the protruding part of the child from above. But only the neck and back leave the head, and from the priests - also the legs, which can be felt if you are persistent. In addition, you can remember where the doctor last found the sound of a heartbeat - if from below, then the baby lies head down, and if from above, then the booty.

What can you pay attention to?
Many experts pay attention to where the baby's back is facing - towards the mother's back, or towards her belly? This can be important, because if most of the time in the last months before giving birth, the baby lies with his back towards the mother's back (this is called the "posterior view"), then most likely he will begin to be born from this position, and in this case, childbirth can be more painful for the mother, more prolonged, and more likely to end in a caesarean section.
Therefore, if you can never find the back of the child when groping (this suggests that it is facing towards your back), it makes sense to see if you can persuade the child to roll over. It is said that due to the fact that the back is a heavier part of the child compared to the arms and legs, it usually tends to turn down itself. In recent decades, women have begun to lead a much less active lifestyle and spend a lot of time half-lying or half-sitting, so that gravity pulls the baby's back down, that is, to the mother's back. This can be prevented if the mother more often takes positions in which gravity will pull the baby's back towards the stomach (these are any straight positions and positions in which the mother's body leans forward, swimming is also suitable) and generally moves more actively.

Sometimes, in order to "feel" the position of the child, the mother needs to see how the child, in principle, can lie in the stomach. Here's an illustration to check out:

Why can't I feel anything?
Sometimes it can be difficult to "look" at a child in this way. In cases where there is a lot of amniotic fluid, or if the placenta is attached to the front wall of the uterus, or if the mother is plump, and it is difficult to feel something through the fatty layer, the hands will "see" worse. If the uterus is straining from attempts all the time, it is better not to take them - all the same, it will not be possible to get any reliable information. The baby feels best in the last two months of pregnancy.
Naturally, professionals can very quickly determine the position of the child. But mothers have one advantage - they can do it much more often, because the child is always at hand. As a rule, in one to two weeks of trying, almost any mother can learn to determine the position of the child, if nothing interferes with her.

Then, when the baby is born, his body will be much more familiar to you, and you can hold him with more confidence. Yes, and during pregnancy it is much more pleasant to feel the movements of the child when you know how he makes them - where is the leg, where are the arms, where is the ass, etc. And to the questions "how is he there?" It is a pleasure to answer - "Everything is fine with him, he moves as usual, this morning he stretched his legs several times, lies with his head down, here he has a back, etc."

Nadia Pavlovskaya

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Comments (1)
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  • How to determine the position of the baby in the tummy

    2. The second way to "look" at the baby is advised by midwives. Most of all, Gail Tully from the USA wrote about him .. At one of our classes, I taught girls how to use this method, which allows them to independently, without the help of an ultrasound, determine ...

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