Why Is Position Of Baby During Birth Important?

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P r e g n a n c y is u n d o u b t e d l y a t i m e of j o y . But i t is a l s o a t i m e of e x t r e m e curiosity a n d anxiousness.

W h i l e you a r e pregnant, t h e r e must b e several q u e s t i o n s running t h r o u g h your m i n d regarding – The d e l i v e r y of y o u r baby. A m o n g which o n e question y o u may h a v e is t h e position o f your b a b y during b i r t h .

P o s i t i o n Of B a b y During B i r t h :

W h i c h baby p o s i t i o n before b i r t h i s considered e a s y ? It i s easier t o give b i r t h to y o u r baby, w h e n the b a b y is i n a p a r t i c u l a r position i n the p e l v i s zone b e f o r e birth. I d e a l l y , it i s when y o u r baby’s h e a d is p o i n t i n g downwards.

H o w e v e r , there a r e various p o s i t i o n s in w h i c h your b a b y can l i e in y o u r pelvis b e f o r e birth, a n d this c a n make y o u r delivery e a s i e r or d i f f i c u l t . Understanding a b o u t the d i f f e r e n t ways y o u r baby p o s i t i o n s in t h e womb w i l l help e a s e your q u e r i e s . This w i l l also g i v e you a better a p p r o a c h on w h a t is t h e right p o s i t i o n of b a b y during d e l i v e r y .

D i f f e r e n t Positions O f Baby D u r i n g Birth:

T h e r e are d i f f e r e n t types o f positions w h i c h your b a b y can o c c u p y before b i r t h . These w i l l end u p deciding y o u r method o f delivery, w h e t h e r normal o r C-section.

H e r e are t h e most c o m m o n baby p o s i t i o n s during l a b o r :

1 . Anterior P o s i t i o n – T h e B e s t Baby Position:

T h e best p o s i t i o n for e a s i e r delivery i s when y o u r baby’s h e a d is f a c i n g down a n d the b a c k of h e a d is l i t t l e towards t h e front o f your t u m m y . This p o s i t i o n is k n o w n as t h e ‘Occiput A n t e r i o r Position’, w h i c h makes t h e labor s h o r t and e a s y for y o u .

I n this p o s i t i o n , your b a b y is l y i n g snugly i n t o your p e l v i s , which i s a b o w l shaped s t r u c t u r e of b o n e , in t h e lower a b d o m e n . Hip b o n e s form t h e pelvis a n d hold a l l the r e p r o d u c t i v e organs, k i d n e y s and t h e bowel.
W h e n the b a b y is l y i n g to y o u r right, i t would b e written a s ROA ( R i g h t Occiput A n t e r i o r ) and i f lying t o your l e f t , it w o u l d be w r i t t e n as L O A (Left O c c i p u t Anterior).
T h i s position c a n be b r o a d l y understood a s the p o s i t i o n in w h i c h baby c a n flex h i s neck, h e a d and t u c k his c h i n into t h e chest.
T h e narrowest p a r t of t h e head p r e s s e s your c e r v i x , which h e l p s during d e l i v e r y . When t h e baby e n t e r s into t h e pelvis d u r i n g birth, t h i s anterior p o s i t i o n of t h e baby m a k e s it e a s y for t h e baby t o come d o w n gently.
I n majority o f cases, b a b i e s lie i n this p o s i t i o n .

2 . Occiput P o s t e r i o r Position:

Y o u r baby c a n be p o s i t i o n e d with h i s back a g a i n s t your b a c k . This i s called O P or ‘ O c c i p u t Posterior’ p o s i t i o n . This p o s i t i o n is r e f e r r e d to a s back-to-back b a b y position.

I f your b a b y is l y i n g in y o u r pelvis i n this p o s i t i o n , labor c a n take l o n g e r . This i s because y o u r baby c a n ’ t fit s n u g l y into y o u r pelvis a n d also f a i l s to t u c k his c h i n into h i s chest w h i c h makes t h e position a little a w k w a r d .
T h u s , this p o s i t i o n also c a u s e s back p a i n during l a b o r .

T h e r e are a few r e a s o n s for a baby b e i n g in O P position:

a . Shape A n d Type O f Pelvis:

O n e reason c a n be t h e shape o f pelvis w h i c h is n o r m a l l y round i n shape.

S o m e women h a v e a h e a r t shaped, o v a l and a narrow p e l v i s .
T h i s shape o f pelvis c a u s e s the b a b y to s e t t l e in O P position i n the w i d e s t space o f your p e l v i s as i t gets m o r e area t o rest t h e head e a s i l y .

b . Lifestyle:

I f you a r e upright m o s t of t h e time a n d do a lot o f manual w o r k in y o u r life, y o u would n o t have t o face t h e OP p o s i t i o n of y o u r baby.

I n instances l i k e sitting i n the c a r , working o n a c o m p u t e r in t h e office a n d curling u p in t h e armchair w h i l e watching t e l e v i s i o n , your p e l v i s is t i p p e d backwards.
T h i s baby p o s i t i o n is v e r y likely t o happen w h e n you a r e in a position w h e r e your k n e e s are a l w a y s elevated a b o v e the p e l v i s level.
T h e heaviest p a r t of y o u r baby, t h a t is, t h e back o f the b a b y ’ s head, w i l l swing t o the b a c k when y o u r pelvis i s tipped b a c k w a r d s . This l e a d s to p o s t e r i o r baby p o s i t i o n during b i r t h .
I t is v e r y important t o do s o m e physical a c t i v i t i e s regularly a n d avoid s i t t i n g in o n e place f o r long t o avoid t h i s position.

Y o u can b r i n g your b a b y back i n t o the a n t e r i o r position f r o m the p o s t e r i o r position b y ‘Optimal F o e t a l Positioning’ ( O F P ) process. Y o u can, b y yourself, e n c o u r a g e your b a b y to g e t into a n t e r i o r position b y lowering y o u r knees a l w a y s below t h e level o f pelvis. O f course t h i s has t o be g r e e n – s i g n a l e d by y o u r doctor f i r s t .

W e are s u r e the a b o v e pointers w i l l help c l e a r some o f your c u r i o s i t i e s regarding t h e right p o s i t i o n of b a b y for b i r t h . Always f o l l o w your g y n e c o l o g i s t ’ s advice b e f o r e doing a n y workout d u r i n g pregnancy a n d regularly c o n s u l t him o r her a b o u t any q u e s t i o n s you m a y have.

D o share y o u r views o n our p o s t p o s i t i o n of b a b y during b i r t h with u s .

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