# Baby is head down but on right side...



## raspberryswirl (Sep 27, 2005)

Hey all, I finally figured out that the baby is head down with his back on my right side of the tummy. The midwife I just started seeing said I should try to get him to move to the left side for an "easier" birth. She suggested doing cat stetches and lying on my right side. Has anyone tried moving their baby from one side to another? I tell ya, I was content just knowing the baby wasn't breech but now I feel like I need to worry b/c he's not on the "correct" side!









Please tell me what you know.
Thanks, Margaret


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## Rach (Nov 11, 2003)

Ana was the same way.
My midwife never mentioned anything about it. I did try moving her to the center, but had no luck, she just loved that right side!!
I labored with her and birthed all 8pounds 12ounces of her. I only had 2 small tears, no need for stitches.
I wouldn't worry.


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## hunnybumm (Nov 1, 2003)

Hmm.. I am curious now too! I just went to my MW on Monday (I'm 33 weeks) and my baby was positioned just like yours. I too was just happy it wasn't breech and had no idea that the baby is suppose to be on the left side. Is it really that important? Would a left right sided baby be postierier? I still have a bit of time to move it with plenty of room in there so I could start whatever needs to be done now.


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## staceyshoe (Feb 5, 2005)

I think this must be a very minor point. My ds had his back toward my right side. My midwife never said anything about it being an unfavorable position. DS wasn't posterior, and he was positioned well for the birth. It was completely uncomplicated.


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## beaches1098 (Jun 17, 2004)

Both of my sons started labor on the right. The ideal position is left and anterior. I had chiro adjustments to make sure my pelvis was all lined up but they liked the right so I just trusted my body. My labor was 2 1/2 hours and he came out fine so it worked fine for us!


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## raspberryswirl (Sep 27, 2005)

Thanks for your responses ladies. Hunnybumm, I never knew anything about positioning either until someone on this website mentioned the www.spinningbabies.com website. That's where I learned that "ideally" your baby should be head down with his/her back to your left side. The site talks about how to get your breech baby to go head down but it doesn't (to my knowledge) say anything about getting your right sided babe to the left. So I was a little surprised when my midwife said I should try to get my guy on the left side. Her theory is that babies don't like to move counter clockwise and that when labor starts he'll try to move back to back with me, then go to my right side, then move back to stomach with me for the descent....making it this long (painful) labor. From what a few of you have written though that doesn't sound like it's exactly true.

I tried moving him last night with her recommendations and woke up this morning with his head more to the right side which freaked me out b/c the last thing I want to do is make him go head up!


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## loudmama (Mar 12, 2005)

Not to freak anyone out, but positioning CAN have an effect on labor & babies coming out vaginally. Sometimes is just means long back labor, in some cases a c-section. However, some babies have no problems coming out in funky positions!

Another good book to read is Sit Up & Take Notice. It gives lots of info on positioning!

L


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## wek524 (Jun 11, 2005)

So my little one's been doing the same thing...almost always on the right side. Although she is still turning and moving a lot (and I'm at 39 weeks--so don't stress yourself out too soon). I read however that it helps to sleep on your left side because the back is the heavier side of the baby so gravity pulls it down. Usually if I make sure I spend the whole night on my left side (I have to put pillows behind me or I'll end up on my right), I wake up and she has her back to my left.
Also, I make sure that, whenever I'm sitting down, I have good posture... sitting up straight or a little forward and that my knees are lower than my hips. That's what my midwife recommended (along with lots of pelvic tilts--cat/cow stretches) to get her into the best position. So no slouching or reclining on the couch.


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## DesireeH (Mar 22, 2003)

Me too. ROA.......I was just happy this one was anterior and didnt care what side she was on. LOL My first son was on the right and posterior.


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## Sagesgirl (Nov 22, 2001)

Another right-lying baby here. In my case, the placenta is on the left, so I have to question how much room there is for him to get over to that side even if he wants to.

Honestly, "babies don't like to move counterclockwise" kind of fails the logic test to me. I'd ask her what she bases that theory on.


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## Spark (Nov 21, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *raspberryswirl*
She suggested doing cat stetches and lying on my right side.

From my understanding, it should be on your left side that you try to sleep. Theory being that gravity will help your baby float to the side that's down, not the side that's up.

I, personally, would try to encourage my babe to get into ideal positioning. Going through a labor with a poorly positioned baby and then one with an ideal positioned babe, I would do whatever I could to encourage ideal positioning!









Did I miss someone giving you this website? www.spinningbabies.com


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## crsta33 (Oct 13, 2004)

I don't think that ROA should be a problem...it's not as common as LOA, but it's gotta be better than posterior. My little guy was completely OP until a few days ago. He's moved and is more comfie on my right (it's where he was before going OP).

I could see if they were more likely to turn posterior during labor how it *might* be a problem, but I kinda think which side they choose to lie on isn't such a big deal.

Also, left side sleeping is the best for your circulation which makes it better for baby b/c they get more oxygen that way. Laying any other way can compress veins and arteries. Left side sleeping isn't recommended just for positioning purposes.

Christa


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## raspberryswirl (Sep 27, 2005)

What I had heard/read about left side sleeping is that the placenta gets the most nutrients to the baby that way but I had never heard about sleeping making a difference in the baby's position until my midwife's comment and this thread.

As far as the back being the heaviest side of the baby and gravity pulling it down- I did read that on the spinning babies website as far as slouching on the couch (but nothing about sleeping) and it seems to makes sense.

What's weird about my midwife's theory about why I should sleep on my right side (which is that baby's don't like to be on their backs) is that it also made sense immediately for me b/c whenever I lie on my right side my little guy goes nuts with movement like he's not a happy camper. And when I lie on my left side I hardly ever feel him move.

Now, since about 20 weeks I've been sleeping about 70% of the time on the left and 30% on the right (due to the nutrients theory) and my guy is still on the right hand side. Honestly I could never just sleep on one side anyway b/c both of my shoulders kill every night and so I flip from side to side.

Thanks for all the comments ladies, this has been very interesting. I wonder if someone has actually had success in moving their babe from the right to the left?


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## Sagesgirl (Nov 22, 2001)

Well, I can poke at mine and get him to move from right to center, but he doesn't head over to the left side unless he just wants to.


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## kristenburgess (Sep 15, 2002)

My last baby was consistently ROA. I had a lot of anxiety about it while I was pregnant. My second babe was posterior so I feel like I spent my last two pregnancies worried about where my babies were sitting!

I did all the stretching and lying around on my right side (which my mw suggested too), and he spun around to the left for one prenatal, then went back. Hah! He was ROA when my labor began, then went posterior, then to LOA during the course of labor. He got a little hung up and his head wasn't decending well. My midwife had me change positions and that got his head engaged all the way and I went 6-7-8-9-10 omg I need to PUSH - about that fast.

I napped in the recliner so that I wouldn't toss and turn as much, but in bed I was on both sides and too tired to really care about trying to stay on one side all night. I think baby positioning does matter, but I think I spent too much time worrying about it. It's better to just relax and not spend the rest of your pregnancy being anxious over position. Incorporate what your mw suggested into your daily routine and let your baby take it from there is what I'd say


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## Nosy (Feb 23, 2004)

My DS loved the right side, and it seems this babe (at 32 weeks) feels the same. I didn't know that right side could equal posterior presentation or I would have been stressed about it. My DS must have moved sometime before real labor began bc I had no back labor & he was born anterior. Wish I could remember when he moved. Thanks for the tips..I'm going to see if I can get this babe better acquainted with my left side.


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## Selena (Dec 26, 2001)

a doula on another board got me absolutely freaked out about positioning, lol, saying that a right lying baby would cause horrible back labor posterior etc etc etc...

I asked my midwife and she rolled her eyes and said, "where did you hear that". Babies can move all over from birth until delivery. Just go with your baby. I was convinced my baby was on the right side because litterally, I have 1 inch stretch mark extensions on my left side (this is my 3rd







) and 3 inch extensions to my stretch marks on my right.... but baby is head down with back on the left, as "recommended".

Just try to relx and endure/enjoy these last few weeks


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## guestmama9911 (May 24, 2005)

My DS has been on the right side as long as we've been able to feel his position (I'm at 40 weeks) and all my midwife has ever said is "As long as he isn't facing forward." She has never said the left side is better, only that it is more common. DS has floated regularly from one side to the other over the last several weeks, but his favorite has always been head down, back against my right side, facing left. I don't anticipate problems, as I don't see how the left side would have any anatomical advantage.


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## babacyd (Jul 1, 2005)

My last baby was on his right side as well. I was upright during the whole birth, because this was the most "comfortable" position. He turned during birth without no problem. I tried setting up, taking Pulsatilla, which you can take during birth as well to help him/her get into the more preferred position. ANIKO


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