As you approach your due date, you may be keen to find out which way your baby is lying in your womb. That’s because their foetal position may affect your labour. Your doctor or midwife will "palpate" (feel) your belly during your check-ups to figure out your
baby's position. If they’re unsure, they may request an
ultrasound scan at around 35 weeks
(Medical News Today 2022).
In the meantime, you may be able to figure out your baby’s foetal position from their movements. Here’s what you need to know.
Cephalic (or vertex or head-down) position
There are a few variations on the head-down position and each one will likely feel different.
Advertisement | page continues below
Occiput anterior position
When your baby has their head down and is facing your back, it’s called occiput anterior (OA). This is the ideal position for childbirth. You may see LOA (left occiput anterior) or ROA (right occiput anterior) on your chart. This simply refers to which side of your womb your baby is lying on.
If your baby is in the OA position, you might feel kicks under your ribs and be able to feel the hard surface of your baby’s back on one side of your belly. Your belly button may also pop out
(Medical News Today 2022, NCT 2018).
Occiput posterior position
Have you been wondering what OP means? Also known as back-to-back, the OP position means that your baby is head-down and facing your belly. It can lead to a longer and tougher labour because your baby can’t tuck their chin in to get through your pelvis.
You may see LOP (left occiput posterior) or ROP (right occiput posterior) on your chart. This simply refers to which side of your womb your baby is lying on.
If your baby is in OP position, you’re more likely to feel kicks in the middle of your belly. Your bump may feel squishy and you might have a dip around your belly button
(Medical News Today 2022, NCT 2018).
Breech (bottom-down) position
If your baby is in a
breech position, it means that their bottom is down. There are three main types of breech position.
- Frank breech: Your baby’s legs are up in front of their body with their legs near their face.
- Complete breech: Your baby’s legs are crossed in front of their body.
- Footling breech: One or both of your baby’s feet are hanging below their bottom towards your birth canal.
(Medical News Today 2022, Cleveland Clinic 2020)
In all breech positions, you’re likely to feel your baby’s kicks lower in your belly than if they were head-down. The exact place will depend on where your baby’s feet are. You may also feel a hard swelling below your ribs, which is your baby’s head
(WedMD 2022).
Transverse lie
When your baby is in a transverse lie position, it means that they’re lying straight across your uterus. You may feel their hard, round head on one side of your belly and some kicks on the other
(MSD Manual 2023).
Oblique lie
When your baby is in an oblique lie position, it means that they’re lying diagonally across your uterus. You may feel their head on one side of your belly and some kicks on the other.
What can I do if my baby isn’t in the right position?
Your baby's position can change a lot during the second trimester. By the time labour starts, most babies are head-down
(Medical News Today 2022).
Advertisement | page continues below
Your doctor or midwife will tell you what position your baby is in during your routine antenatal checks. If your baby's in a breech or transverse lie position, they may suggest
natural ways to turn your baby. They may offer you something called an external cephalic version (
ECV). This is where they place their hands on your belly and try to turn your baby around. If your baby can’t be turned through these methods, you may need to have a
caesarean (WebMD 2022).
Or they might offer to refer you to an expert in breech. Some large city hospitals now have special breech services.
If you have concerns about your baby's position at any stage, speak to your doctor or midwife.
Find out how to
get your baby into a good position for birth.
