Natural Birth and Baby Care.com

Longitudinal Lie of My Baby

by Sam
(Northern Ireland)

My baby is in a longitudinal lie and I was told by my midwife it can be a longer and harder labour if he or she does not move.

I have had a lot of back pain throughout pregnancy. I have had two membrane sweeps and I am due today - do you think the way my baby is laying is prolonging my pregnancy?

Answer:

Hi Sam,

A baby in a longitudinal position means that baby is up and down. Your baby could be either head down (vertex) or head up (breech). I'm going to guess that your baby is probably head down, but may be posterior.

Your baby is posterior when his or her back is towards your back (baby is still longitudinal because his or her body is straight up and down). But being turned with baby's back toward yours can put a lot of uncomfortable pressure on your sacrum (just above where your tailbone is at) and that causes lower back pain. It can also really slow down a labour and cause it to be longer.

Sometimes baby position can effect going into labour because if your baby's head isn't seated right up against the cervix, your body may not get the signals to start dilation.

However, since you are just now at your due date, I would relax. Even with the sweeps, your body just may not be ready yet.

You can encourage your baby to turn into a good position by sitting on you hands and knees and letting your belly hang down. Avoid reclining back into chairs. Sitting on a birth ball is also considered pretty helpful.

Even if your baby is posterior, you can still have a natural labour and birth - many, many women have done it.

I recommend you choose positions to labour in that help you feel open - many women like to squat, or stand. These positions can help open up your body and let your baby move down through your bones more quickly. This is great for you in two ways - it gets the pain and pressure over with, and you hold your baby sooner.

You can read more about baby positioning here:

Baby Position in the Womb

Best of luck with your new little one Sam.