Natural Birth and Baby Care.com

Transversal Lie

by Laura
(Peru/USA)

I am 29 weeks pregnant and recently had an extensive ultrasound. Everything is good. The baby looks fine, but is in a transversal(sideways)lie. His/Her head is on my left and the feet on the right. I know I still have weeks before I worry, but also s/he should start turning before s/he gets too big and it's more difficult.

I'm wondering if you know of anything to help a baby move positions. I'm going to get back to my yoga DVD and maybe there is something on the Pink Kit I haven't found. Anyway, thanks!

Answer

Hi Laura,

It is normal for babies to be in positions other than head down at the beginning of the third trimester. It's also good to encourage them to turn head down!

Start encouraging your baby to be a in a good position by paying attention to your position. Sitting up in your chair rather than slouching back encourages baby to move into a good position.

If you can get a birth ball, or an "exercise ball," this is a good thing to sit on. It gives you a comfortable seat that automatically puts your body in the best position.

When you lie down lean slightly over towards your belly rather than on your back.

Yoga is often very helpful in positioning babies. The breath and quiet help you focus on your baby and learn to work with your body more. The Pink Kit skills also help with this - you become more and more aware of your own body and how your baby is positioned within you.


There are a couple of positions useful for breech babies that are supposed to help transverse babies as well.

One is using an ironing board (or any stable board). Lean it up against the couch in a slope and then you lie on it with your head down and your feet up. Do it for only a half minute or so, a few times a day. You can also just kneel on the couch and lean forward, putting your arms down on the floor to support yourself leaning forward.

Another similar technique is to kneel on the floor. Then get up onto your feet, leaving your hands down on the floor so your bottom is up in the air (your body will be making a "V" shape).

These encourage your baby to turn to the proper position.

Swimming is supposed to be excellent for helping spin babies into optimal positions. I've also heard that standing on your head in the water can be helpful!

These techniques should encourage baby to turn in a relatively short period of time - a week or so. You may want to get help from a practitioner, chiropractor, or other health care professional if baby hasn't turned by 32-34 weeks... but babies, though having a harder time, can turn later in pregnancy.