The ideal, or optimal, fetal position is a flexed baby. We often hear that an optimal position is head down with baby’s back to your front or left. That’s because these are the most common positions associated with good spine flexion. A good fetal position aims the baby’s crown onto the cervix to help it open more easily and labor progress smoothly.
When babies start labor with the back of the head towards mother’s anterior (front) less rotation has to happen. A baby facing forward (posterior) or head up (breech) may present a challenge, or not. Spinning Babies® trains providers to discern why and when we need to intervene or when its fine to wait and trust.
A “malpositioned” baby is one that can’t enter the pelvis; lying sideways (transverse lie) or diagonally (oblique lie), or one that doesn’t fit as well because the chin is up.
Spinning Babies® helps baby get into position for birth and helps support a normal, even natural, childbirth.