When Does the Baby Assume Head-Down Position during Pregnancy?

Apart from having a healthy baby, all first-time mothers-to-be wish for one thing: a quick and normal delivery with shorter labor. This is only possible if the When the Baby Assumes Head-Down Position during Pregnancy, that is the anterior position. Your child will assume this position when you’re 33 to 36 weeks pregnant.

When in the anterior position, your little sweetheart will be facing your back with the head ready to enter your pelvis. In the final weeks of the baby’s development, the head presses against your cervix, helping it open up for your child’s big entrance. By the 36th week, your baby will be ready to arrive head-first into the world.

Knowing your baby’s position

Most babies get in place around the 33rd week; however, some take more time to turn. By the 36th week of pregnancy, your baby will have moved into the ideal anterior position, preparing to enter the world. First-time mums will know for sure when they feel heaviness in their pelvic area. However, don’t be alarmed if your baby continues to flip around. Mothers who’ve already been blessed with a child may experience this around a week prior to delivery.

Different types of positions

The likelihood of your baby being delivered in any other position is 4 in a 100. Apart from mommy’s favourite anterior position, the other positions that your little one may choose from include the posterior, breech, transverse lie, and even the odd shoulder-first. However, about one-third of posterior positioned children will spontaneously turn to the right direction on their own before birth.

Rubbing In The Right Direction To Make Your Baby Assume Head-Down Position

If your baby’s head in the womb is in anything but an anterior position during the last few weeks, you may want to try the following before making a beeline for your doctor:

1. Tilt your pelvis forward when sitting
2. Always keep your knees lower than your hips when seated
3. Sit on a medicine ball/exercise ball whenever possible
4. Take breaks to move around from a sitting position
5. Sit on a cushion to tilt forward and lift up your bottom when travelling by car
6. Get down on all fours (like your baby will while crawling) a few times a day for some minutes

When everything else fails, you may approach your doctor who will attempt to rectify the position of your baby using something known as the external cephalic version. External cephalic version is a procedure in which your obstetrician will first administer a certain medicine to relax your uterine muscles before pressing specific areas of your abdomen to flip your baby.

Any position other than the adored anterior position may cause your delivery to be long and drawn out and may require a caesarean or C-section. Today, with the latest in antibiotics and advanced surgical prowess, don’t be afraid to opt for a C-section in situations where a vaginal delivery may be hazardous.

You may want to read Is it Safe to Cross Legs during the 32nd Week of Pregnancy?

Pampers India is with you all the way with tips and advice from experts always on hand. So visit the site for comprehensive details on any prenatal or postnatal query you may have.