If your baby's still in this position when your labour starts or you get to full term, you'll either need: Some babies lie across your womb from side to side – you might hear this called a transverse lie. Your obstetrician will talk to you about your choices and make a plan for the birth with you. a caesarean section may be recommended - sometimes this is the safest option and least likely to harm them.there are only some places where you’ll be able to give birth - your midwife or doctor wouldn’t recommend having your baby at home.If you know your baby's going to be born breech: If you need ECV your obstetrician will explain what will happen and answer any questions you have. If ECV was done before 37 weeks your baby still has room to change position again afterwards. There’s a small chance that ECV can cause distress to your baby, which is why their heart rate's monitored. When the ECV is being carried out, your baby will be monitored all the time. When is ECV done?ĮCV is carried out after you've had an ultrasound showing your baby needs help to turn. You may be given some medication to relax the muscles in your womb before you have this. It can be uncomfortable, but it shouldn’t be painful. External cephalic version (ECV)ĮCV means gently massaging your tummy to encourage your baby to turn by doing either a forward or backward flip in the womb. Up to half of babies in a breech position can be turned like this and you can try to have a vaginal delivery. If your baby can’t be turned, your doctor may suggest trying again on another day. Your doctor will usually try turning your baby by external cephalic version (ECV). If your baby's still breech by about 36 to 37 weeks they may not turn by themselves. Your baby may move into a head-down position on their own. knees straight and their legs up in front of their face.By the end of pregnancy only about 3 in 100 are breech. Breech positionīreech position is when your baby’s bottom, or sometimes their foot, is the part that'll be born first.Īround 1 in 5 babies are in the breech position at 30 weeks of pregnancy. If your baby doesn’t turn following pushing, your obstetrician can help to turn your baby to face the right way and then deliver your baby with the help of forceps. If your baby doesn’t turn, then your pushing can result in your baby being born in the posterior position but this is less likely to happen with a first pregnancy. Your baby can also turn round when you're pushing. Sometimes your contractions help your baby to turn. In earlier stages it doesn’t matter but once you’re ready to go into labour, your baby needs to turn all the way around to the front. While they’re in this position their head presses against your lower back, causing backache. a ventouse or forceps delivery, or caesarean sectionĪ posterior position (occipito-posterior) is when your baby’s back is lying against yours.It can be more difficult for babies to be born in these positions. transverse position - across your womb from side to side.breech position - where their bottom leads first, and their head is at the top.posterior position (occipito-posterior) - facing the opposite way with their backs to your back.This position is called occipito anterior. Most babies are born head first with their faces looking down, their back against your stomach and their chin tucked in on their chest.