When you enter into the later weeks of the third trimester, your doctor will start checking the position of the baby, to make a determination on when and (how) he or she might come out when it's time give birth. Keep in mind that a lot can happen in those last weeks--the first thing to note about this process is that anything you think will happen, can change on a dime! If you're told that the baby's head is low, it doesn't mean that you will have the baby early, or even on time (I can attest to that personally!) On the other hand, if you're told that the baby is breech (in other words, not positioned head first), it doesn't necessarily mean that it will stay that way.
If your baby is in a breech position, the doctor will continually monitor the fetal position towards the end of your pregnancy, and advise you on the progress, and your options. However, as you play the waiting game, there are few gentle prenatal yoga poses that you can work into your reportoire, that might help stimulate that baby into moving head first. Here is one to try:
Cat/Cow
Om for Mom Prenatal Yoga sessions always include a cat/cow flow, because it is a multifaceted prenatal yoga posture. Not only it is great for relieving lower and upper back pain, it can help to move baby out of a breech position. Find a tabletop position on all fours, spreading fingers wide or making fists to ease any wrist tension. On the inhale, round your spine high to the ceiling, tucking tailbone under, and dropping the head. Slowly exhale, pressing out the back body and releasing the spine so the belly is releasing towards the mat, head returning to neutral. Move through this flow slowly, guided by the breath, several times. You can also experiment with slowly and completely circling the hips in one direction five to ten times, and the the other.
If your baby is in a breech position, the doctor will continually monitor the fetal position towards the end of your pregnancy, and advise you on the progress, and your options. However, as you play the waiting game, there are few gentle prenatal yoga poses that you can work into your reportoire, that might help stimulate that baby into moving head first. Here is one to try:
Cat/Cow
Om for Mom Prenatal Yoga sessions always include a cat/cow flow, because it is a multifaceted prenatal yoga posture. Not only it is great for relieving lower and upper back pain, it can help to move baby out of a breech position. Find a tabletop position on all fours, spreading fingers wide or making fists to ease any wrist tension. On the inhale, round your spine high to the ceiling, tucking tailbone under, and dropping the head. Slowly exhale, pressing out the back body and releasing the spine so the belly is releasing towards the mat, head returning to neutral. Move through this flow slowly, guided by the breath, several times. You can also experiment with slowly and completely circling the hips in one direction five to ten times, and the the other.
Position A= Cow Position B=Cat
