Can't labor upright...HUH?!?

[crunchymama]

Well, I certainly believe you that your belly is low! I don't completely understand the doctor's explanation, but I think it will just be for the very beginning part of labor. Contractions should help get your baby into the right position. the Spinning babies website that someone else posted is great. It's not to late to do some of those exercises (just get some support from DH or a friend) -- knowing the positions may also help when you are in labor because you might find one of those positions to be comfortable (I'm picturing hands and knees for some reason that may help you) and also help the baby get in the right position.

Congrats on 38 weeks! Not long now.

[mrstrivette]

I did look at the spinning babies site.....soo many words!!! I'm a visual learner. :-) I seriously suck at reading comprehension! Hoping that's something my kids don't inherit from me!

Crossing my fingers to go into labor tomorrow late afternoon 'cause my 14yr old niece is flying in tomorrow to help out with the other 2 kids. So excited for her to be here!!

[aguafresca]

Have you felt the baby "drop" yet? Usually the baby will drop before labor starts, right? And if the baby has dropped, then he's engaged with the pelvis and I don't see how being horizontal will make a bit of difference. The doctor sounds like he's got some strange ideas here. Hopefully everything will go normally and you'll be able to labor however you like.

[mrstrivette]

The baby only drops before labor starts for the 1st pregnancy. This is #3. I totally noticed when my first one dropped. 2nd one dropped at some point during my 12+ hours of back labor. This girls head feels like it's either pushing into my lower back or one of my legs during contractions. Her butt is just below what used to be my belly button.

I have a few times laid down on my back during some strong contractions to help her head get down into position, but then OMG do I struggle to get back up!! Definitely having more contractions yesterday & today than what I have been having. Hope that means some progress is being made! :-)

[crunchymama]

Here's a page that has a few more pictures: http://www.spinningbabies.com/techniques

Good luck with your upcoming labor. You are naming her Arrow right?

[mrstrivette]

Thanks! That's right! It's gonna be Arrow Milena. :-)

[aguafresca]

In my experience, my second baby definitely dropped about five days before he was born and I was not having any "real" contractions (when labor finally did start, it lasted only 75 minutes). So I'm not sure that only first babies drop (though I think I've heard that stated elsewhere), so keep an eye out for that anyway!

[mrstrivette]

This is what WebMD says about the baby dropping. I think what I read before was from babycenter...which isn't always accurate. But nearly every Sunday for the past 2 months I've heard, "Wow that baby has dropped!" LOL It can only drop once!

Pregnancy: Dropping (Lightening) - Topic Overview





At the end of the third trimester, the baby settles, or drops lower, into the mother's pelvis. This is known as dropping or lightening.

Dropping is not a good predictor of when labor will begin. In first-time mothers, dropping usually occurs 2 to 4 weeks before delivery, but it can happen earlier. In women who have already had children, the baby may not drop until labor begins.

You may or may not notice a change in the shape of your abdomen after dropping. You may notice that your breathing becomes easier and heartburn occurs less frequently after dropping occurs. But the increased pressure on your bladder after dropping occurs may make you have the urge to urinate more often.

Usually the baby's head is the first (presenting) part to enter the pelvis, but the feet or a shoulder can present first.

Station

During the last month, your doctor will estimate how far the baby's head has moved down into (engaged) the pelvis. This is measured in "stations." A baby is at -3 station when the head is above the pelvis and at 0 station when the head is at the bottom of the pelvis (fully engaged). The baby is at +3 station when the head is beginning to emerge from the birth canal (crowning).