Thread: Baby position & your abs

Hi all! I've been lurking around and will likely be joining in more now that baby is just around the corner!

I have a question for you mamas. My second was in this weird gravity defying transverse lie right up until 36 weeks when he settled into a head down position. At my last appointment, this baby was in the same darn position. I know it's early and the baby still moves around lots, but I'm wondering if it has something to do with my ab muscles?

After my first birth, which was a c-section, my abs had the typical separation down the centre. During my second pregnancy, the separation worsened. I have a feeling that baby is able to lay sideways for so long because of a lack of abdominal wall support... has anyone else experienced this or heard of it? Anyone do some light belly binding to assist with baby's position?

I'm not sure. You could just have enough room in your uterus and could just happen regardless of your abs. I'm not 100% though. How bigs were your previous babies? As far as baby's position, you could start chiropractic care with someone who specializes in the Webster Technique to get baby head down. Also check out www.spinningbabies.com.

Its probably a combination of factors- your body shape and organ positioning, bone structure etc. Some moms are more prone to posterior facing babies because of the shape of their pelvis too.

i don't have experience with c-sections though. Separation of the ab muscles is pretty much the norm in any pregnancy though, not sure how c-section changes the recovery though, like i said, no c-section experience here.
i didnt notice or realize i had it until a few months after my DD was born and there was still a slight separation a couple months later until i found a book with some exercies to correct it, which i feel helped me, i could no longer feel it at least.

my question is did the c-section cause more permanent muscle separation for you, and have you seen any exercises like that to bring them back together? maybe that would have made some difference for you.

I did have exercises to bring them back together some, but my separation is pretty large so unless I someday have corrective surgery, they will never be totally normal.

My babies were 8lbs 12oz and 8lbs 9oz, so they weren't tiny... it could simply be a matter of my uterus being more able to stretch than the first time around. I do see a chiropractor regularly. Hopefully he'll eventually settle head-down like his brother.

I agree with the spinning babies and you might go see a Chiro to help baby turn. Good luck!