Birthlight Forums

Hello,

It is recommended that during pregnancy women lie on their left side, this in connection with the vena cava and the bloodflow to the placenta. I am curious as to why this affects optimal foetal positioning. Is it because of the increased bloodflow (and then how exactly does that affect it) or due to some other factor in the position?

Thanks!

 Liese

Hi Liese

OFP would be either the baby lying with it's spine to your left side or to your tummy.  This is why left side lying or being on all fours is encouraged - if you imagine you're making a 'little hammock' for the baby to want to lie that way.  Conversely, the average 'slumped in front of the TV' posture will encourage the baby to lie with it's spine to your spine, which puts more pressure on your spine and is more difficult to birth from this starting position.  

To avoid pressure on the vena cava one doesn't lie on the back in late pregnancy, but many studies have shown that it's perfectly safe other than when the mother is obese.

Both issues are about positioning, but for different reasons.   

Remember that in the case of more than one baby or with a planned c-section, the left side issue is less important, but to be on all fours might still give the mother some relief. 

I hope this helps!

Thanks

Liz.

Hi Liz,

Your answer certainly helps! Thanks for your quick response,

 Liese

 Hello

My midwife just mentioned to me today that left side is optimum due to the bowel being on the left and it can cushion the baby - rather act like a buffer so if it wants to move around it won't swing all the way round turning back to back with mum.  This was in a discussion to do with the positioning of baby in the later stages of pregnancy. Hope this makes sense!! I thought it was a interesting point.

Karina x 

Hi!

Although I agree with left side lying in the hopes of inviting the fetus into the ideal position for labour, I don't understand the rationale behind the midwife's opinion about the bowel.  Firstly the large bowel ascends on the right, goes acroos the middle of the abdomen and descends on the left so it's on both sides.  The reason for encouraging the baby's back to the left by the end of pregnancy is that babies seem to turn clockwise in labour (even in the southern hemisphere!) so a baby that begins on the right will do a long turn in labour through back-to-back to the left and then to the forward position by birth.  Just over half of babies will eventually turn naturally but intervention such as a syntocinon drip is more likely.  The remainder need assistance at birth that could include forceps, ventouse or even Caesarean section.

Marion

Former midwife