The fetus is located on the right side of the abdomen. Pregnancy - we determine the position of the child in the abdomen without ultrasound

Modern research methods make it possible to accurately and reliably determine the presentation of the fetus at any time. But for some reason, the future woman in labor does not always resort to them. In this article, we will tell you how to independently, without the help of complex equipment, determine the position of the child in the abdomen, what methods exist for this and whether this can always be done.

At what time does the issue of presentation become relevant?

In the womb, the fetus is not in one position. It is constantly moving and turning.

In the third trimester of pregnancy, the child noticeably grows up and, due to the small space in the uterus, it becomes more difficult for him to roll over. It is then that the question of his presentation becomes relevant. After all, by about 33-34 weeks, the child usually takes a certain position, which basically does not change before birth.

For the natural physiological resolution of the burden, it is important that the baby is head down. If the presentation turns out to be pelvic or transverse, then there is a high probability that the baby will be born as a result of a caesarean section.

By determining the presentation of the fetus, it is possible to influence its position before delivery. Special gymnastic exercises and complexes, and even, according to psychologists, self-hypnosis and visualization, allow you to change the baby's posture and ensure a less traumatic birth.

Most babies are born in cephalic presentation (94-96%), but there is still a risk of misplacement of the baby.

There are also cases when the fetus literally a few hours before birth changes the wrong position of the body to the right one, but it is at least naive to count on such a turn of events.

How to understand how the child lies in the mother's stomach:

First, the expectant mother should listen to her feelings. If the strongest shocks are felt in the area of ​​​​the ribs, then most likely the child has turned his head down.

If the child hits the mother in the stomach below the navel, or blows are given to the pelvis (and to the bladder), then it is possible that the child is in a breech presentation.

The stomach is also very indicative in this regard. In its upper part, you can see the rounded volumetric part of the child. It's either the head or the butt. By pressing on it from top to bottom, you can feel that the child's body is lowering, which means you have pressed on the ass and the baby is in the head presentation. When the volumetric part is displaced separately from the body, then most likely it is the baby's head (that is, a breech presentation is possible).

To more accurately determine how the fetus lies in the abdomen of a future woman in labor, you can use the following methods:

1. By heartbeat.
2. According to the "map of the abdomen".

- determination of the position of the child by heartbeat

This is the easiest way. He needs a stethoscope or a stethophonendoscope - a simple device for listening to tones. Every doctor has it. The procedure can be performed by both a gynecologist and someone close to you.

The woman lies on her back, a stethoscope is applied to her stomach. They usually start from the bottom, then listen from the sides. Where the beats will be heard most clearly and rhythmically, and the heart of the child is located. The baby's normal heart rate is 120-160 beats per minute, if you deviate from these numbers, you should consult a gynecologist.

Breech presentation may be indicated by a muffled tone of the heartbeat. And the heart will be located higher than with the head. Usually in these cases it is located at the level of the navel.

- determining the position of the child on the "map of the abdomen"

American midwife Gail Tully (Minnesota) proposed her own system for determining the location of the child in the womb.

Its essence is as follows:

1. On paper, a map of the abdomen is depicted in the form of a circle, which is divided into four parts. At the top is the fundus of the uterus, and at the bottom is the pubic bone. In this case, the right side of the woman is the left side of the card, and the left side is the right side.
2. There are places where strong and weak kicks are felt, where sometimes a large bulge appears, on which side the stomach is harder. Where the kicks are the strongest, the baby’s legs are most likely, and where the pushes are light and less impulsive, there are handles.
3. If the future woman in labor was determined by the fetal heartbeat, then the heart of the child should also be marked on the map with the corresponding sign.
4. When filling out the map, you must remember that the child is located in opposite planes. This is the stomach and back, legs and arms, head and buttocks. Here there is a danger of confusing the feet with the head - if they stick out, then the bulge will be rounded; the arms and legs of the baby are bent, a hard place in the abdomen opposite the legs is the back. You don't need to think of anything. Be clear about what is there.
5. Next, you can take any toy that has all the body parts that the child has and place it on the map accordingly. If the child is in the correct head presentation, then the toy will be upside down. Next, it needs to be deployed in the direction where the legs are. If the mother feels the baby's arms in front of the abdomen above the pubis, most likely the child is in the rear position of the occipital presentation - facing forward and his back is next to the mother's back.
6. The name of the position is determined. It includes answers to the questions: the back of the baby is turned to the left or right side of the mother, which part of the body enters the pelvis first (nape or sacrum, face or forehead), and to which side of the woman’s body (back, front or thigh) she is turned. The position of the fetus is encrypted in Latin letters and is a kind of key during delivery.

One of the best birthing positions is the left occiput presentation (LOT), meaning the baby is positioned with its back to the mother's left side, head down and facing the woman's thigh.

But not all types of head presentation are safe for the mother and fetus. With facial, frontal and frontal presentation, there is a possibility of neck injuries, and even death of the child. In such cases, an operation may be prescribed. The most dangerous is the facial presentation.

It should be noted that the compilation of a "map of the abdomen" is a pleasant activity and, according to psychologists, strengthens family ties.

Why is it impossible to independently determine the position of the child in the womb?

In the event that the mother has polyhydramnios, and also if the woman is full and has a large fat layer, it is difficult to determine the position of the fetus on her own. Difficulties also arise if the placenta is attached to the anterior wall or the tone of the uterus is increased and the muscles of the abdominal wall are very tense.

It is also necessary to understand that the closer to childbirth, the greater the opportunity to correctly determine the position of the baby. In the early stages, it is difficult for any woman to do this, and there is no direct need for this.

And if you have tried all the methods and still have doubts about the correct location of the fetus, do not delay a visit to the gynecologist. After all, modern medicine has all the means to help you. Just be sure that it is in your power to facilitate childbirth and ensure a less painful birth of the baby.

Specially for- Elena Kichak

It is very interesting for every expectant mother to know how the baby is located in her stomach. This is important information for the course of childbirth. In this article we will tell you how to determine the position of the fetus on your own, without resorting to the help of doctors. It is best to do this after 30 weeks.

Where is the heart

Using a regular stethoscope, you need to "catch" the place where your baby's heartbeat is best heard (120-160 beats per minute). This will be the top of the baby's back. Start listening from the lower left segment of the abdomen - this is where the heartbeat is heard in most babies "stood in place."

Using this method, you can determine whether the baby has rolled over into a head presentation from the pelvic to childbirth. With cephalic presentation, the place where the heartbeat is best heard will be lower than with pelvic. Perform special exercises daily to make the fetus turn over, and watch the change in this place.

Belly Mapping

Before determining the position of the fetus, it is necessary to analyze the nature and range of movements of the child, and then feel the baby, taking a comfortable position, lying or reclining. Based on these observations, you can draw up a so-called "belly map".

• In the place where the strongest shocks are felt, there will be legs.
• Where light movements of small amplitude are felt, there will most likely be handles.
• A bulging large area will be a booty.
• Where the stomach is more even and firm - the back.
• In the place where the fetal heartbeat is best heard - the upper back.

It is very important to know in which direction the baby's back is facing: towards the mother's back or towards the mother's belly? If he was lying “back to back” in the last months before the birth, then, most likely, he will be born from this position. In this case, childbirth will be more painful and prolonged, and there is a high probability that they will end in a caesarean section.

Therefore, if you do not find the back of the baby when probing the abdomen, you should try to “persuade” the baby to roll over. Recently, women lead a sedentary lifestyle: mostly half-sitting and reclining. Compared to the arms and legs, the back is the heaviest part of the fetus, and under the force of gravity, she tends to turn down to her mother's back. This can be avoided if the expectant mother moves actively and tries to take positions more often in which gravity will pull the baby's back to the mother's stomach.

Sometimes a woman cannot "feel" a child. This happens if there is a lot of amniotic fluid, if the placenta is attached to the front of the uterus, or if there is a fatty layer through which it is very difficult to feel something. Now you know how to determine the presentation of the fetus yourself.

At the very beginning of pregnancy, an embryo is implanted in the uterine cavity and begins to actively develop. He is growing by leaps and bounds, and will soon begin to resemble a tiny baby with a disproportionately large head and small limbs. As it develops, it freely flips over many times. After the twentieth week, the baby becomes especially active, which the mother feels by a significantly increased number of movements. Now the baby can roll up or down with his feet, and also turn around. However, time passes, and the "house" becomes cramped for him. Now the most important thing is to take the correct position, while the size of the body still allows it. Today we want to talk about how long the child turns upside down.

Correct presentation

The easiest childbirth will be if the baby is pressed against the cervix by the largest part of the body itself. That's right, head first and face down, he must pass through the birth canal and be born. Future mothers are always worried about how long the child turns upside down. In fact, everything is individual, so you should not rely on the experience of your friends, but talk with your doctor. He will definitely be able to dispel all doubts and give certain recommendations.

But it should be noted that there are certain medical standards by which doctors evaluate how long the child turns upside down. These are average standards that must be adhered to, however, these frameworks can vary quite significantly.

So many questions

On the one hand, it is easier to trust nature, because it knows better what to do. However, when the time of childbirth approaches, more and more often a woman begins to wonder at what time the child turns upside down. And at the same time, there are many more questions. What if the baby is in a different position? Why is he positioned wrong? We will try to give answers to them in our article.

So, by the beginning of childbirth, the baby should lie head down and with its back to the front wall of the uterus, facing the mother's spine. His head rests on the cervix, and when the opening begins, it is the head that first enters the birth canal. This is the ideal option in which childbirth is most favorable. At how many weeks does a baby turn upside down? Doctors call the figure 32-34 weeks. Right now, this is happening most comfortably, since the size of the baby allows you to perform such a manipulation. Usually, at this time, a third ultrasound is prescribed, on which the doctor notes how the fetus lies.

Exception to the rule

As we have already said, not all children fit the definition of the norm. Moreover, this does not indicate the presence of any pathology. Saying how many weeks the child turns upside down, it should be noted that sometimes he takes the correct position on time, and closer to the birth he returns to his previous presentation, head up. This is bad for labor, since it is the head that is the most voluminous part of the body, it perfectly opens the birth canal. When the movement of the child occurs with the legs forward, complications may arise.

There are situations when the baby takes this position. This is the so-called breech presentation. To find out exactly how your baby is located, the doctor can directly during the examination.

Is it worth worrying about the location of the baby

So, it is already approximately clear when the child begins to roll over. Doctors set the terms as average, but up to 32 weeks, breech presentation for the baby is quite natural and normal. You do not need to worry about this and do anything, you just have to wait. A little later, the baby will independently take the correct position.

And what do doctors say about when a child turns head down? Evidence suggests that up to 30 weeks in the breech presentation are about 30% of children. And only 4% maintain this position by the beginning of childbirth. On average, the crumbs take a natural position for leaving the mother's womb at 33-34 weeks. However, there is reliable evidence that just before giving birth, the baby managed to roll over, especially if it is small in size.

That is, if by the 34th week the baby continues to be head up, then there is cause for concern. However, there is nothing wrong with this, it can still be corrected. Sometimes there is a transverse arrangement of the fetus when it lies across the uterus. If he saves it at the time of the onset of childbirth, then a caesarean section is performed.

What are the reasons why the fetus does not turn over on time?

In fact, there can be a lot of them, so in each case you need to consult your doctor and find out when the fetus should roll over. However, years of medical practice and accumulated experience allow physicians to name a number of cases in which the fetus cannot take the desired position in the uterus:

• These are malformations of the fetus.
• A large amount of amniotic fluid and a small size of the fetus.
• Low water and large size of the baby.
• Abnormal structure of the uterus.
• Low position of the placenta.

Prevention

If the baby develops normally, then the chances are high that he will take a normal position, even if a little later. A reasonable question arises, how long can a child roll over? The answer is quite simple, right up to the very birth. However, it is desirable to know and follow some rules that will contribute to this. Moreover, prevention should not begin at week 34, when the baby is already clearly late with turning over.

From the very first day of pregnancy, remember the need for physical activity. They should be moderate, but regular. It is worth forgetting about a soft sofa and an armchair, or sitting on the very edge, spreading your legs. Sit in a chair on the contrary, so that the stomach rests against its back. Fitball exercises are extremely useful. On the ball, you can sit, jump or wiggle and do a light workout. Try to travel less by public transport, it is better to walk. It is very useful for pregnant women to do water aerobics, do gymnastics for pregnant women, swim and dive. And, of course, try to be in the fresh air more often, go out of town, walk in forest belts.

Special exercises

Now you know exactly at how many weeks the baby should already turn down. This happens at 32-34 weeks. If the baby is in no hurry to take the right position, you need to help him in this. Psychologists recommend talking with the baby, asking him to roll over as soon as possible. In addition, regular circular massage of the abdomen in a clockwise direction can help.

Osteopathic doctors recommend more often to take a position that is uncomfortable for the baby, in which he immediately begins to push. Lie down on the floor, on a hard surface, and spend ten minutes in this position. Then roll over on your back, and after ten minutes on the other side. Such turns are performed 5-6 times. The knee-elbow position is very useful. Take it as often as your schedule allows. You can move on all fours around the apartment, slightly swaying your hips. In addition, doctors recommend 10-15 times to perform a pelvic lift, body tilts and the “bicycle” exercise.

Instead of a conclusion

Psychologists and children's doctors are sure that the baby feels and understands his mother very well. Therefore, she only needs to devote time daily to communicate with him. Tell him about the upcoming birth, persuade him to roll over, stroke his stomach, say how you are looking forward to meeting him. He will definitely respond, even at the latest dates. And after childbirth, when the umbilical cord is cut, the psychological connection between mother and child remains for a long time. May your first meeting be easy!

Most expectant mothers are very interested in how the child is located in their stomach. The closer the birth, the more important this information will be for the progress of the birth. With some variants of presentation, for example, childbirth through the natural birth canal is contraindicated. Yes, and with a breech presentation, not every doctor or midwife will take them either. You can ask about the position of the child at the doctor's appointment, but sometimes the next appointment takes so long to wait, and you want to know so much that you can try to calculate the position of the baby yourself. It's not as difficult as it might seem, and it's definitely a good way to get to know your child better.

Trying to determine the position of the baby in the abdomen makes sense after the thirtieth week. The longer the term, the clearer it will be for you how it lies, so if you don’t succeed, try again in a week - the attempt may be successful!

1. Where does the heart beat?

The easiest way to "find" a baby is to find out where his heartbeat is best heard. You will need a regular stethoscope, a little patience and luck. Start listening from the lower left segment of the abdomen - this is where the heartbeat is heard in most "suspended" babies. Your goal is to capture sounds at 120-160 beats per minute. You may not be limited to the anterior surface of the abdomen - in some positions, the heart is best heard if you put a stethoscope to your side. The heartbeat is best heard where the baby's upper back is.

This method will be very useful to you if you need to understand whether the baby has turned over to childbirth from breech presentation to head presentation. Find the place where you can hear the baby's heartbeat the best, and every day, doing exercises that should help him roll over, see if this place changes. With a breech presentation, it will be higher than with a head presentation.

2. Belly Mapping - a map of the abdomen.

This is the author's method of the midwife Gail Tully (Gail Tully) from the USA. For those who read English, it will be interesting to go here: Belly Mapping. This method allows you to independently, without the help of ultrasound, determine the position of the baby in the abdomen, and we teach it in our classes.
In short, the essence of it is this.
First you need to observe the movements of the child (what they generally occur in him, and in what part of the abdomen you feel them). Then, while in a prone or semi-lying position, feel the baby while the uterus is in a relaxed state. As a result, you will be able to make a "map" of the abdomen, on which the following can be noted:
- where you feel the strongest kicks (these are the legs),
- where you feel light movements of small amplitude (most likely these are the hands),
- where is a large bulging area that looks like a head (this is a butt),
- on which side the stomach is more firm and even (there is the back of the child),
- where the doctor last heard the baby's heartbeat (there is the upper part of the baby's back).

How to distinguish head presentation from pelvic?
In any case, you will feel the protruding part of the child from above. But only the neck and back depart from the head, and from the priests - also the legs, which can be groped if you are persistent. In addition, you can remember where the doctor last found the sound of a heartbeat - if from below, then the baby lies head down, and if from above, then booty.

What can you pay attention to?
Many experts pay attention to where the baby's back is facing - towards the back of the mother, or towards her stomach? This can be important because if most of the time in the last months before the birth, the baby lies with his back towards the mother's back (this is called "posterior view"), then most likely he will begin to be born from this position, in which case the birth may be more painful for the mother, longer lasting, and more likely to end in a caesarean section.
Therefore, if you can never find the baby's back when you feel it (this indicates that it is facing towards your back), it makes sense to see if you can persuade the baby to roll over. It is said that because the back is the heaviest part of the child compared to the arms and legs, it usually tends to turn down on its own. In recent decades, women have become much less mobile and spend a lot of time half-lying or half-sitting, so that gravity pulls the back of the child down, that is, to the back of the mother. This can be prevented if the mother more often assumes positions in which gravity will pull the back of the baby towards the stomach (these are any straight positions and postures in which the mother’s body leans forward, swimming is also suitable) and in general will move more actively.

Sometimes, in order to "feel" the position of the child, the mother needs to see how the child, in principle, can lie in the stomach. Here is an illustration to refer to:

Why can't I feel anything?
Sometimes it can be difficult to "look" at a child in this way. In cases where there is a lot of amniotic fluid, or if the placenta is attached to the anterior wall of the uterus, or if the mother is plump, and it is difficult to feel anything through the fatty layer, the hands will "see" worse. If the uterus strains all the time from attempts, it is better not to take them - anyway, no reliable information can be obtained. The baby is best felt in the last two months of pregnancy.
Naturally, professionals can very quickly determine the position of the child. But mothers have one advantage - they can do it much more often, because the child is always at hand. As a rule, in one to two weeks of trying, almost any mother can learn to determine the position of the child, if nothing interferes with her.

Then, when the baby is born, his body will be much more familiar to you, and you will be able to hold him with more confidence. Yes, and during pregnancy it is much more pleasant to feel the movements of the child, when you know how he makes them - where is the leg, where are the arms, where is the ass, etc. And to the questions "how is he there?" it is a pleasure to answer - "Everything is fine with him, he moves as usual, this morning he stretched his legs several times, lies head down, here he has a back, etc."

The question of how the baby is located in the tummy worries all expectant mothers. It turns out that it’s not so difficult to find out which side the baby’s head is on and where the legs are.

You can independently calculate the location of the crumbs in the stomach in two ways: by heartbeat and by the “belly map” (method of midwife Gail Tully). True, it is better to make calculations when it exceeds 30 weeks - before that, the baby often changes positions.

By heartbeat

A conventional stethoscope or a modern and more sensitive Doppler device with headphones to listen to the heartbeat will do. Start listening to the belly on the left side. If you hear a heartbeat, then most likely your child is in the correct position, head down. Calculate, it should vary from 120 to 160 beats per minute.

According to the "map of the stomach"

This method is a whole study, which, however, will please not only the expectant mother, but the whole family. During the compilation of the map, all movements of the baby are taken into account: strong kicks, slight movements, protruding and harder parts of the abdomen, as well as those places where the gynecologist last recorded the heartbeat.

So, the American midwife Gail Tully suggests not to wait for the next one and determine in advance how the baby is located, so that, in case of an incorrect position, make sure that he rolls over in advance. Drawing up a "map of the abdomen" has three steps.

1. Draw a pie.

That is, on a piece of paper, the future mother draws a circle and divides it into four parts, like a pie. It's like her stomach, displayed as in a mirror: the top is the bottom of the uterus, the bottom is the pubic bone, the right side is on the left side of the map, the left side is on the right. On the resulting map, the woman should depict all the movements of the baby: the strongest jolts (thick lines), weaker points or movements (thin strokes), a hard back (arc), where the last heartbeat was heard (heart), large bulges (bold arc ).

2. We visualize the baby.

So, the main details are outlined. By the way, it is necessary to celebrate only what the expectant mother is sure of. Otherwise, the wrong strokes will confuse her. Then you should take a doll or plush toy and try using a card to give it the same position as the baby. To do this, you should know that:

• feet can be confused with the head - when they stick out, the bulge is rounded;
• the arms and legs of the child are bent;
• movements felt as strong jolts are most likely the feet;
• the hard place opposite the kicking legs is the back;
• hand movements are less noticeable and sometimes resemble light strokes (only the most attentive mothers can notice this);
• if the handles are felt in the front of the abdomen just above the pubis, it is more likely that the baby is in the rear position (back to mother's back).

Correctly creating the position of the baby (toy) will help the awareness of three opposites: the head is always opposite the priests, the tummy is opposite the back, the arms and legs are on the opposite side from the back.

3. We call it medically.

So, your teddy bear or doll has taken exactly the same position as the baby. Now we call it correctly - this is necessary so that in which case you can consult a doctor and discuss childbirth. Answer 3 questions for yourself:

• To which side is the baby's back turned?
• What part of the body enters the pelvis first?
• to which side of the mother's body, back or front, is this part of the child turned?

Based on the answers, formulate the name of the position: right (or left) posterior occipital presentation, right (or left) anterior occipital presentation, transverse position of the fetus, etc.

Wrong postures

Ideally, if this is a left occiput presentation - one of the best starting positions for childbirth! It is worse if the baby rests his booty against the pelvis or occupies a rear position, that is, back to the mother's back. In this case, childbirth can be painful and long, and there is a possibility of a caesarean section.