Posterior position means the baby is head down but facing the abdomen or posterior position.  This is known as ‘occiput posterior’ (OP) position. You may also hear this position being referred to as “face-up” or sunny side up.

Most babies are in the posterior position at the beginning of labor than when they are born. While as many as half of baby are in the posterior position when labor starts, only a small percentage ( 4 to  10 percentage ) are born in the posterior position.  It is common for babies to change positions more than once. The baby will not assume the final position until shortly before birth.

This position makes labor more difficult especially if the baby’s chin is pushed up rather than tucked in. You may

• feel like pushing before you are fully dilated
• your water may break early in labor
• you may have backache
• you may have a long and slow labor

Babies born in the posterior position may need forceps or ventouse to hep them out.

Why are some babies in the posterior position ?

This can be caused by the type and shape of the cervix. Some women have a pelvis that’s narrow and oval (anthropoid pelvis) or wide and heart-shaped (an android pelvis), rather than round-shaped. This makes it more likely for the baby to settle at the posterior position at the widest part of the cervix.

Your pelvis is tipped backwards when you relax comfortably in an  arm-chair watching TV or working on a computer for hours.  This will encourage your baby’s head and spine to swing round to the back.

Ways to help your baby in the anterior position

Here are ways to help your baby in the anterior  position

• try to tilt your pelvis forward rather than backwards when sitting. Make sure your knees are always lower than your hips
• try scrubbing the floor. This helps your baby’s head to the front of your belly
• if your job involves a lot of sitting, take regular breaks and move around a lot
• sit on a cushion in your car to lift up your bottom
• watch TV leaning  forward over birth ball or sitting on the ball. When sitting make sure your hips are higher than your knees

NOTE 

If your baby is in the posterior position during labor, you can use postures and movements to help him move to the anterior position. Most babies turn into the anterior position before they are born.