Belly mapping—a term you probably oasis't heard from your OB-GYN, but I believe it tin can assistance mamas have a more optimal natural childbirth.

Abdomen mapping helps you know infant's position in utero

…and and so take any necessary activeness to aid babe into a more ideal position for nascence.

I was clueless about how my first babe, Griffin, was positioned. I knew he should exist head down. I also went to a Webster chiropractor to loosen and balance my pelvis for an optimal birth. I climbed stairs. I did squats. Merely I didn't really understand how Griffin was truly presenting in my womb—or what the best position for him would be.

The result? A Very. Long. Labor.

I'm talking 27 hours. With horrible back pain. Griffin got stuck, and the birth stalled for a adept iv hours. When he finally did come out, I'll never forget how "coned" his caput was. Alien babe! Fortunately, the midwife got that little babe cap on him quick 😉

In retrospect, Griffin was probably posterior and favoring my right side. Whereas the platonic presentation is left and inductive. (I learned this every bit I started to research baby mapping!)

Larn to have an amazing birth – Nascence Class Promo [In-article]

(without leaving your burrow)

Come across How

This fourth dimension around, I'm trying to exist more proactive

I want to get babe in a good position now then I don't have to struggle with a more complicated nativity after.

Are you lot with me? Okay. Let's talk most how to do belly mapping…

My inspiration for this mail service

Gaily Tully of SpinningBabies.com is the pioneer and creator of the Belly Mapping process. She was gracious plenty to permit me share her concept volition all of you. She asked that I include the following data:Abdomen Mapping, SPINNING BABIES® and all original works of authorship contained in Gail Tully'south associated publications, websites and related platforms are the property of Gail Tully and Maternity House Publishing, Inc., with all rights expressly reserved. Excepting uses otherwise permissible under applicable law, any/all uses require written licensing from Maternity Firm Publishing, Inc.

Start in the latter one-half of the second trimester

This is when baby settles into his/her "home" position, and you can tell if your pelvis is balanced or not. It's much easier to plant skillful positions for baby now versus afterward in 3rd trimester.

Plain, nosotros desire our baby to be head down. A head upward, or breech presentation, tin can be very hard; in some states it's a mandatory c-section. Fortunately, in that location are exercises nosotros tin do to assist flip infant, and well-nigh babies prefer head downward orientation.

Only head down is not enough if you want a smooth, natural childbirth. The side by side near important affair to consider is if your baby is posterior (baby facing outwards or looking at mama's belly) or anterior (baby is facing mama'southward back). Anterior is the favored position considering it encourages the baby to tuck their head and chin, creating the smallest caput circumference every bit he/she passes through the birth canal.

Posterior, on the other hand, presses the hardest part of the babe'due south head against the mother's spine, where pain receptors lie, and tin can cause major back labor pain.

Belly Mapping can assist you make up one's mind what position your babe is in and then have the necessary steps to "spin" baby to the right position for optimal nativity.

What you will need

The get-go matter yous'll demand to practice belly mapping is your seven-8 calendar month pregnant abdomen! Next, a not-toxic marking or bottle of finger paint. It's also handy to accept a doll or some kind of prop with head, limbs, and dorsum to employ to help you visualize your baby.

As a general rule, information technology'southward best to do abdomen mapping afterwards 30 weeks, and shortly after a medico or midwife appointment, as a nascency professional can help you decide if baby'southward head is downwardly or up.

Start, let's detect your baby's head

For most mamas, that means head downwards. If you haven't been to a physician'southward date for awhile, you can feel for yourself by laying down on bed and putting slight pressure around your pelvic expanse. The head will feel similar a mini bowling bowl.

The baby's hands and artillery volition most likely exist virtually the babe's head, as they like to suck their fingers and have them shut to their face.

Think too about movement. Are you feeling small movements near pelvis? Do they experience more outward facing and centralized (posterior), or are they more internal and to 1 side (anterior)?

Side by side, observe the heartbeat

Again, your md or midwife can assistance you pinpoint the heartbeat. I recommend using a fetoscope, as it doesn't utilize any ultrasound. One time you know where heartbeat is, marker it on your belly.

The heart will obviously be part of the baby'south dorsum and y'all should feel a difficult, long mass. If y'all can't find hardness like this, information technology's probably because your baby is in a posterior position, in which example y'all are going to feel a softer area, which usually indicates the baby's limbs and belly (or information technology could be an anterior placenta). Either way, mark this expanse on your abdomen equally part of your abdomen mapping

Here's where that doll comes in

Now, as role of belly mapping, use your doll prop and start playing with positions based on the head and back locations. This will help yous visualize how baby is resting in your womb.

Next up, allow'southward find your babe's barrel. This will exist hard and circular and tin sometimes feel similar the head. Draw a symbolic "butt" on your belly.

Now, think nigh motility once again. Where are you feeling your baby move the most? Of course, you'll feel their legs the nigh giving you those infant kicks. Likewise, the knees can create substantial movement.

Proceed in mind there volition exist some variations since babe can bend knees or extend legs, but you should still be able to sense a pattern. Are you feeling the kicks upwardly to one side of your ribs (inductive)? Or are they falling on both sides of your upper abdomen (posterior)? Marking it down on your belly.

Over again, utilize your doll to run across how baby is positioned at present that you are complete. Now you can call back about baby in a whole new way.

Yous tin get artistic with your belly mapping!

My belly map was more nearly function than art, merely some people go all out with their belly mapping projects:

belly-mapping-elaborate-paint-beautiful

What if baby is in a "bad" position?

Is your baby in a less than ideal position, do not despair. You lot still take time to reposition baby… even if it's during labor. Here are 7 piece of cake exercises to help your baby's position.

Final idea on belly mapping

If you lot're interested in babe positioning, I highly recommend finding a doula and/or midwife that understands infant positioning and abdomen mapping. With their expertise, they can aid you get baby into the all-time position for birth.

How about y'all?

Accept you ever washed belly mapping? Did it help you? How was your infant positioned? Share with us in the comments below!

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