The posterior, or sunny-side up, position, is associated with long, painful labors. But don't get scared, there are a lot of myths about posterior babies. You can help prevent a posterior labor, help your posterior baby rotate to the anterior or gradually fit your pelvis.

Breech birth is often feared in the USA. Both breech and posterior fetal positions can be born by natural birth but are too often managed with cesarean surgery. Learn why some need surgical birth, but many don't.

Together, we can reduce the tide of surgical birth and return birth to the mother's own abilities.

Read more about anterior fetal position, posterior fetal position (sunny-side up), and the difference between anterior and posterior labors. You can learn about the breech position (bottom or feet first), and the transverse lie (sideways) and what to do to help your baby be in a good position for birth. Click here if you are already in labor.

Spinning Babies uses 3 Principles: Balance, Gravity, and Movement.  

Birth presents a spectrum of possibilities. First, let's help your baby get head down with his or her chin tucked before labor. Second, we hope to help your head down baby start labor with their back on mom's left. If not, with these activities, you've achieved greater flexibility and more balance to help labor contractions rotate the baby. Here are gravity and movement strategies to help baby descend well in any position, whenever that's possible. And finally, if your birth does fall into the 3-10% or so that require a cesarean birth, you will have done empowering things to learn about your body and your baby. A year from now, I hope you can feel that you did everything you could to be aware, to grow, and to become the mother you hoped to be. The most important thing is love. 

Please give labor a chance. 

Take the time to learn. Optimal Fetal Positioning is a rather new concept, don't expect a doula, nurse or even your doctor or midwife to tell you everything you need to know to prepare for an easier labor through fetal positioning. I think a wait-and-see approach reduces your chance to work with your body to help your baby rotate and fit through the pelvis. While many women can still have a straightforward, normal birth with a passive approach, some women will find themselves irreversibly on the surgical table. Women are designed for birth, but modern life presents challenges. A large minority of birthing women (15-30% or more) will experience some type of intervention because of their baby's position.

There is a spectrum of ease in giving birth, from the dream birth to the the greatest challenge. Most women will find that labor is good, rewarding work. Seek support by loving, listening, and skilled birth attendants. I do believe we can trust birth. I believe we can enjoy labor. I did. I do believe you can, too. Yet if you find you need an intervention, cesarean, vacuum extraction, or medications, I hope you can feel you did all you could for the birth closest to nature and one without suffering.