What can I say? These really lift my spirits... or inspire me to improve.

Babies grow inside their mother's body; obviously. But think again. Babies grow inside another body. A body,  effected over time by habits of movement and posture . The effects of interacting with motion, rest, emotion and big or small impacts each effect the muscles, joints, ligaments --and the membranous fascia wrapping these structures, including the uterus and pelvis.

Body work can bring about a balance in the body that helps the baby settle into a position that complements the birthing process. There are various types of body work. Some are better for Optimal Fetal Positioning than others. I've learned a combination of myofascial release with craniosacral therapy through Dr. Carol Phillips, DC, creator of Dynamic Body Balancing. She does workshops in St. Paul, Annapolis, and Denver. Applying Dynamic Body Balancing with pregnant and laboring women has made a tremendous difference in birth outcomes. Anyone can start with her Level One class.

Look at Body Work and Professional Help under Techniques for types of body work used for Optimal Fetal Positioning.

Yoga for fetal positioning
Yoga practice includes repeated stretches of virtually every muscle. As muscles stretch with movement and deep breathing, so moves the fascia helping old imbalances eventually come into balance. Regular yoga will stabilize and strengthen the pelvis. Many poses must be practiced 3 or more times a week, but even weekly yoga is somewhat beneficial. I believe women with a regular practice both before and during pregnancy, with focus on stabilizing the pelvis during asanas, are likely to have well positioned babies. 

Homeopathy and fetal positioning
I’m not a homeopath. Seek a professional homeopath out for the best results. Here’s some stories. This information is not enough to direct someone on the use of homeopathics. This information is for discussion only.

Pulsatilla, wind flower, is especially helpful when tissue tension is an issue, such as tight round and/or broad ligaments. Pulsatilla seems to soften the lower uterine segment and give the baby room to reposition. Other remedies are discussed further down the article.

A doula (doo-la) nurtures the social experience of childbirth, and by doing this, improves the physical and psychological experience, too.
Doula is a Greek word now used to mean a person who gives emotional support, comforting techniques, information and advocacy during the time surrounding childbirth. A doula supports the mother, and her partner, before, during and after childbirth.

Doulas have a unique interest in fetal positioning. Supporting natural birth in the hospital setting is easier when the baby is well positioned. 

Photo by Kim Garrett, © Maternity House Publishing, Inc.

Twins and Spinning Babies
"I am expecting twins, can I use the same Spinning Babies techniques for my pregnancy and labor?"

Yes, use the Three Principles of Spinning Babies while pregnant with multiples.
If you can, start early. Otherwise, start today! Many women, especially if beginning late in pregnancy, will need to also use professional help to balance uterine ligaments. This is done with myofascial release and chiropractic adjustments to correct any misalignments of the pelvis. Misaligned pelvic joints pull the uterus off center and can, at times, effect fetal position.  Women with loose ligaments may need to wear a pregnancy belt, beginning in midpregnancy (or as soon as you learn about pregnancy belts).

You will want to ask your doctor or midwife if there is any medical reason not to do an activity in pregnancy that you see on this site.

Resolving Shoulder Dystocia in the Active, Mobile Woman

Gail Tully, CPM, became interested in communicating to other midwives and to doctors about Shoulder Dystocia after observing a higher incidence following the labors in which OP babies rotated to OA before emerging. (Incidence is actually less likely in babies who emerge OP.)

Gail developed a memory tool called FlipFLOP to help birth attendants free the stuck shoulders will little chance of birth injury. Non-drugged birthing women have more options to put their pelvis to work to free the shoulders from the pelvis. Here is how to do it.