Cephalic position: what it is and how to know if the baby is in position

Cephalic position is when the baby is positioned on the hip region and the head is facing down, pointing towards the vaginal canal. This is the most favorable position for a vaginal birth to occur without complications.

In addition to being upside down, the baby may also be facing the mother’s back or the mother’s belly, which is the most common position.

Generally, the baby turns over without problems around the 35th week, however, in some cases, the baby may not turn over and lies head up or lying crosswise, making it necessary to have a cesarean section or breech birth. Find out what breech birth is like and what the risks are.

How to know if the baby has fit

Some pregnant women may not detect any signs or symptoms, however, if you pay some attention, there are some signs that the baby is in the cephalic position, which can be easily noticed, such as:

• Movement of the baby’s legs towards the rib cage;
• Movement of the hands or arms at the bottom of the pelvis;
• Hiccups in the lower part of the belly;
• Increased urination frequency, due to greater compression of the bladder;
• Improvement of symptoms such as heartburn and shortness of breath, because the compression in the stomach and lungs is less.

In addition, the pregnant woman can also hear the baby’s heartbeat near the lower part of the belly through a portable fetal doppler, which is also a sign that the baby is head down. Find out what a portable fetal doppler is and how to use it.

Although the symptoms can help the mother realize that the baby has turned upside down, the best way to confirm this is through an ultrasound and physical exam during a consultation with the obstetrician.

What if the baby doesn’t turn upside down?

Although it is rare, in some cases, the baby may not turn upside down until the 35th week of pregnancy. Some of the causes that can increase the risk of this happening are previous pregnancies, changes in the morphology of the uterus, having insufficient or excess amniotic fluid or being pregnant with twins.

Faced with this situation, the obstetrician may recommend performing exercises that encourage the baby to turn, or perform a maneuver called External Cephalic Version, in which the doctor places his hands on the pregnant woman’s belly, slowly turning the baby into the correct position. If it is not possible to perform this maneuver, it is possible for the baby to be born safely, through a cesarean section or breech birth.