The sunny side up position means the posterior or occiput posterior position, when the baby is face-up, instead of facedown. So the hardest part of baby’s head rests near mother’s lower back instead of her belly. This position often results in a longer labour, since the head has to rotate further during labour in order to be baby born. It can also cause intense back pain during labour for mother.
A sunny-side up baby has the skull against the back of mother’s pelvis and the face pointed up toward her abdomen. The baby’s head is more likely to get stuck against the pubic bone and press against the sacrum of mother’s spine, making for a more painful and drawn-out labour and delivery. According to medical term, this is known as the occiput posterior position, or simply the OP or posterior position. An OP baby increases the risk that the mother will need an assisted vaginal delivery or a caesarean-section. It sometimes results perineal tear. A sunny-side up birth is also involves greater odds of short-term complications for the baby.
Nothing to Worry about
Sunny side up birth meaning does not explain anything to worry about. It is suggested for mom-to-be, not to take stress if she is nearing full term and her baby is not in the ideal position. Odds are one has plenty of other things to fret about. While as many as half of babies are posterior when labour begins, just 4% to 10% are in that position at birth, according to Baby Centre records. However, the latter figure is higher among first-time moms. Babies often turn during labour and it is better for both mother and baby to go into labour relaxed. Plus a doctor can reach in and manually turn the baby in required cases.
What to do about it?
The human body is an amazing thing and mother’s natural posture is best for getting her baby lined up properly. This means standing with the shoulders rolled back, the head back and the weight of the body grounded in the heels so that the pelvis is flared out slightly behind her. Walking about is not only a great form of exercise during pregnancy, but it also allows the hips and pelvis to move naturally and in proper alignment so her baby can slide into an optimal position.
Walking and standing a lot have been essential pain relievers throughout pregnancy. Using good posture has helped to mitigate pain, Good sitting posture includes keeping the feet planted squarely on the floor the shoulders and neck back and the back straight.
Every birth is different. Majority of the cases babies turn on their own during labour and wind up being born facedown. In a sunny side up pregnancy, if a baby doesn’t, a doctor might try to rotate the baby manually. If that doesn’t work — and one’s labour goes on for too long and starts to pose a threat to her baby’s health, then the doctor may decide to do a caesarean section.