Many pregnant women eagerly await that pivotal moment when their baby turns head down in preparation for birth. This important developmental milestone is known as “lightening” or “dropping.” As your pregnancy progresses and your due date approaches, you may be wondering how you can tell when your baby has turned head down. There are some common signs and symptoms to be aware of.
What Does It Mean for Baby to “Drop”?
Up until around the last month of pregnancy, most babies are positioned high up in the abdomen with their head pointing up. As the due date gets closer, most babies will naturally turn themselves head down into a vertex position. This is the ideal position for delivery.
When the baby descends deeper into the pelvis and abdomen, this is called “lightening” or “dropping.” The baby’s head becomes engaged in the pelvic cavity and applies pressure to the cervix. Lightening typically happens 2-4 weeks before labor begins in first-time pregnancies. In subsequent pregnancies, it may not happen until you are already in labor.
Signs and Symptoms of Baby Dropping
Here are some common signs that your baby has turned and settled into the head-down position:
Change in Baby’s Movements
You may feel less kicking and squirming up high as the baby can no longer stretch out fully. The baby’s movements will be centered lower down near your pelvis. You may feel more squirming pressure down low.
Change in Breathing
With the baby settled deeper in your pelvis, there is less pressure on your diaphragm and lungs. This results in easier deeper breathing and less shortness of breath.
More Frequent Urination
Increased pelvic and bladder pressure can make you feel like you need to urinate more frequently. The baby’s head is right above the bladder.
Pelvic Pressure
You may feel a heavy, achy, or even painful sensation low down in your pelvis. It may feel like the baby is burrowing or grinding into your pelvis.
Cervical Dilation
As the baby’s head pushes down, this can cause the cervix to soften, thin out, and even dilate some prior to labor. Your doctor may notice cervical changes at your prenatal visits.
Change in Abdominal Profile
Your pregnant belly may look noticeably lower and protrude more out front. The upper abdomen above the belly may feel less distended and relaxed as the baby settles down. Your ribs and lungs get a break!
Increased Clumsiness
Your center of gravity is shifting lower. This can throw off your balance and make you more prone to tripping or feeling clumsy. Take extra precaution to avoid falls.
Lightening Crotch
Some women feel sharp twinges, zings, or prickly sensations in the vagina, perineum, or inner thighs as the baby’s head puts more pressure on pelvic nerves. This is known as “lightening crotch.”
When to Be Concerned
Lightening is a normal part of the preparation process for labor and delivery. Only be concerned if:
– You notice significant changes in baby’s movement patterns or decreased movement
– You have any bleeding or fluid leakage from the vagina
– You have severe or persistent abdominal pain
– You have four or more contractions in one hour prior to 37 weeks
In these cases, contact your healthcare provider right away to make sure all is well. Most of the time, lightening progresses smoothly without complications. But it’s always better to err on the side of caution if something feels off.
How to Tell Baby’s Position
Here are some ways to help determine your baby’s position yourself as you approach your due date:
– Feel baby’s movements: Focus on where you feel the most squirming or the strongest jabs. This is typically right around the baby’s limbs.
– Note the location of heartbeat: Use a doppler or stethoscope to listen to the heartbeat. The location indicates baby’s position.
– Feel your abdomen: Run your hands over your belly to try to discern body parts. A hard round ballotable head may be felt down low.
– Look for lumps and bumps: Visually inspect your abdomen for any protrusions or bulges that may be a head, bottom, back, etc.
– Do a pelvic exam: Your doctor or midwife can determine how engaged the baby’s head is in the pelvis by feeling internally.
– Use ultrasound: Imaging scans can clearly show the baby’s position, especially useful if their position is difficult to determine.
Optimal Fetal Positioning
If your baby remains in a posterior position or transverse lie (sideways) late into the third trimester, here are some tips to encourage them to turn head down:
– Maintain good posture and sit upright vs. slouching
– Do pelvic tilts and cat/cow yoga poses on your hands and knees
– Lean forward while sitting to take pressure off your back
– Sleep on your left side and avoid lying completely flat on your back
– Get chiropractic care or prenatal massage
– Do exercises and stretches to loosen your hips and pelvis
– Sit on a birth ball and gently bounce/circle your hips
– Walk often and use proper body mechanics
– Avoid positions that encourage posterior positioning like sitting with crossed legs
– Apply cold or warm packs to your lower abdomen
– Use forward leaning inversion positions
– Shine a flashlight and play music down low on your belly
– Try moxibustion therapy
– Get acupuncture treatments
Conclusion
Feeling your baby drop lower into your pelvis in the final weeks of pregnancy is an exciting milestone signaling your body’s preparation for delivery. Pay close attention to the location of movements and sensations as well as changes in your pelvic and abdominal regions. Notify your healthcare provider if you notice anything concerning. Otherwise, enjoy these final days and weeks of carrying your baby before the big arrival! Try to use positions and activities to help optimize your baby’s head-down positioning. Before you know it, you’ll be holding your precious little one in your arms.