You probably haven’t given much thought to your baby’s position in the womb as the big day nears — but her placement matters a good deal. Most babies[1] prepare to be born head first, often with their chins tucked and the back of their heads in the lead. But a few head-down babies turn to face your belly as they’re born, a position known as ‘sunny-side up.’[2]
Here’s more about face-up babies, including what can cause a baby to exit this way, as well as the other positions your little one may take before entering the world.
What does it mean if baby is ‘sunny-side up’ during pregnancy?
A ‘sunny-side up’ baby means your infant is pointing head first in your pelvis but her face is looking up. This position is officially called occiput posterior (OP) because the skull’s occipital bone is lying flush against the back of the pelvis.
If your infant continues on this path, she’ll exit the canal face up rather than the more common face down position, which is called occiput anterior.[3]
Toward the end of pregnancy, your practitioner will check your baby’s position in the womb, either manually on the outside of your belly, or with the help of an ultrasound.
In addition to occiput posterior, there are other positions your baby can be in as labor nears:[4]
- Frank breech. About 3 percent of babies are breech (or bottom down), and frank breech is the most common, which means both hips are flexed, the knees are extended and the feet are at the head.
- Complete breech. In this bottom-down position, baby’s legs are folded under themselves.
- Footling breech. Just as it sounds, this breech baby has one or both feet pointed into the canal.
- Transverse lie. This baby is lying across the uterus at a 90-degree angle to the spine.
What causes a baby to be in a sunny-side up position?
About a third of babies are sunny-side up during the first stage of labor but most will flip before birth. Still, about five to eight percent of infants stay in the face-up position.
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While there usually isn’t a definitive reason for a sunny-side up position, a few risk factors may increase the odds, including:
- Early labor. If your baby arrives prematurely, she may not have had enough time to rotate in your pelvis in order to get into a face-down position.
- Placental problems. A low-lying placenta (known as placenta previa) or one that has become partially unattached before birth (known as placental abruption) can hinder your baby’s movement in the womb and affect her placement.
- Twins on board. If it’s sometimes hard for one baby to get in the right position for labor, it’s doubly so for twins. The tight real estate in utero means one baby could be sunny-side up.
- Pelvic shape. A narrow (android) pelvis, rather than the more common gynecoid shape, which is round and open, makes it more difficult to maneuver before birth.
- Fibroids. These uterine growths can also squeeze out space inside and affect your baby’s ability to get into the correct position.
How might a sunny-side up baby impact labor and delivery?
Rest assured that you can have a safe delivery with a baby in the occiput posterior position. But because this position can make labor more difficult for both you and your baby,[5] your OB may recommend a C-section.
Because a sunny-side up baby’s occipital bone is pressing against your spine and tailbone, the first and second stages of labor may be longer and the likelihood of back labor is greater.[6] Women with sunny-side up babies may be more likely to require labor induction, have longer labors and need delivery assistance (such as forceps or vacuum).
Is there anything you can do to turn a sunny-side up baby?
Unfortunately, you can’t control the shape of your pelvis or past fibroids, nor can you nudge an OP baby into a preferred position by performing certain postures or exercises.[7]
What you can do is keep up with all of your prenatal appointments. Seeing your doctor regularly means your health history is examined closely and your practitioner can take note of (and possibly treat) any risk factors you may have for preterm labor and premature delivery.
Try not to worry too much about baby's position in the womb. It’s pretty common for babies to flip one way and then later rotate in another direction before deciding on a final birth position. Keep in mind that while some sunny-side up babies may be born vaginally, others will have entered the world via C-section — and both outcomes are equally healthy and joyful, too.
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