As you get closer to your due date, they’ll likely settle into a head-down position to prepare for birth. You might be able to tell based on where you feel their head and movements.

Your baby kicks, squirms, and flips all day (and night!). But what exactly are they doing in there?

Toward the end of pregnancy, your baby will likely get into a head-down position so that they can begin their descent into the birth canal. The exact timing of when your baby hits this position is individual. And some babies prefer other positions, like breech (head up) or transverse (side lying).

Regardless, you can look out for signs that your baby has moved head down. Here’s more about when your baby will move head down, what the options are if they stay head up or in another position, and what to feel for when trying to determine your baby’s position at home.

Most babies tend to shimmy their way into a cephalic (head-first) presentation before birth.

Your baby may move all over the place in the first and second trimesters. Their position may change wildly early on in the third trimester as well. At 28 weeks, around 25% of babies are breech (head up), but this drops significantly later in pregnancy.

If you’re in your third trimester, you may notice your baby staying put in a head-down position. Your uterus grows to accommodate their size — but there’s only so much room. As time passes, your baby gets bigger and starts to run out of space to move into different positions.

Being head down is just half of the equation when it comes to birth. There’s also the matter of which way your baby is facing.

Why does this make a difference? It comes down to geometry. Your baby’s head must fit through the pelvis on its way into the vaginal canal for delivery. Some positions make this journey easier than others, especially considering how different parts of your baby’s skull are wider and narrower than others.

There are two positions your baby might be in:

  • Occiput anterior: This position is the most common. It means that your baby is head down with their back against your stomach and their chin tucked into their chest.
  • Occiput posterior: This position means that your baby is head down but facing the opposite direction. In this position, your baby’s back is at your back.

Anterior is considered the ideal position for an uncomplicated vaginal delivery. When your baby’s chin is tucked, it helps the narrowest part of their head go through the birth canal. Posterior presentation can sometimes mean a longer or more complicated delivery.

If your baby is posterior even in early labor, they may still turn throughout the process as contractions move them around in the womb. Some babies completely spin to an anterior position during labor while others are born posterior.

You may not experience any signs that your baby has flipped into a head-down position, and there’s no easy way to tell just by looking at your bump.

Fortunately, your doctor or midwife is trained to feel for your baby’s position using what are called Leopold’s maneuvers. With this technique, they will feel for what part of your baby is presenting in the pelvis, then for your baby’s back, and what part of your baby is in your fundus (up high, near your rib cage).

They can also use an ultrasound to confirm your baby’s position.

Additionally, your doctor will feel around for your baby’s cephalic prominence, which simply means which way your baby is facing.

With a head-down presentation:

  • baby’s head would be in your pelvis
  • baby’s back position would depend on whether baby is anterior/posterior, but generally baby will have either their back to your belly (anterior) or your back (posterior)
  • baby’s bottom/legs would be in your fundus

But how can you figure out your baby’s position at home? Pay close attention to the shapes in your belly, as well as the different movements you feel.

Your baby may be head down if you can:

  • feel their head low down in your belly
  • feel their bottom or legs above your belly button
  • feel larger movements (bottom or legs) higher up toward your rib cage
  • feel smaller movements (hands or elbows) low down in your pelvis
  • feel hiccups on the lower part of your belly, meaning that their chest is likely lower than their legs

Belly mapping

It can be difficult to read the different lumps and bumps you feel on your stomach. But with practice, you may start to understand what you’re feeling.

You could even try belly mapping, a process to estimate baby’s position. It was created by Gaily Tully, certified professional midwife and author of SpinningBabies.com.

To use this technique, wait until you are at least 30 weeks pregnant. Lie down in bed or on the couch, and use a washable marker or finger paint to gently mark where you feel your baby’s head (it feels like a small bowling ball). The arms and hands are likely near the head, and their tiny movements give them away.

Then feel for the back, butt, and legs, as well as larger movements. Lightly draw or paint your baby on your stomach to help you visualize how they’re lying.

If you’re in late pregnancy and have concerns about your baby’s positioning, ask your doctor about it at your next prenatal appointment. There are several options for delivery if your baby is in breech or another position.

Wait-and-see approach

Your baby’s position isn’t usually a concern until you reach the third trimester Before that point, the fluid in the uterus gives your baby plenty of space to move around. As you get closer to delivery, they start to run out of space to change position.

Your doctor can monitor your baby’s position at your prenatal appointments by feeling your belly for where their head, back, and buttocks are. To confirm, you may also have an ultrasound or pelvic exam.

External cephalic version (ECV)

External cephalic version (ECV) is a procedure during which your doctor tries to move your baby into a head-down position to increase your chance of a vaginal birth. This is done in a setting in which baby can be monitored and you can have an emergency cesarean section (C-section) if needed.

The success rate of this procedure is around 58%. While that’s not a guarantee, ECV may be worth a try if delivering vaginally is important to you.

It’s also worth noting that some babies that are flipped return to a breech position. You can have a repeat ECV, but space runs out the closer you get to birth, so it may be more difficult the second time.

Cesarean delivery (C-section)

A C-section is another option for delivering babies who aren’t head down. It is a surgery that you may schedule ahead of time (if you know your baby isn’t head down) or that can be performed in the event you go into labor naturally.

Most babies who are breech are born C-section. While this surgery is routine, it involves some risks, including:

Vaginal birth

Some people are still able to have a vaginal birth even if their babies are breech. This possibility is determined on a case-by-case basis and involves a review of your medical history and weighing benefits and risks.

If you choose to go this route, you’ll need to follow any specific guidelines set up by your hospital or birth center. Your doctor will monitor you closely, and if they have concerns about you or your baby’s health, they may recommend immediately switching to a C-section.

Your baby moves a lot throughout your pregnancy. As you get closer to your due date, they’ll likely settle into a head-down position as they get ready for birth.

If you have concerns about your baby’s position, don’t hesitate to bring them up at your next prenatal appointment. Your doctor is also keeping tabs on whether baby is head down and can help guide you with options for repositioning or an alternate birth plan, if necessary.