Oblique lie
The baby is oblique when baby's head is in the mother's hip. The baby's body and head are diagonal, not vertical and not horizontal (transverse lie). This is fine for a second twin. But oblique is not an optimal fetal position for a singleton baby after 30 weeks gestation.
Here is our friend Rose, her baby is barely oblique, but I don't have a picture of a clearly oblique baby. The baby's head would be more obviously in her hip. Thanks to Rose, to Blooma.com where we painted and to Trish Gardiner, our friend and photographer!
I've heard from a number of women with oblique babies that
the course of successful action is
Begin the forward-leaning inversion earlier than 30 weeks gestation, or as soon as you know to do the following activities to help baby into a head-down - and vertical! - position.
And if that isn't enough,
- Seeing a chiropractor who is trained in Myofascial Release
Other things that may help:
- Wearing a pregnancy belt may help give tone to the lower uterine segment and help baby to center over the pelvic opening.
- To help move baby over, stick a rolled wash cloth on your right side under the belt.
- Sleep on the side that the baby's head is on after you've done the exercises for one week.
How many do you do?
Forward-leaning inversion, every day for 30 seconds each, after 36 weeks, do 2-3 a day for only 30 seconds each.
Sidelying (Pelvic Floor Release), one time now, one time in late pregnancy, one time in early labor.
In labor with an oblique lie
If you find yourself with a baby in an oblique lie while you are in labor, you may have a chance to slip your baby head down. If you do, you can avoid a cesarean.
Do the Pelvic Floor Release first through a contraction on each side. You must do the release on the left and on the right! See the article describing the Pelvic Floor (Sidelying) technique.
Then, when standing if possible, do the Lunge 3-6 times on each leg. See the article describing the lunge. It works with the contractions.
Other useful information
You may find some helpful information on what to do in labor for the asynclitic baby. If the reason for an oblique lie continuing after 30 weeks isn't completely resolved by labor, there may be a higher chance of asynclitism (a tipped head during birth). I don't "know" that by data, but by assumption.
Repeating the Sidelying (Pelvic Floor) Release in labor may help. Try it before 3 cm as a preventative.
Note, asynclitism at 3 cm is normal, we want to address the cause of asynclitism after 3 cm, but do the preventative before the baby is on the pelvic floor!
A similar article, here on Spinning Babies, to serve your baby's position is the one about the Transverse Lie, and while the fetal position is not exactly the same, the solutions are.
http://www.spinningbabies.com/baby-positions/all-positions/sideways