The ROA baby is not on the Spinning Babies® list of clearly ideal or optimal fetal positions. The ROA position is not clearly associated with a resulting labor pattern. The baby may rotate to the posterior and, if so, labor may have a posterior pattern of cluster contractions with slow downs or stalls. The baby may rotate to the anterior and labor may be straight-forward. The main determinant may be whether or not the chin is tucked.
Variables with the ROA baby that affect labor:
- Flexion of the chin
- First-time mom
- Balance and tone of the soft tissues relating to birthing (this means the uterus, ligaments, and fascia)
- Pelvic alignment (this effects the above-mentioned balance and tone)
- Pelvic shape and size
- Placental location
Use the 3 Principles to give the ROA baby a chance to turn and face the back, right side and have their back on mother’s left.
- Relax the soft tissues so that the baby can move past the placenta during labor, if the placenta is anterior or on the left.
- Use maternal positioning to help the baby come up a centimeter and turn their head around to face the right.
Notice if there are small wiggling parts near the front, lower half of the womb. Hands in front indicate a posterior baby. The LOP baby is often labeled ROA because the forehead of the LOP baby feels the same width as the nape of the ROA baby’s neck.