In the last few months of pregnancy, you will wonder, “When does my baby turn head down?” It’s been on my mind lately with my third little one getting close to arrival.
It always seems to be a fear that some mothers have, and that it will lead to a baby that does NOT want to turn head down, nearly eliminating their chances of a natural baby birth.
When Does Baby Turn Head Down?
Simple answer: when they’re ready.
But you don’t like that answer. I don’t either because it’s too vague. We want charts and diagrams and statistics and labels to know exactly when and how things are supposed to happen to us and our baby every single day.
I can break it down for you week by week here. But as far as knowing EXACTLY when your baby should turn is like knowing when you’re going to go into labor and get through all the stages of it.
I CAN tell you a few things that will ease your mind. I wasn’t going to leave you hanging. 
When you’re approximately 30-34 weeks pregnant is when your baby should turn head down. But this isn’t true for all women. Approximately 25% of women’s babies haven’t turned by then.
It’s only a bit concerning when you’ve become full term (what the doctors consider 37 weeks) and your baby is still sitting in any other position. But many babies can even turn back and forth up until you DO go into labor. There’s the majority, and then the minority that still works out. (This is the start of other symptoms leading up to your birth.)
Why Won’t My Baby Turn?
If you find yourself getting close to that due date and your doctor or midwife is finding your baby in a less than optimal position, it can be hard to know the exact cause.
Your baby can turn so much early on because there’s tons of room. But in the last few months when space becomes limited, it naturally becomes more difficult, yet certainly not impossible to do.
Main reasons stem from:
- lack of enough water in the amniotic fluid
- fear and anxiety in the mother
- chiropractic imbalance in the pelvic area
- muscle tension and strain around the uterus and pelvic floor
- improper lifestyle of sitting all day without enough exercise
When your body has some sort of physical imbalance, both sides of your muscle groups and nerve systems cannot work together optimally. Say you have to sit all day at your desk for work and you naturally shift your weight to one side.
Well, that side could become strained, causing your deep tissues muscles to tighten, making or connections and ligaments weak and contorted. When those issues surround your pelvic area, even the tiniest things can cause your uterus to not be fully relaxed and the space for your baby to be constricted. It also affects your dilation and station during those final stages of childbirth when your baby is trying to move down the birth canal.
Just how movement assists greatly during your childbirth, movement and keeping things relaxed and strong helps you hold yourself together much better. This allows your baby to find the most comfort to do what they’re needing to in order to greet you soon.
How To Help My Baby Turn
If you have a Breech baby, there is an entire post devoted to what you can do for that in detail here. But, in general, whether or not you’re far enough to even need to worry about a Breech baby yet, you can implement simple things to help your baby feel comfortable enough to turn on their own.
- Visit Your Chiropractor. They can align everything in your pelvis how it should be. See them regularly (no more than every two weeks), especially in your last few months leading up to your birth. They can find muscles and tension you didn’t even know existed and help correct them.
Image courtesy of familychiro.com.au
- Drink Plenty Of Water. Along with the other nutritious things you should be eating, water is on that list. Keep a bottle with you wherever you go, in your purse, at your desk, in your car…It makes a difference.
- Exercise Regularly. We have to get up off our butts and do what our bodies are supposed to do-MOVE! Even if it’s just walking, that will help correct all the stiffness gained from hours in a chair. If you haven’t already, start NOW with easy pregnancy exercises or more advanced ones to keep you strong.
- Stretch Too. Lengthening those muscles and ligaments reduces your odds of extra tension. Now they’re you’re getting bigger, the ability to move is so vital to just plain feeling better! Add stretching to your daily routine.
- Use Good Posture. I know that if you’re trying to keep your posterior baby turned the right way by leaning forward a lot, that it can lead you to hunch just from being tired. I know. Just do your best to keep your shoulders back and your back straight, with your hip bones tilted forward as often as possible. It will encourage your baby to stay where they are. Plus, you’ll be able to breathe a bit better too.
Most of all, don’t worry if you’re not at a point along your pregnancy timeline that it should be a worry at all. Your baby can feel your stress too.
What If My Baby Still Hasn’t Turned?
See the Breech post again and discuss with your caregiver your best options for your particular situation. But keep doing everything listed here, ESPECIALLY chiropractic care. Our bodies are so complex and intricate inside, down the tiniest details that only someone who is professionally skilled can make a difference sometimes.
You and your baby will be alright in the end, even if after everything you’ve done doesn’t seem to help. But KNOW THIS: less than 5% of women in this situation actually end up needing a c-section. And this is the case when I believe they are life-saving and completely appropriate when there’s just something wrong that you can’t pin-point.
That DOESN’T mean that you have failed in your efforts or that your body failed you. (Read this woman’s justification for her ‘failure’ here, and my response to it.)
You are perfectly created by divine hands, and those same hands have given you your child too. They will come into the world the way they are intended, and your joy as a mother will still be full.
But your chances are in your favor, especially knowing that you’re doing everything to help your body be its best.
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Anyone ever had their baby flip at the last second?
This was an interesting read and something i never knew about. I guess when i was a kid i didn’t turn my head down for a while. Apparently i came out 2 weeks late and was covered in fur like a peach. The doctor said I was overcooked. Your site is nice looking and soothing, and your content has a reassuring feel. Im sure a lot of people will appreciate this.
You came out exactly when you were supposed to, Chris. Thanks for your comment.
These are some really great steps a woman can do if their baby has turned down yet.
I really wish my wife had access to a site like this with our first 2 boys.
She searched all over to find information on how to have an all natural baby birth. She had to go from website to website, but yours really provides a one stop shop where a woman can go and find all the information they are looking for.
When you were first researching on how to have you “first” natural baby, how did you do it? Did it take you a long time as well?
I read and read and read everything that I could get my hands. But even now I’m learning and finding more than what I had a few years ago with my first baby.
My main resources I used the first time around were Dr. Bradley’s Husband-Coached Childbirth book and the Giving Birth Naturally childbirth course, which I have reviewed for you already because they were an excellent help for me.
But I did also take some of the cheaper Lamaze, hospital birthing and breastfeeding classes at my local hospital. Only the breastfeeding class was useful. But that’s why I encourage mothers to try a multiple of different approaches because you truly won’t know until you’re in the moment what techniques will work for you.
Congrats on your children though. Now your wife knows where to turn for the next one. Best!
Hi Sarah, what a wonderful post you have there. Right now, I’ll have more understanding regarding the position and baby turn head down, so that I could share with my wife. We’re currently planning for a baby to, probably will be on the coming year. Thanks a lot for the information.
Good luck with your baby plans, Bernard. Let me know if I can help in anyway, thanks!
Hi Sarah, thank you for this piece of wonderful article. I believe it will help many mothers-to-be, to reduce their anxiety and stress during pregnancy.
My son turned head down in my wife’s tummy pretty close to the norm period. He is a very active 3 years old now. How time flies!
I will refer to my friends who are mum-to-be to your site here so that they can read all the valuable information you provide here.
Wishing you the best!
Thanks for sharing, Edmund. Best to you and yours as well.
Hi Sarah,
Thank you for this wonderful information for soon to be mothers. Your right in your advice to keep moving and being active. This is so hard in the final trimester has many women are tired and fill swollen beyond thier limits. I love that you endorse chiropractic treatments as well. This can greatly effect the childbirth. Unfortunately most insurance doesn’t cover it. Thanks aging for the wonderful information.
There was a time when I didn’t have insurance that covered chiropractic either. But it seems that more and more insurance companies are having it standard now. I have a plan to covers it now, like so many visits per year. I always ask for a discount when paying cash up front and not going to insurance if I know something won’t be covered, then you can usually get a much cheaper rate. Thanks Sheila!
It’s interesting that you mention chiropractics, because I started seeing a chiro several years ago and witnessed them perform adjustments on pregnant mothers, as well as newborn babies! I’ve never seen it before in my life. To adjust a newborn they hang the baby upside down by their ankles and give a quick tug! Craziest thing I’ve ever seen.
A newborn baby can certainly have something knocked out of alignment during birth too. I want to start having my boys get adjustments when they’re more emotionally ready to handle exactly how it works. But there are different kinds of methods and much different levels of knowledge from doctor to doctor. I’ve been to three different kinds overall during the years and feel that I get the best help from where I am now. So it can take some trial and error in finding one that makes you most comfortable. Thanks Frank!