Anterior Placentas

Lol Kelpa, yes I have one. The only problems I've been told about is it can be harder to find the heartbeat (it has been!) and also Bubs is more "likely" to be posterior. That doesn't mean Bubs will be but apparently babies like facing their placentas.

Posterior just means that the baby has spine facing your spine instead of facing towards your belly. Its not a problem as such, it just means its more likely to be a longer labour & more painful. BUT that doesn't always happen. My midwife just told me to be more aware of how I'm sitting posture-wise and to try keep my pelvis tilted forward. It seems to be working. My baby went from transverse position (lying sideways) to being head down & facing the right way.
Hope that helps?

Okay, there are lots of scarey stories about posterior babies - my first was and had the largest part of his head presenting. I had a five hour labour with 1 and 1/2 hours of pushing - got him out with a minor tear (didn't feel a thing) and the ony problem was he had a cone-head for a few days. It CAN prolong labour, but not necessarily! I was fine.

Oops.. should also mention that we have never had any issues with locating the baby's heartbeat - always seems to be in the same place too, just to the left of where my right ovary is (I guess?!?!)

Hmm Im not feeling much either. Must be having a good old kick in there and bouncing off the placenta!!

Hi
I also have an Anterior Placenta. The only problem was that at 12 weeks the midwife couldn't find the heart beat, we totally freaked out and thought the worst, but the scan was fine - and it was because of the placenta. I feel my baby often, but when I'm at the midwifes she can hear him kicking etc but I cant feel it so I think he does move more than I can feel.

I didnt know about the posterior delivery thing, so thats a bit scary. Sometimes I think i can feel him kicking on the inside so I figured he was facing in, but he changes all the time at the moment. I hope rolls over at the end!

Edited by ErinC

Erin, my midwife couldn't find the heartbeat at my 12 week checkup recently... she said that its actually quite common not to be able to, as the baby is still quite low in your pelvis, and the doppler things can't go through bone. We heard a definite movement, so we're not worried.

Hi becca,
We were really worried at the time, but after a bit of reseach we learnt it was quite common

GEEEEEE! I hope this little munchkin goes for a big flip and gives me a big boot now and then!!!

Mama_Wendz, having an anterior placenta is quite common & your midwife probably hasn't mentioned it because it really is no big deal. If you ask your midwife she will probably tell you the same thing. I only found out about it with my last pregnancy because my boy was in a really bad posterior position from about 35 weeks onward. Even then it wasn't a big deal.
I was one of those unlucky ones who had a very long painful labour but just because you have a an anterior placenta doesn't mean that will happen to you. Its just one of those big MAYBE things. Even if Bubs ends up being posterior a good amount of babies turn the right way in labour so its not a big deal.
I think sometimes the reason I had problems was because it was my first baby & my body didn't get it all together. Hoping I'm right & this second Baby is much easier!