How can you tell what's a butt and what's a knee?

[mrsdee1982]

When you are feeling around on your belly, and you feel little one in there, how do you tell "oh, this must be her butt." or "That's her head!"?  Can you actually tell?  Or have all those women in the past been bullshitting me?

I am almost 31 weeks.  I just feel a hardness where she is, but I have no clue what it what.  

[carolyngrace]

At my 30 week appt, the midwife showed me where the butt was (she was 90% sure he was head down, and the butt was up on my right side). It matched up with where I have been feeling kicks (mostly on my left side). It was pretty darn big and firm...

Since then I try and re-create what she did to feel it (lay on my back and squish things around so I can get a good feel). I'm pretty sure the butt has moved, but it's hard to be certain! I bet it will become easier in the next few weeks when they can't move around as much!

[noeliav]

I was able to figure it out with DD because she was head down pretty early and stuck that way. So, I really only had to figure out which side was her bum and which were her feet, and we were good. A lot of my "knowing" how baby boy is positioned is from my experience with her.

Um, feet feel like smaller knots than the big knot that's the bum. Also, feet can move independently of each other, so you can feel the specific kicks from one or another as they alternate.

Hands make smaller feeling movements than feet, if that makes sense?

And the back feels like a long hardness.

Does that help at all?

[junch817]

Umm, I firmly believe you can't really know for sure. With DD, she was breech, and at one point around 38+ weeks, just a few days before my CS, the midwife at my office was trying to decide if baby had moved. She was feeling internally (holy hell, owwww) and pushing on my belly externally, and was convinced she was feeling the head. I actually hated how hard she was pushing to determine it, especially if it was a head vs just a butt. Well, I wasn't convinced (mommy's instinct - I felt no big movements for a 180* switch) and demanded an ultrasound, which they don't even do there at my old practice. So they had to write me a script for one and a few days later I went, and she was still sitting on her bum, breech.

I really liked the midwife at my OB practice, and now I'm convinced if they can try to feel externally AND internally and get it wrong, it's too hard for us to tell.

[apollo11235]

I have some hunches, but I really can't tell still at almost 30w. My midwife couldn't tell either at my appointment last Thursday. I think next time we're hoping she'll be able to tell, but I'm not expecting to be an expert at it anytime soon.

[trixi282]

I was told by my 1st doc that most small movements and "kicks" you feel are just that, kicks, not hands punching. Like noeliav, said the legs/feet are more powerful and you'll feel them a bit more. Arms are likely to be felt less or like little flutters.

I can never truly tell head vs. butt - but I know the difference between kicks and rolls (like when baby is flipping or rotating). This pregnancy I obviously get to see baby a lot more, and I can see how often baby turns and rotates. But I also get confirmation a lot more that most of the movement I feel is little legs/feet kicking me.

I loved with my 1st as it got closer to D-day she would stretch and her foot would pop up by my ribs (which I didn't love the feeling of) but if I pressed her foot a little she would kick/push back and it would go on for a few minutes sometimes. It was a fun little game of tug-o-war almost!

[nettje]

I can usually feel when LO has their back pushed up. It's feels like a long hard spot on my stomach. Usually I can follow it to where the bum is. I assume it's the bum as it feels solid all the way to the curve and its wide not narrow like a neck.

It's also usually where I can feel kicks as well.

[tiffbot]

Haha, I'm on my second pregnancy and never put too much thought into what's what. When something big is sticking out I'm all 'ooh, baby!'

My last couple appointments my dr has said baby is head down, I know they flip around a lot, but I assume the stuff I feel in my ribs sometimes is feet then, otherwise just make a guess.

[Girlymama79]

Mar 30, 2015 13:04:05 GMT -5 pbubblegum said:

A nurse told me baby's back was the hardest part on your belly. Someone needs to invent safe at home ultrasound machine. You have the wand you plug into your smart phone and it plays on your screen. Genius no?

They have these for iPhone...I saw it on Pinterest so it must be true

[Girlymama79]

Here is the link

mobile.pcmag.com/galleries/14197-11-tech-gadgets-for-babies?origref=http%3A%2F%2Fpinterest.com%2Fpin%2F63824519693098142%2F

[Girlymama79]

Mar 30, 2015 14:33:25 GMT -5 pbubblegum said:

MobiUS™ systems are FDA-cleared medical devices that are currently available for sale to qualified medical professionals only.

Boooooo!!!!!!

Not cool. But there is a black market for everything right?

[Girlymama79]

I don't even want to know how much they cost!

[ladysif]

With DS1, it was a lot later closer to my due date when I could feel the shapes much better, and even then there were only a few times where I felt I definitively knew what it was (based on other movements in coordination with the butt moving).

When I was born, the doctors thought my rear end was my head for delivery - my first appearance in the world was to was to moon everyone. I was a breach vaginal delivery. (The thought makes me cringe.) Sorry mom.

[erbear]

I've wondered this! My BFF is a nurse and was trying to feel for her head yesterday - she said it would be the non squishy part. I can't tell. DH just looked at me like I'm insane poking my belly!

[Deleted]

I'm pretty sure I'm going to give birth to an octopus so I have no idea what is what with all the craziness happening in there.

[leenziepops]

I have no idea what's going on in there. Sometimes I think I have two babies in there.

[apollo11235]

Mar 30, 2015 13:06:18 GMT -5 trixi282 said:

I was told by my 1st doc that most small movements and "kicks" you feel are just that, kicks, not hands punching. Like noeliav, said the legs/feet are more powerful and you'll feel them a bit more. Arms are likely to be felt less or like little flutters.

Huh. I definitely get "kicks" on both ends... They could be weaker at the lower end, but they're usually directed at my bladder or cervix, so they feel pretty strong to me. Thanks for that, baby.

[tulips114]

I have never been able to tell for certain. I think his head is down a little to the left and butt to the left because I feel kicks mostly by my ribs on the right. But like others have said, even with my 2 other pregnancies the Dr made a guess, but checked with u/s to be sure.

[billyhorrible]

Mar 30, 2015 18:09:49 GMT -5 apollo11235 said:

Mar 30, 2015 13:06:18 GMT -5 trixi282 said:

I was told by my 1st doc that most small movements and "kicks" you feel are just that, kicks, not hands punching. Like noeliav, said the legs/feet are more powerful and you'll feel them a bit more. Arms are likely to be felt less or like little flutters.

Huh. I definitely get "kicks" on both ends... They could be weaker at the lower end, but they're usually directed at my bladder or cervix, so they feel pretty strong to me. Thanks for that, baby.

My kid starfishes.  I can feel 4 separate "kicks" on all the "corners" of my belly.

I couldn't tell this early on with LBB, it was only towards the end when I could physically SEE the appendage - a foot, sharp pointy elbow, or round head/butt.

[leenziepops]

billyhorrible You will need this for your LO.