What Are the Different Baby Positions in the Womb?

During pregnancy, a baby will move and lie in various ways inside the womb. It is near the end of the pregnancy when the baby's position becomes a serious matter, as it can affect delivery. There are three types of different baby positions in the womb: cephalic, breech or shoulder. Cephalic, or head-first, presentation includes occiput anterior position and occiput posterior position, while breech, or feet-first, presentation includes frank breech, complete breech and footling breech. Shoulder presentation is also called transverse lie.
Breech presentations are not favored baby positions in the womb. A frank breech is the most common of breach presentations. The baby’s buttocks are nearest to the birth canal and his legs lie vertically in front of his body so that his feet are next to his head. In a complete breech, the baby's buttocks are nearest the birth canal and his knees are folded so that his feet are next to his buttocks. A footling breach is when the baby’s buttocks are near the birth canal, but one or both of his feet are pointing down and will be the first part through the birth canal.
A transverse lie is the least common of baby positions in the womb during delivery. It usually only occurs with multiple pregnancies or premature delivery. In a transverse lie, the baby is lying sideways, or crosswise. While this position is common during pregnancy, it is not a good position for delivery. The baby's shoulder, hands or feet are nearest to the birth canal, and if the doctor cannot rotate him in time, cesarean delivery might be the best birthing option.