Sarah Osborne, Birth Doula & Photographer

Sarah Osborne, Birth Doula & Photographer Sarah has supported over 900 births in her 16 years of doula work. She is a birth photographer and childbirth educator. Sarah Osborne, CD(DONA)

She is also a passionate doula mentor, edcautor and speaker.

When a baby is OP, newer doulas often feel like there’s nothing they can do.But position changes can make a huge differe...
03/20/2026

When a baby is OP, newer doulas often feel like there’s nothing they can do.

But position changes can make a huge difference.

The goal is simple:

👉 Create space in the pelvis so baby can rotate.

Here are some of my favorite tools at births:

Lunges
One foot up on a chair or bed.
Great for creating pelvic asymmetry.

Side-lying release
Amazing for releasing tight pelvic ligaments.

Hands and knees
Classic and gravity helps a baby rotate.

Exaggerated Side Lying
Especially helpful with a peanut ball in a hospital bed.

Forward-leaning positions
Leaning over a birth ball, bed, or counter.

The key is movement and patience.

Posterior babies often rotate when we:

• create space
• change levels
• allow time

Birth is incredibly dynamic.

And experienced doulas learn how to work with labor instead of fight it.

If you want to learn the kind of strategies that come from years in the room, that’s exactly what we talk about in my mentorship community.

Comment DOULA if you want the details. We’d love to have you in our community! 🫶🏼

Special repeat client and this baby is already pulling some shenanigans 😅
03/19/2026

Special repeat client and this baby is already pulling some shenanigans 😅

One of the first things newer doulas panic about in labor is when something just feels… off.Contractions feel weird.Mom ...
03/17/2026

One of the first things newer doulas panic about in labor is when something just feels… off.

Contractions feel weird.
Mom says her back is on fire.
Progress feels slow.

Sometimes the reason is simple:

👉 Baby might be OP (occiput posterior).

Here are a few clues that can point toward a posterior baby:

1. Intense back labor
Pressure lands right on the sacrum when baby’s spine is against mom’s spine.

2. Fetal heart tones higher or more lateral
Often heard more toward mom’s side or higher up instead of low and centered.

3. Pressure in the back instead of the pelvis
Clients might say:
“Everything hurts in my tailbone” or “my back is on fire!”

4. Irregular contraction patterns
Posterior babies can cause
• stop-and-start labor
• contractions spacing out & labor stalls
• progress that feels inconsistent

✨ REMEMBER!
An OP baby is not a failure or a birth plan destroyer.

Many babies rotate during labor.
Some even rotate while pushing!

I’ve supported 950+ births, and posterior babies show up all the time.

When you understand what you’re seeing… it becomes a lot less intimidating.

If you’re a newer doula and want to feel more confident reading labor like this, that’s exactly what we work on inside my mentorship community.

Comment MENTOR and I’ll send details.

SECOND Birth Bound of the night! Literally went from one hospital to another 👶🏼👶🏽
03/15/2026

SECOND Birth Bound of the night! Literally went from one hospital to another 👶🏼👶🏽

✨ Vernix.it’s actually amazing.Vernix caseosa is the protective coating babies develop in the womb. It helps:• Protect b...
03/15/2026

✨ Vernix.

it’s actually amazing.

Vernix caseosa is the protective coating babies develop in the womb. It helps:

• Protect baby’s skin from months in amniotic fluid
• Fight bacteria (it has antimicrobial properties)
• Regulate temperature after birth
• Moisturize and protect newborn skin
• Even help baby slide through the birth canal

Nature really thought of everything.

Which is why the WHO (and many providers) recommend delaying baby’s first bath and letting that vernix soak into their skin.

New doulas - when you see vernix at a birth, it’s a great opportunity to normalize & gently educate your clients.

Sometimes the smallest pieces of birth physiology are the most fascinating.

Birth is wild like that. ✨

Curious what this will look like tomorrow…moms are so strong! 💪🏽😅
03/15/2026

Curious what this will look like tomorrow…moms are so strong! 💪🏽😅

This sweet little one arrived just before its due date which was St Patrick’s Day! 🍀
03/15/2026

This sweet little one arrived just before its due date which was St Patrick’s Day! 🍀

In this photo you can see baby’s face turning upward rather than down toward the floor. That means this little one is be...
03/14/2026

In this photo you can see baby’s face turning upward rather than down toward the floor. That means this little one is being born occiput posterior - sometimes called “sunny side up.”

And let me tell you… OP babies can make labor a whole different ride.

A few things every doula should know:

• OP babies often cause intense back labor.
Clients will describe contractions that feel like they’re crushing their spine or radiating through their lower back.

• Labor can be longer or feel more stalled.
Because the baby’s head is coming through the pelvis in a less optimal position, rotation sometimes takes longer.

• Pushing can be more challenging.
The diameter of the head presenting through the pelvis can be larger, and rotation may happen late… sometimes right as the head crowns.

But here’s the important part:

OP babies absolutely can and do rotate during labor.
Sometimes several times. Sometimes right at the very end.

And as doulas, there’s actually a lot we can do to help support that process.

Things I’m often using with OP babies:

• Forward-leaning positions
• Asymmetrical lunges
• Side-lying releases
• Hands-and-knees movement
• Rebozo work
• Encouraging movement instead of long periods on the back

Over the years and 950+ births later, I’ve learned that understanding baby positioning can completely change how you support a labor.

And truly?
Most doula trainings barely scratch the surface of this.

So next week I’m thinking about doing a little mini teaching series on OP babies, right here on IG:

• how to recognize it in labor
• positions that help babies rotate
• pushing tips
• expectations

If this would be helpful for you as a newer doula, comment “OP” and I’ll make sure you don’t miss it.

Because the more you understand how baby positioning can impact labor…

…the more confident you’ll feel walking into the birth room. ✨

- Sarah, The Expert Doula

This family has been so patient! 🍀
03/10/2026

This family has been so patient! 🍀

And the birth storm continues….with the first March baby! ☘️
03/01/2026

And the birth storm continues….with the first March baby! ☘️

What do you mean tomorrow is Monday??!! 📸photo credit: Me, Sarah, The Expert Doula 🤍
03/01/2026

What do you mean tomorrow is Monday??!!

📸photo credit: Me, Sarah, The Expert Doula 🤍

Address

Tacoma, WA
98405

Telephone

+12067196965

Website

http://www.theexpertdoula.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Sarah Osborne, Birth Doula & Photographer posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Sarah Osborne, Birth Doula & Photographer:

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Sarah Osborne, CD(DONA) Baby Blessings Doula Care

Welcome to a new year...2020! This past year I celebrated my 11th year as a birth doula. I have helped 450+ families welcome their babies into this world. What a joy, privilege and blessing it has been. I’m excited to see what this year will bring! xoxo

Sarah Osborne, CD(DONA)