Breech! - Savannah,GA

My last son dropped twice and I went to the hospital in active labor and they discovered that he was breech. Needless to say after much talking and a small bit of panic I had a c-section and have a very healthy 6 month old looking at me now. Had I not had the c-section I think I would have a very different story because his cord was so wrapped around his arm that even with a c-section it took a few minutes to pull him out. I just wanted to tell you this not to freak you out but that maybe there is a reason that he is breech.

I've heard that just being on your hands and knees is supposed to help. Some people say to kind of rock your belly side to side. It's just a good position for freeing up space and encouraging movement. I've also read other moms claim they stood on their head. I can't stand on my head when I am NOT pregnant - much less during. Some doctors and chiropractors are skilled in techniques of turning babies - you may want to ask around as you get closer.

If your baby doesn't turn, have you asked your doctor if they are even open to the idea of a vaginal breech birth? Our third flipped to breech while I was in the hospital in labor (I had excess amniotic fluid and he had room to flip!) My doctor took a sonogram - while I was in labor - and measured the baby's chest, shoulders, and head. He looked to see where the cord was. This was 38 weeks, his head was actually smaller then his shoulders and since I had already two big babies vaginally my doctor was comfortable doing a breech vaginal birth. He left the choice up to my husband and I.

My doctor has experience delivering breech babies. The largest reason breech vaginal is considered unsafe is because many doctors don't know HOW. If they do, it's actually much safer and less traumatic for the baby then a c-section. There is a lot of misunderstanding with this. Many people have been made to believe breech is unsafe - on it's own it's not. You can have a healthy breech birth, if your doctor knows what he's doing.

We went into the OR just in case, I started pushing at 9:59PM and had my son at 10:01PM. :)

Since you mentioned none of your others were like this - it may be something to discuss? Though, take it from me - with a baby that flipped TO breech while I was in labor.. being 30 weeks you still have plenty of time for him to turn.

Good luck!

Check out the website www.spinningbabies.com -- it's done by this amazing doula and midwife who has devoted her career to studying how to get babies to turn. I've heard of a lot of moms having good luck with going to a chiropractor trained to do the Webster technique, and I've also heard of moms having success through acupuncture. Your doc may also be able to do an external version, but that's definitely the most painful option and it doesn't always work. Good luck!

30 weeks is pretty early. My last baby was breech until around 31 weeks as well... then she flipped and stayed head down after that. I wouldn't worry about it just yet.

J.

I remember finding out on a Thurs. when I was 36 wks along that my son was breach. The said that they could perform a version the next day. Which is where they try to turn the baby. This is painful, can sometimes induce labor, and in some cases when it doesn't is only temporary. I asked if we could wait until Monday, hubby would be able to come, incase labor was triggered. We went on a relaxing weekend trip, and showed up Monday for the proceedure. They did the ultrasound to see where he was, and couldn't find the head! 'Umm. I know he's still in there'. Nurses were confused. Doc walks in, the nurses tell him, and he moves the scanner South. "There HE is! Go home.". He'd flipped himself right down into the canal.

My tip is to relax, keep your feet up so that he has more room to try and move around.
M.

It is still very likely that he will turn on his own. My daughter was breech at 32 weeks but had flipped by 36 weeks. The only thing I did was to get on my hands and knees and let my belly hang. This supposedly gives the baby more room to turn. However, I couldn't do it much because every time I got on my hands and knees my 2 yo son wanted a horsey ride.

Our daughter was breech around that age - I was worried despite having been breech myself at birth. I didn't want to have a C-section.

The OB can do a process in which they attempt to manipulate the baby into the proper position. Our daughter did it on her own. Unfortunately, according to our OB/GYN group, many times, the manipulation is temporary, and the baby reverts to their original position.

I'd talk to your OB/GYN about their opinions on delivering breech. There has been much debate lately. I'm proof that it can occur safely through a vaginal delivery, but I don't know statistically if it's advisable today.

I had the same problem with my daughter. I laid down on the couch, put my ipod with headphones on low, and put the headphones down at the bottom of my belly. Within 20 minutes, she was moving around like crazy! You could see she was shifting around, trying to hear the music better. It didn't hurt, just felt funny. My next visit, the doctor confirmed she was in the correct position now. Give it a try! Just remember not the have the music on too loud because then the baby will be able to hear it already and may not move.

I'm a doula and one of my moms just had success turning her little one (at 37 weeks) by doing "optimal fetal positioning". This site is a great resource.....http://spinningbabies.simplwebsite.com/

Chiropractor is also a good idea, and some doctors will turn the baby using a technique called "version". Talk to a midwife -- they are always very willing to help!

Baby has time to move around a lot before he's ready to come out. Chances are he will get in the right position when it's time! I do know that the doctor can actually do a procedure to make him flip if it comes to that - from what I know it's a hands on manual procedure to move him in the right place - think deep tissue massage!

Hi Amy,
Lie on an incline, with your hips at the top and your head at the bottom. It looks funny, but it turned my guy over when nothing else would. If you can fit on your children's slide, that makes a good angle, just make sure they don't want to slide down on top of you! : )
Good Luck & Have fun, K..

It is very likely that your baby will turn in the right position on his/her own. However, my OB/Gyn made me to put myself upside down every day for five minutes (very uncomfortable!!!) until the next appointment. I would carefully sit down on the carpet and then lie down, I would put my legs up on the sofa and stay there 5 minutes.
That is what I was suggested by my OB/Gyn and it worked! Just in case, ask to your Ob/Gyn first before attempt anything.
Good luck and take care of yourself,

Classical music through headphones on your belly should do it. My son was in a breech position and his birthmom was told to do that and he flipped right over.

Go to the chiropractor. Mine has turned lots of breech babies.