Ask away! Our resident doulas will answer your pregnancy,
birth, and postpartum questions, and share them to our blog to help other new
parents.
Q: I am 36 weeks
pregnant and my doctor says baby is breech. He wants to schedule a cesarean if
she hasn’t turned by my next appointment. Is there anything I can do to
convince her to turn? I really want a natural birth, and I’m willing to try
anything!
A: This is a really common question. We’re going to approach
it as asked, and discuss things you can do to try to turn a baby who isn’t
quite into “optimal” position (not exclusively breech), rather than discussing
the concept of breech birth. That’s a topic for another day!
Chiropractic
If you are not already using chiropractic care for regular
maintenance during your pregnancy, we highly recommend it. (We’ll talk about
that another day!) Check with your chiropractor to find out if they are trained
in the Webster Technique. Because breech positions are often the result of an
improperly aligned pelvis (leaving baby without enough space to move into the
correct position), this technique can make a huge difference in positioning
your baby.
And the Birth Without Fear Blog has an amazing explanationof the technique and its benefits here.
In Orange County and LA, we highly recommend Berlin
Wellness. Their offices can also help out with the next tip, acupuncture.
Acupuncture and Moxibustion
There are some amazing techniques that an acupuncturist can
do to help out with getting baby turned. Some will also send you home with
things to continue on your own. It may seem strange if you’ve never been, but
what better reason than to avoid surgery?
Moxibustion is a form of Chinese medicine, and the technique
for turning baby involves burning a Moxi stick near a point on your baby toe
called Bladder 67.
Get Down, Get Down
My grandmother swears by this one, and I think a lot of
other grandmothers probably do, too. Get down on your hands and knees (she
would say scrub the kitchen floor – I don’t care if you clean anything!).
Sitting in a reclined position on your couch may be exactly where you want to
be during those last weeks of pregnancy, but it probably isn’t helping baby get
into position. This is one of many wives tales on the topic, but since wives
are the ones having the babies, it may be worth listening!
A variation on this one is referred to as the breech tilt.
Think physics, and get your hips higher than your heart. You can use pillows to
prop yourself up in strange positions, or lean your ironing board against the
couch to stabilize yourself and lay with your head toward the floor. You may
even feel or see baby turning while using this technique.
Chill Out and See the
Light
There are a lot of people who have had success by making
baby less than comfortable in his or her preferred position. Try placing a bag
of frozen vegetables or an ice pack at the top of your belly (fundus).
The opposite approach would be to try to coax baby to a more
desirable spot! Try shining a light in the spot you would like baby’s head
(yes, there), playing music or having dad speak a little lower than he may have
in the past. The theory is that baby will move toward the stimulation, thus
moving into prime birth position.
If you want to get really creative, you could combine the
three – the pelvic tilt, ice, and light or music. Just make sure all the
cameras are safely tucked away before getting into position.
Surf the Web
There are a couple of great sites filled with ideas for
turning baby.
The first is Spinning Babies, a site filled with techniques
for turning babies.
The second is the Miles Circuit, which is a series of
positions meant to be done in order (like an exercise circuit) to get baby into
position.
Both sites also offer great support and stories of other
moms who have been right where you are. You are not alone.
External Version
Your doctor may offer a procedure called an external
cephalic version (sometimes called an ECV or simply an external version), where
they attempt to manually turn the baby from the outside. This is typically done
around 36-37 weeks, and reportedly has a 40-50% success rate.
I like to share this video with my clients so they get a
better idea of what this procedure might look like if they choose that option.
I have seen physicians offer this with and without an
epidural. Some may prefer to use an epidural for this procedure because they
feel it helps to relax mom and increases the success rate. An external version
is usually performed in a hospital setting to allow for monitoring of baby and
mom.
Conclusion
Here’s the hard to swallow news – for some babies, you can
do everything in the world, and they would rather stay in a position other than
the position considered ideal by your doctor. Other babies will turn into
position, but decide to move again before birth.
Positive thoughts will go a long way. Relax. Talk it out.
Release your stress and focus on bringing a beautiful baby into the world,
because your body has the wisdom of generations, and it knows what to do. You
just need to listen.
Do you have a question for the doulas? Email us at info@thedoulaisin.com and we
may answer it in a future column. Want to find out more about doulas or find
one in your area? Send us an email, or visit our website or Facebook page.
