Baby is breech, please help!!! - Page 2

[Ruth]

What great positive stories and advice. I wish ya'll were around when this exact thing happened to me. I tried most of the suggestions here, I read EVERY bookstore book and EVERY library book I could find and there are more suggestions here than in all those books. (I certainly didn't see anything about a blow job, too funny.)

I ended up with a c-section. I called everyone who I could think of, even Ina May. She wouldn't take me because it was my first baby. I felt bad about it for a long time, but you know what? It's been 4 years and I don't feel bad about it anymore. Someone along the way told me, you got pregnant to have a baby, not a vaginal birth. There was just a teeny tiny bit of wisdom there.

I really really did not like doctors (and like them even less after my c-section.) IF I have another baby, I know that will have a home birth after c-section (HBAC).

Good luck to you and your baby!

[bebe luna]

I know of this working in 3 cases!!
Go to an acupuncturist and have them perform moxibustion on you... moxa is a pressed stick of the herb mugwort that is burned and held near the body to add warmth/energy to specific acu points and muscle areas... for breech babies it is held above the very last point on the Urinary Bladded channel, which is at the tip of the outside of the little toe...
Sounds crazy, but it has great success rate!! It's completely safe, comfortable, and non-invasive!

[valeria_vi]

guys,
heres' another thing i've heard of (never tried it myself, but it is harmless, so why not give it a shot) - pace something really cold (like apack of frozen veggies ot ice) on top of your uterus. teh babe will try to get its head away from the cold and might turn head down this way.

[kama'aina mama]

I have heard that COL Midwife... unfortunately my midwife wouldn't do it and refered me to a gyn who had a pretty good record of turning babes. It is very hard to find someone to deliver a breech on an untried pelvis. It's dumb but it's true. If Ina May won't I don't know who will or how you would find him or her!

I don't think WE here consider sections safer but the docs are convinced it is the only way to go... in part because they havn't learned their job and don't know how to catch a breech. I'm getting all wound up now so I should take a break.

[Ruth]

Suebee, As others have said, my advice is that I would try all of these other non-intrusive procedures before trying a version.

I had a version by a midwife (two different times) and once by a medical doctor ONLY AFTER I tried many many of the suggestions here. Both the midwife and the doctor HURT alot. The second time the midwife tried it, it hurt way less because I was prepared for the pain - the doctor never said anything about pain just started pushing! The second time the midwife tried it I also had had one shot of tequila (the only drop of alcohol I had all through my pregnancy and 4 years of nursing). That time didn't hurt much, but luckily my husband was there because I was saying Try it Again Try it Again (I wanted so badly for the procedure to work) and the baby's heart beat was slowing down. My dh brought me to my senses and said NO MORE.

I would have tried the many other cool suggestions made here but after three versions my poor dd said I AM OUT OF HERE WHAT IS GOING ON and was born 3 and 1/2 weeks early.

I couldn't find any doctor in my area to deliver a breech baby vaginally. Somebody told me it was because I lived in a big metropolitan area where malpractice suits are sky-high. They said if I lived in a smaller town, that I may have gotten a doctor to do it.

[lilyka]

I have heard that water helps. Swimming or floating or just hanging out I guess but submerged. SOmething about bouency (sp?). Good luck. There is noone here who will deliver a breech. The one DFr. who does it is retiring. I think my midwife woiuld do it but she doesn't have any experiance so they won't let her (the dr. in her practice) see that circular motion there. No experiance so we can't do it which means no experiance. . . .

[teachermom]

do try a chiropractor, I have heard about a lot of sucess with the Webster technique.
My doctor turned my son when I was 36 wks (the reason they don't wait till you due date is twofold...if you go into labor early, they have a breech babe & as the baby gets bigger it's harder to turn it w/o risking damage to the cord or plasenta. they also can't do it too early or the baby just flips back!). My doctor gave me a muscle relaxer and pain meds before doing the version. From what the nurses said afterwards I understand that this was unusual (my doc was awsome and I guess he does somethings differantly because he usually specializes in only high risk pregnancies; he's a perinatoligist) and that usually it just hurt like hell (again, according to the nurses). I don't understand why they would use an epidoral though, knowing that it has very common side effects. Also make sure that your doctor plans to use an ultrasound machine to see whats happening inside as he does the version (lowers the risk of catching the cord and causing plasenta damage...causing an emergancy c-section). If you are not induced after the version there is a risk of the baby turning back but so what at worst you will have a c-section (sounds like you doc plans that anyway if you don't have the version) and at best it stays head down and you get a full term baby! by the way I did carry my son to 38 weeks when he came on his own and was born head first in the easist labor I've had yet.
Good luck!

[AutumnMoonfire]

I heard something at work the other night, an OB in my town has a goofy non invasive method that works for turning breaches. Take a bag of frozen peas and lay it on your belly on top while you are laying down. if you put it near where the baby's head is the baby will turn vertex to get away from the cold peas. It has to be peas. He has told women to do this and at the next sono the babies have been vertex.

This is far from guarenteed, but the OB in question is Mr cautious and he asked me what I was trying to prove with my two natural and normal births. I told him my two mec delivery babies would not have benefitted from my having narcotics. so he's pretty mainstream in a lot of respects.

Just call him Dr. Peas

[BowenTherapist]

I'm sorry to hear about your situation.
I've heard that a flashlight can help to turn a baby.
I think what you do is lie down relaxed and have someone guide the baby with the light. I have no idea if this works...
Your prob better off with the chiropractor.

[sweetmama]

Have your partner talk to the baby, close to your belly, and down low, the idea is that the baby will turn to get closer to the sound, same thing with playing music through headphones and placing them down low on your belly.

Because I'm midwifery/home birth oriented I always think of midwifery today as a resource (a great magazine with a great website and discussion boards like this). I would think that you could get some support and advice there, even if you're having an OB birth. I think their web address is just www.midwiferytoday.com good luck!

[Kim]

Do a search on this forum for breech babies -- my baby was still breech at 36 weeks. The babe turned on her own, but I researched my alternatives.

Try or look into these options:

*Moxibustion - an burned herb is held near the outside of your little toe. Supposed to be very effective if done by a skilled acupuncurist.

*Webster Technique - call the chiropractors in your area to find out who does this technique. Again, very effective if done by a skilled chiropractor. They don't like to do the webster before 36 weeks in case the baby tries to turn around again.

*Visualize your baby turning around. Do you know which way your baby is facing? If so, rub your belly in circles as if your baby was diving forward.

*The ironing board (or use pillows) to get your butt and feet off the ground. It's really uncomfortable, but try to do this for at least 15 minutes a couple of times a day. :

*The external version should be your last resort because it has been known to induce labor.

Good luck to you and blessings on your birth!
Kim

[Heather C.]

I've heard that an accupuncturist can help turn a breech baby. They burn a stick of moxa and the heat helps to coax the baby to get headed in the right direction. Good Luck!

[StillForest]

Our DD kept going breech till 37+ weeks. I remember how harrowing that was. I did handstands
in the pool, lying down on the ironing board perched on the couch and had DH shine a flashlight and sing to DD a couple times each night. We actually felt her moving while he did this. Hard to say which finally did the trick--but she did turn head down.

I was going to try the Webster Technique if all else failed --though had trouble finding someone to do it. Also heard that there is a flower essence that is supposed to help with this (Bougainvillea??? not sure).

Good luck!!

[dandelion]

Have you considered trying to find a midwife/doctor who would assist at a breech birth? It's probably not too late since many people switch caregivers in the last couple of weeks for similar reasons.

My second baby was breech and born at home (also a VBAC). My midwives assured me that many babies are breech for a reason and turning is not always best. They also told me that breech babies usually just "fall out". Well, they were right! My baby came out incredibly easy without even a tear and we found out the baby was breech because the cord wasn't attached to the placenta probably, sp the baby likely wouldn't have survived head-down.

Just a suggestion...

[chocomoto]

another breech!

Here I am reading through these posts again because #2 is breech too!! I'm 32 weeks, so I've still got some time, but my OB doesn't think this one will turn on it's own since #1 didn't.

I am a bit frustrated and wondering what is wrong with me!! It's probably not a uterine abnormality since I did have a successful version and delivery last time. I don't think its psychological either, because I am really looking forward to this birth with my midwife.

I'm scheduled for a version at 35 weeks, but have the same reservations about it as last time (even though it worked). Mainly I'm worried about premature labor. I also think that maybe there is a reason that this baby is breech, and I don't want to interfere with that.
My OB will do a breech vaginal delivery this time around, but I really want to birth with my midwife. It is illegal here for her to assist with breech deliveries.

I found a great site for inspiration:
Heads Up! All About Breech Babies, Welcome to the new home of my all breech website!

Carolyn
due with #2 Sept 1

[jayasun]

hi you two mamas!

my baby too was breech at 34-36 weeks. felt her go that way one night on the couch. what a event!

this will duplicate others suggestions-

1) visualization
2) laying inclined on ironing board ( i visualized at the same time)
3) homeopathic pulsatilla
4) played music on earphones at pelvic outlet
5) i too saw chiropractor-had craniosacral work
6) did moxi too at the accupuncturist.

just to cover my bases, i began researching docs in the area that would attempt delivery of breech babies, and talking to them about version. looking at my options if the baby didn't turn spontaneously helped me to not get freaked...

baby turned (hooray!), ended up with a cesarean birth anyway for other reasons its hard to do, but trust that your baby knows what it needs to do- even if it stays breech.

can't wait to hear your birth stories!

love and light

jaya

[mamasarah]

don't worry!!

baby still has plenty of time to turn...
i was worried so we had dh talk to baby with his head in my lap, plus i've been doing yoga pretty much every day--hands and knees positions, etc.. . and then voila.. baby flipped over. you could try these , baby might just need a little encouragement plus my midwife says babies will sometimes turn and turn until the very end.

[CorasMama]

Two encouraging anecdotes:

When I was about 33-34 weeks pg, dd was still breech (frank breech). Because of all my preterm labor, OB wanted to do a version a little earlier than most, because he didn't want me going into labor with her breech, and it could have happened any time. As we were driving to the dr.'s office to get the version done, she turned herself around! It was reallly quite funny to watch, like something from and Alien movie, because she turned around in two relatively quick movements.

I was born frank breech, vaginal birth, my mother's first (and only) birth. I came out like greased lightning, too. By the time the doctor had worked up the courage to tell my mom that it might be time for a c-section, I was at +1 and coming fast!

Good luck

[birthwarrior]

So, Suebee,what's the scoop? My first 2 were c-secs and I thot I had find a sympathetic doc. We discovered baby was breech and he said"you're lucky as I am one of the few docs that will deliver breech" but when I reminded him it was my first labor also he said no way. So, my fiance and I saw 3 other docs and one would perform a version but oNLY with the team ready for a c-sec as this may promote labor. I called my Bradley instructor who gave me number of area's ICAN leader who gave me number of Birth clinic in Michigan where there was a breech birth tape she advised me to ask if I could beg,borrow,buy or steal as I was NOT going to go to a hospital and I was going to make dh catch. We had just seen a video in class about a woman who at 36 weeks switched docs so she could have a breech vbac and so I figured I could too but time was running out as after 38 weeks the chance of turning declines. I tried some of the methods advised here but to no avail so off I trotted to Michigan and felt at peace and safe. My mw talked to me and manually turned the baby...she stopped for a contraction I didn't even know I was having! It wasn't anymore uncomfortable than my 3 yo leaning on my belly. Took about 5 minutes. And then I walked and squatted for an hour and got to know her better and asked if I could have my baby there. And she said if the baby goes back to breech, so what? We'll have a breech baby I almost wished the baby would go back to breech so I could flaunt it in the face of everyone who tried to dissuade me from my goal of a VBAC that not only did I have a natural VBAC, BUT a breech first time VBAC at that! In the end, I am glad he stayed head down as there were complications we had to deal with but I achieved my goal and I owe it all to my MW. In fact, she is my hero and I named our third VBAC(with same midwife), after her. We only had to drive 3 hours and as it was my first labor technically, I wasn't worried 3 hours would catch us on the road. I too had thot of tennessee but now I know Nancy Cohen is a mw so if Aunt Val can't do it, I'd go there!

[birthwarrior]

i also want to add my son may have "known" I was afraid this doc would end up sclicing me, sympathetic as he preened to be. Plus, my brother,his preggie wife, 2 yo dd, and rottweiler were living in our basement and they were stressing me. they moved out and a week later I went to midwife. A week later I married my fiance and almost a month later we had our child. So the contractions were heavy for awhile and dh was afraid I'd start labor b4 we were able to get married, but ds was a smartie even while inutero!