Breech baby - help!

[hopingtobemomma]

Anyone else have a breech baby (or had one before) that can help?

I'm 34 weeks w/ a little boy who won't turn head down. He was head down the entire preg, but about 4 weeks ago he went head up. I have been trying some swimming, bathing, visualizing baby turn, pelvic tilts, etc. as well as gone to chiropractor for the Webster technique (3 times in last couple weeks) but baby is being stubborn.

I'm gonna try accupuncture next week. If he doesn't turn by 37 weeks there is the option to then do "version" where the OB manually tries to turn the baby. You are admitted to the hospital for the procedure in case it induces labor and you are monitored for a couple hours afterward. I guess it's about 60% chance of working. It sounds uncomfortable to have done.

BUT I DO NOT WANT A C-SECTION IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. I have worked so hard on my hypnobabies program and want to see what my birthing time brings. Anyone had success with version?

Does anyone have have suggestions or advice about turning baby or the version technique?

[Sfcmama]

I feel for you mama! My DD was breech until the day of her scheduled version. Luckily, she had somehow flipped without me feeling it in the 12 hours between our midwife appt and going to the hospital. Anyways, between 34-37 weeks, I swam, did somersaults in the pool, Webster and moxibustion. I also had a very honest conversation with her in the bath each night while DH had a stern one with her in bed ;0)
While, I'm sure that all of those things helped in their own ways, I think what was also crucial was surrendering to the possibility that she might not turn and trust that we'd still be ok. Now that I'm a parent, I am challenged daily to surrender control...
Best of luck! It is possible!!! Keep me posted.

[Aimsley9]

My baby was transverse at 35 weeks (had been for awhile) and we had a sono at 36 weeks to discuss scheduling a version at 37 weeks if necessary. Thankfully, she was head down so we didn't have to. She flipped sometime in between 35-36 weeks. Just wanted to give you hope that you still have time.

[virgo]

When I went through my childbirth education course the instructor talked about the fact that there are chiropractors that work exclusively with pregnant women and do small adjustments that encourage the baby to go into the head down position. I know of one that a lot of mamas in CA have used and have had success. I would check to see if there are a few in your area. Hopefully baby will just decide to flip on his own though.

[CherryBomb]

It sounds like you're doing everything you can. There's still time for him to turn, here's hoping that he does!

[hotharmony]

There is a website that might help called spinning babies.

[mauri456]

My twin A turned at 33 weeks from breech to vertex. There is still time. It did help (for me) to accept that the babies were in charge of how they are born. It seemed like not to much after that, baby a flipped.

I did do chiropractor, inversions, playing music down low, cat/cows -- tons of them, polar bears, visualization... oh and we did go to busch gardens. I think walking up tons of hills and just being leaned forward all day did something too.

Good luck to you. I know its hard not to worry but I know for me when I kind of stopped worrying about it, is when baby turned.

[October_Mama]

I'm in the same boat. Had an U/S today that revealed that baby is still breech at 34 weeks...i'm a little concerned about it, but i'm doing my best to trust that baby will turn. today i tried a cold pack up top and light and music down low. i also tried some inversions and took a warm bath. i did some puppy stretches while in the tub. soon i'll make an appt with accupuncturist, then a chiropracter. the MW said we'd talk ECV at the next appt if baby hasn't switched by then. my DH talked to a woman at work who had a version. she said it was more painful than labor. let's hope we can both avoid it.

if you find something that works for you, please share and i will do the same.

[hopingtobemomma]

thanks for all the tips and advice! i felt much better after reading your ocmments. i think many of you are right....time to let go and let the baby turn when he is ready. my dh thinks all these techniques and tools give me false hope that i can somehow make the baby turn, like i have the control.

i have relinquished the control to the baby and will just to some things here and there - swim, chiro, accupuncture and see what happens.

october mama - yes, i will keep you posted. i have my 4th chiro (webster) on tuesday and then u/s on friday morning to see if he turned. if he didn't turn i do my first accupuncture that afternoon... i am also unsure about that version technique and a bit scared, so let's assume we won't get to that point! yes, please also let me know if anything you do helps and if your little one turns! meanwhile, let's both just relax and know that they will turn when they are ready.

[October_Mama]

thanks! i think i'm going to call about accupuncture tomorrow, then start making calls to chiropractors. i've been trying the home stuff all weekend, but i don't really know how much/how often i should bother with it. i figure if i'm just sitting here, i might as well shine a flashlight at the lower portion of my belly and hope the baby is curious enough to check it out. i'm especially nervous because this is my first, and i don't know if i'd find an OB/MW willing to help a FTM deliver a breech baby. it's so annoying that no one does that anymore. my gram had three breech babies and everything was fine. docs just aren't willing to put the training in anymore. blah...sorry, rant over!

[happythistle]

A friend of a friend just had a successful aversion done - guess there is only one ob in our town who will do it. Emotionally it was much more difficult for her than physically as the baby's hb took a bit to be heard again. She went on to have a great delivery.

Wishing you lots of luck!

[Motherto4]

I have not had any issues with my babies being breech but when I asked my Dr last week(34wks) if the baby was head down she said "at this point it really doesn't matter so I don't even check. The baby could be head down and flip tomorrow so I wait till later to check". Just thought that might help!

[stellamia]

I'm 35 weeks today and just found out today that my little one is breech! Baby was head down for WEEKS but must have gotten bored or sick of head rushes because Baby turned. Grrrrrr. I'm also going to do everything I can to encourage Baby to turn, but also have decided not to fight. My MW said the best thing I can do is relax and let go.... "Woooosaaaa". I'm going to have my husband lay hands on my belly and pray and really the rest is up to God and Baby.

I'll report back after my chiro appt and the moxibustion.

[October_Mama]

i had my first chiro appt a couple days ago. i don't know if it will help the babe turn, but i had no back pain that night...so that's something. i go back on monday and i also have an acupuncture appt on monday. i did the breech tilt for a bit this evening. it's impossible to get into without help, thank god for DH.

[MamaChef]

Pulsatilla..I think it is 30x 4 times daily, but check with a homeopath and get good quality homeopathics if possible.

Flash light from the fundus to the Pubis in a darkened room... repeat..
This one cracks me up, but I know someone it has worked for.. vibrator at the fundus .. LOL
Diving down or underwater inversions along with the breast stroke with frog kick
Rebozo

[hopingtobemomma]

Stellamia - welcome to the breech club. it sucks, but we are all trying to get them to turn and staying positive! check out spinningbabies.com too. I agree with your MW, do not stress about it. all we can do is what we can and it's up to them. we are exactly the same - 35 weeks here too.

Happythistel- It was nice to hear that someone had success /w their version!

Here's what happened on Friday at my OB appt: DEVASTATING!!!!

We go into exam room...OB starts feeling on my belly...
OB, "Your baby turned head down!"
Me, "Yea!!!! R u sure? Bc I will stop my chiro and acupunture if he really is head down. So, r u sure?"
OB, "I AM the doctor. Here's his head right down here. "
Me, "Do ultrasound to be sure...."
Walk into u/sound room and puts probe on my belly:
OB, "Oops. I'm wrong. Still breech."
DEVASTATION!!! I guess momma knows best, Doc!

Octobermama- how did your appts go today? i also had an acupuncture and chiro both today. I've had about 5 or 6 chiros so far and today was my 2nd acupunture. I go back to acupuncture tomorrow and Thursday again. it's uncomfortable but am doing it anyway! my next OB appt is Thursday afternoon for the 36 ultrasound and measurement. so i will get to see then if he turned. how many weeks are you now?

My plan will be to continue acupunture and chiro until the version (which would be just under 2 weeks from now at 37 weeks). I'm a bit scared to have it done but also want to know i've tried everything possible to get my vaginal birth....then if that doesn't work the C-section is scheduled for 39 weeks. So, i guess he has 2 weeks to still turn on his own after the version if it's unsuccessful. I believe they do an u/s right before the version to make sure he hasn't turned...

Still swimming like others mentioned (breast stroke, floating on belly), husband talking to him down low. Some inversion positions too. But most of all just trying to "let go" bc it's up to the baby to turn. Even if I don't get the vaginal birth, the most important thing is that he is healthy!

Please let us know if your babe turns and if you know why! Stay positive!

[stellamia]

I ended up canceling my appt for acu/moxibustion because I found out my ins. will cover it if I have a Dr's referral. I put in a request for the referral but never heard back. However, I *think* Baby may have turned (I did handstands and somersaults in the pool and tons of inversion poses). I'm 36 weeks and have an U/S tomorrow morning. They're doing the version afterwards if Baby is still breech (my baby is big so they want to attempt it sooner and also I have a lot of fluid right now and they said that's a big plus).

I'm REALLY praying that Baby is vertex all on it's own but if not, turn that baby!!! I'll do whatever I safely can to have a vaginal delivery.

If Baby doesn't turn, I'll also be having a c-section. I too keep focusing on the most important aspect of all of this, a healthy baby!! In the end, that totally eclipises how the baby came into the world.

Please do pray for me though... DH can't get out of work tomorrow so I'll be there alone and IF I need the version, my Mom will come be with me but she's a very nervous person and I'm worried she may not handle it well.....

[October_Mama]

i had my latest OB appt yesterday and baby is still breech. i wasn't feeling the chiro so i cancelled the rest of my appts with him, i love the acupuncture, though, i went back yesterday. if nothing else, i find it relaxing. i have my version scheduled for monday; i'll be 2 days shy of 37 weeks. i wish i could see the acupuncturist beforehand, but the version is scheduled for first thing in the morning. please hope and pray that the version is successful and does not cause fetal distress or early labor. i'll also most likely have a C/S if the baby does not turn, but i don't want to schedule it. i would much prefer to have labor start then go in for the section. i'll feel better about it that way. but like everyone else, i'm trying to focus on the fact that my baby is healthy and in the long run, that's all that matters.

[Sfcmama]

Good luck, mama! Drink loads of water and rest up.
Hugs!

[WithoutWax]

My bub was breech this whole time, she turned head down 4 days before my due date. Anything is possible, any time.