36Weeks and Baby Breech

My first was breech at 34 weeks as well. At 37 weeks they tried to do the cephalic version and it was unsuccessful. I then scheduled a cesarean for 39 weeks. I never went into labor or anything. He was just in a bad position and liked it there. I am due with number 2 in 4 weeks and luckily we are head down and planning for a VBAC!

In addition to chiropractic, chinese moxibustion is actually highly effective at turning breeches, it is recommended by the world heatlh organization. The external version (what others have referred to) is also effective in turning about 60% of breech babies according to the World Health Organization. It is also possible to find a provider who delivers vaginal breeches- mine does. I am 32 weeks and my little one is breech but I am not concerned as my provider has the skills to deliver breech. Interestingly, the risks of delivering a vaginal frank or complete breech do not outweigh the risks of a c-section, it's just that very few providers today know how to deliver breeches. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology does not recommend a c-section for every breech, instead they say the woman should decide for herself. Good luck- only 4% of babies stay breech at turn so your little one could still turn.

Hello! I know you are very concerned about this, but, alot of times, babies do turn at the last minute. There are alot of things you can do to help this along. I suggest you go to the website www.spinningbabies.com. There is alot of good information on there and that is a website I give to my clients who have had this concern as well. If you would like some more things you can try, PM me and I will give you some more things to do.
S. Bailey CLD
Aurora
www.tendermomentsdoula.com

L., it is not too late to help the baby turn on its own. I am certified in webster technique which is a technique that helps restore optimal nerve functioning to your uterus and removes any constraint in the uterus and on the baby. This then allows the baby to turn itself without any direct force put on the baby. It usually takes just a few visits on average but has been know to work immediately. It is definitely worth a try. I am in Villa Park and take just about all health insurances. If you want give me a call ###-###-####. Dr B.

Oh dear been there, done that. NO it's not too late for the baby to turn, so that's the good news. Start working at it NOW though. Here's a list of things that can work to turn a breech baby (note: my first was breech and I *did* have a c/s, much to my disappointment. Just a month ago I had my second child - a VBAC - and it's SO much better birthing a baby the way Mother Nature intended, so definitely avoid the c/s if you can).

1. Check www.spinningbabies.com - they have a pretty good list of things
2. Breech tilts - lay on your back or better yet, be on your elbows and knees with your hips higher than your shoulders. You will probably have to do something involving your couch and possibly an ironing board or a pile of cushions to do this. Do it for 10-15 minutes, 2-3x/day. You can combine this with several of the other things I have listed below.
3. Relax. Visualize your baby turning to head-down. Talk to your baby. Sounds hokey but I'm serious.
4. Heating pad on your lower abdomen, frozen veggies on the baby's head. Babe should want to turn towards the heat.
5. Gentle massage to "encourage" the baby to flip around. Do while you're doing breech tilts on your back. Don't force it, but you can give the baby some encouraging circular pushes to get around.
6. Moxibustion. This is an accupuncture technique that I successfully used to turn my most recent baby from breech at 32 weeks. Dr. Fernandez at "Art of Natural Healing" in River Forest is who I saw, recommended by my midwife. He was great. It worked. www.artofnaturalhealing.com
7. Webster maneuver (chiropractic) - I tried this for my first baby starting around 34 weeks and it didn't work for me but it does work for many people. I used Dr. Estelle Nella at Bucktown Chiropractic, recommended by my midwife at the time. I actually went to her throughout my more recent pregnancy too, for hip pain etc. I hear that Sean Manning in Oak Park is REALLY good too.
8. Flashlight on your belly - move the light down towards your crotch
9. Earphones on your lower belly.
10. Swimming and diving in the pool

If none of these work they will offer to manually turn the baby (called an extracephalitic version, ECV). I tried this at 37 weeks and it was unsuccessful, but it DOES have about a 60% success rate so it's worth a shot. The risk to the baby is very minimal. If you opt to do this see if you can get someone who has a high success rate since I gather it's operator-dependent.

GOOD LUCK. If this is not your first baby you DON"T HAVE TO HAVE A C-SECTION - there ARE doctors who will deliver breech babies vaginally and are experienced at doing so. (They generally will shy away from doing a first baby just because they want someone with a "proven pelvis" ie they know a baby can fit). Be assertive and ask.

A c-section is not the end of the world, but keep in mind that it will impact all your future pregnancies because you will be a VBAC after that. GOOD LUCK!!

Agree with other posts, it is NOT too late. Go to wwww.breechbabies.com to get ideas on how to get your baby to turn. There are many yoga poses and chiropractic care will definitely help. You can also try acupuncture. www.pullingdownthemoon.com may be a good resource to find an acupuncturist to help turn your breech baby, they may even do it there.

Dr. Stuch in Plainfield does the breech turning technique. I can get a number if you need it. They can also manually turn the baby.... but you're only 36 weeks!!! And your EDD is just that, an ESTIMATED delivery date. Since there is no way to know your actual conception date, and babies aren't all 'ready' at 40 weeks, you may still have plenty of time for things to turn around.

Sometimes baby doesn't even turn until labor begins. Give mother nature a chance, she's smarter than any scalpel I've ever met. Tell your doctor you want to wait until week 39 or 40 before resigning to a C, and then try some alternative techniques. hopefully he is of the mind that surgery is NEVER preferable over a natural delivery for mom and baby.

Good luck.

I was the same way with both of my kids. The second one actually turned within a day or two of labor. he was breech at the appt just prior to his arrival and then was head down at birth--thankfully!! I am 37 weeks right now and my baby is still not head down. I have not had a c-section yet and am not too worried about this one so far...Good Luck--It could still change its mind!!

my 2nd son was breech, we did not find out untill 37wks. i was told by my dr. if the baby was more than an estimated 7lb they will not try to turn the baby that late(37wks). i'm glad in my case they did the c-section. my boy was 8.6lbs and he was so tucked in me from the waist down was comletely brusied(his poor little feet were competely purple), and they actually had a hard time getting him out. the dr. said there was no way this baby would have flipped safely or came out safely. of course i was not entirely thrilled with a c-section(recovery time) and having a 15month old at home was not easy but well worth the health and safety of my boy!!!!GOOD LUCK!

There are many things you can do to help baby to turn. Try talking to a chiropractor who is well versed in Webster Technique. Dr. Sean Manning in Oak Park has had VERY good success with this as well as with Moxibustion.

It's not too late!! My son didn't flip until 37 1/2 weeks (I did a homebirth, so I would have delivered breech if it came to that...)

I used Moxibustion (sp?) and had a Chiropractor that would do the Webster Technique if Mox didn't work (it did).

I wouldn't advise getting the baby manually turned (too traumatic) and would stick with doing things "naturally" or more naturally.

Oh, you can also take Pulsitilla (a homeopathic). I did this along with the Mox. Worked for me!

My first baby was breech and I had a c-section. But! We didn't know he was breech until delivery, so there was no way to try to flip him beforehand. I was a good VBAC candidate and had a successful VBAC with my second.

I would consider seeing a chiropractor that is trained in the Webster Method. This is a special adjustment to help breech babies turn. It is more successful than an external version (which your OB may suggest) and babies who flip with the Webster Method rarely flip back to breech. It's also not painful, like an external version can be. At home, you can do pelvic tilts to encourage the baby to turn. I also recommend visiting the site www.spinningbabies.com.

If you google breech baby there are lots of things you can try to get the baby to turn into position. There is also a technique doctors use to externally rotate the baby but I've heard it's pretty painful to the mother and some doctors won't even consider it as an option. There is still time for the baby to turn and trying the exercises might help too. If you really don't want to have a c section I'd try those but some babies just don't want to budge!

I was in the same position 4 months ago. I did webster technique with a chiropractor and also tried the cephalic version (sometimes just called version). With the version after much effort (and being very very uncomfortable) they were able to get him to turn about 3/4 of the way (his head was at my hip bone). It was a lot of pain for me to go through and he wasn't moving much more so they had me go home and rest and come back the day after to try again....well, he flipped all the way back. This was at 38 weeks. Two days later my water broke but I didn't know it cause it was just leaking slowly. I went in to get checked out and they immediately did a C. It was the last thing I wanted and it made me very sad, but everything turned out well in the end. My recovery wasn't TOO bad and my baby came out nice and healthy and nursed like a champ right off the bat.

I hope your baby turns for you, but just so you know, it can turn out fine even if he/she doesn't. Good luck!

I am a Birth Doula in the West burbs.I have found many different tricks for turning a breech baby that have worksed.Email me if you want to talk ____@____.com
Kris