Baby in Breach Position

There is a chiropractic technique to flip a breech baby. It will probably take some calling to find one that knows it. Also I have known midwives in other states that can do versions without all the drugs. It is a skill. You might call around midwives in the area esp. those that do homebirth and see if any of them can do it or have other suggestions. The risk info they are giving you on the version maybe scary but if they gave you all the info on a c-sec you would be even more frightened. It carries a lot of risk for mom and baby.

My second child was breach, and my chiropractor did a small adjustment 3 times a week for 2 weeks, and like magic, she turned! That's the good news. The bad news is that after hours of laboring and pushing, I had to have a C-section anyway because the her heart rate kept dropping. It ends up that the cord was wrapped around her body once and her leg twice! Thank goodness I had the C-section! And I have to tell you that my recovery from my C-section was so much easier than my vaginal birth with my son (when I needed stitches afterward).

Good luck to you!

Hi,
My husband and I were planning an underwater birth when we found out our daughter was breech. Needless to say we were devestated. We wanted the most natural childbirth and then we were facing the most invasive. The doctors did try an external version. In my experience it was not painful, at that point I would have done anything to turn her! However, it was not successful and we had to schedule a c-section for the following week. We tried the version at 38 weeks, I hear 36/37 weeks is better. I also tried some other techniques for turning her naturally, like doing handstands in a pool and inverting yourself on an ironing board. I also found out too late that accupuncture can be VERY successful so look into that immediately. I was completely against drugs and ended up having a spinal for the c-section followed by pain medication. I will say this, I had a natural birth 13 years ago and it was short, but painful. The recovery was painfull too. I was soooo pleasantly pleased with my c-section (10 months ago) that if we have another child I will opt for the c-section. We had it done at Anne Arundel Medical Center and it was great! The only drawback to the c-seciton was breastfeeding. My pain medication made my daughter sleepy so we had to wake her to feed her and she wouldn't take much. We tried pumping and feeding her with a tube taped to our finger, but with my breastmilk she remained sleepy and wasn't gaining well (not to mention the tape came loose and she almost swallowed it - SCARY). If you have to have a c-section I would bottle feed until you are off the pain meds (4-5 days) and then breastfeed. Don't worry about nipple confusion. My daughter eventually did breastfeed once the meds were out of my system. I would just practice latching on but not letting the baby actually suck for very long during those first few days. I was really angry we had to go the medical route, but things happen for a reason and I'm glad it did. My husband was able to bond immediately with the baby and especially the first week while I was recovering. And my recovery was easier than with the natural birth. I wish you luck with what you decide and remember the most important thing is that baby no matter how it gets here!

You might try going to an acupuncturist who can do moxibustion on a point by your pinky toe. It's very comfortable and has a lot of success, especially with subsequent pregnancies. Go as soon as possible and make sure the acupuncturist gives you some moxa to take home and treat yourself at least twice a day.
You may also remind your MD that healthy breech babies are born vaginally all the time and ask if there is an OB who is willing to deliver you.
Good luck!

When I was pregnant with my daughter I found out she was breech 2 weeks before my due date. My doctor also had me go for an external version even though she was not sure she would be able to turn her because of how close I was to my due date. I had to fast from the night before (in case I needed to have an emergency c section). At the hospitalthe did labs, gave me an iv then the medication to relax the uterus. The did the procedure inthe operating room with an anesthesiologist standing by (which isdefinatly scary). The doctor used an ultrasound to see where the baby was located and then used a lot of gel to move her around. It was very uncomfortable but not too painful. Mine took a long time because she had already "dropped" but in the end the doctor was able to lift and turn her. After it was done I had to stay until the baby started to move around and be monitored. The whole thing took about 3 hours if I remember correctly (this was 16 years ago). Give it a try (the doctor can always stop if it's too uncomfortable or painful). It's worth the try if you want to try to avoid major surgery. By the way, my version was a success and my daughter was born 12 days later. Best of luck.

Hi Victoria, I had this done with my second child. He was also breach, and I did not want to have a second C-section if I could avoid it. Well, it was scary, but we agreed due to compications with my first c section. The drug will make your heart race, and be kind of scary, so have your husband nearby if you do it. I cannot give you any advice, but if you choose to do it, good luck. The drug will not stay in your system after they move the baby. It took alot of pushing to move my Daniel, (who is very stubborn to this day!), and they almost gave up, but gave one extra giant push. You already know all the risks, so I won't go into that with you. Again, good luck....K.

I had luck getting a baby to turn using accupuncture at 37 weeks. I was skeptical, but it worked in less than 24 hours.

I don't have information on the other methods mentioned. Good luck.

K.

the chiropractic technique folks have recommended is called the Webster technique, you need a chiro who is specifically trained in the technique and it has a significant success rate. Drs. Starr and Green at Starr Spine and Disc Center in Silver Spring do it, you can reach them at ###-###-####, www.starrchiropractic.com. Someone else mentioned acupuncture with moxibustion, there are a couple of folks at Crossings in Silver Spring (www.crossingshealing.com)who are experienced in this, Deb Earley is wonderful, she won't give you the moxi to take home but she takes a lot of time and care with you and does a lot more than just the moxi; Gillian Powers is also really nice and well-recommended, a little less experienced, and she'll likely give you the moxi to take home and do yourself (which is good b/c you really do want to be doing it at least once if not twice a day). I think someone already recommended www.spinningbabies.com to you, there are a lot of good ideas on there, including the breech tilt and simple visualization. Also, you can try pulsitilla, it's a homeopathic that you can get at Whole Foods or other such places, it encourages optimal positioning and movement, and is particularly helpful in conjunction with the breech tilt.

It's true that the version process can bring on labor, so you want to be careful about when you do it, and I've always seen it as kind of a last resort; chiropractic care (which will also help if you're hips and back are killing you! :) ) and acupuncture are far less invasive and have at least as good success rates. Also, if you want to investigate your options in terms of breech vaginal delivery, the only guy I know in the area who does them regularly (he's the go-to guy for breeches, with 35 years experience and an excellent track record; you should know that vaginal breech delivery outcomes are as good or better than c-section outcomes with an experienced provider, but you definitely want that experience and, no matter what anyone says about how easy their c/s was, it is easier to recover from a vaginal birth than it is to recover from abdominal surgery) is Dr. Jean-Gilles Tchabo at Virgina Hospital Center. You can reach him at ###-###-####.

I'm not affiliated w/ any of these folks, btw, except as a patient/client after having done a great deal of research in the area.

My midwives told me to kneel on the floor and bend over, putting my head down on my hands on the floor. Sort of like a low downward dog (yoga). There's also a homeopathic remedy that can help. And the baby still has time to turn on his own. Doctors get paranoid and jump to medical interventions before they're necessary. It's good that you've researched it and are questioning the doc's intervention techniques. Once you start the interventions, they just pile up on themselves, so it's good to avoid what you can without harming yourself or the baby. Good luck!

I also had a breach baby boy on my second pregnancy. 2% - 5% of all second, third,...and so on, babies can be breach. So it's common but not so common. I did have the version done, after trying several other things, and it worked great. It was a little uncomfortable but not that bad. I did understand at the time that it only works 50% percent of the time. There were 3 other ladies at my church that had had the version done in the past, 2 didn't work and 1 did. I was hoping to make the 50% stat true :) I did end up having him completely natural two weeks after his due date (with all my heart I had wanted him naturally). He is completely healthy.
Actually, one thing I did was prayed about it. God knows exactly how that baby is going to be born and when. He knows everything about your little baby boy. He is so great. I had peace that if it didn't work that I'd have a C-section, and it would be a harder recovery but I'd still have my wonderful baby boy.
I did not know about acupuncture or chiropractors at the time or I may have tried them. So that may be the way to go. I'll be praying for you.
B.

Wow, I've been reading all the other advice and I have to say, if I had to go through this I would be confused! Every woman is different and every pregnancy is different. Definitely would not do it without some kind of pain killer...

I know you don't want c/s or drugs, but in the end what you want is a healthy baby and a healthy you. For the sake of your sanity, change your mindset to "whatever it takes" to get that healthy baby and that healthy you. I know, I know, major surgery is not healthy, but I've personally known several people who survived it. Just thank God for modern medicine, survival rates before were not very good before. Sometimes, even the best midwives had no power over nature.

Oh, and I found an article that "natural" moms might find amusing! I'm definitely sending the link to my hippy friend Devra! http://www.planetc1.com/cgi-bin/n/v.cgi?c=1&id=115224...

To anyone who can handle childbirth w/out drugs, or is even willing to try, my hat's off to you! Sincerely!

-S. K

My baby was breech and delivered by c-section. My drs at Hopkins would never attempt to turn the baby bec the risks outweigh the benefits. Besides, drs must be trained in turning babies so be sure to ask how many times your physician has done this procedure. Good luck!

Hi Victoria,

I have 3 kiddos. My first 2 were natural deliveries. My 3rd was in the breach position. We went ahead & scheduled the Csection. Afterwards, I regretted not trying the version. I too am a person that prefers the natural methods, not enjoying the medical interventions unless in emergency situations. If you do the version, yes it is painful at the time, however, does give you the possibility of having a natural birth rather than a csection. Many people have had successful versions in the past, and if I have another breach baby (I'm preg again), I will do the version because I really do not want another section! Also, don't forget about the exercises that you can do to try to get the baby to move on his own. Good luck & God bless!

Most babies will turn and engage around the 35th wk. Is it already past 35th wk? If I were you, I would just wait little more. 1) You should talk to your doctor. Don't just have it done only because doctor says so. Write down all the questions/consern you have and talk to your doctor and if you are tatally clear about it, then it's OK. You have to be comfortable doing it. Your second son is in your hand. Not your doctor's. 2) In worst situation, If you have to choose one of these, External cephalic OR C section, which do you choose? Which is more dengerous/have more risk (in baby's future) for your baby? I hope you can come up with the decision you are comfortable with.

My third flipped inside in month 9 to a breach position. I too did not want to have a c-section, especially for my "last one". I asked for alternatives and met the criteria for a "flip" as I called it. I never even thought twice about it...

They administered the relaxer and began the flipping. It felt odd as the relaxer caused my heart to beat as if I was "jogging". The doctor (who had done many flips) applied a gentle but firm and constant pressure to turn her. At one point, since I was lying on my back, I felt a bit dizzy, so I rolled to my side and waited a bit, then went back to it. The whole thing did not take long and went great. I wanted to leave and then come back when I naturally went into labor, but they said no way and began the petossin (sp?) to begin the labor.

The only "problem" for me was that she was not facing the right way which made the delivery harder. After pushing forever....on my back, I insisted that there had to be another position, so they allowed me to roll to my side and 3 pushes later she was out. No problems, healthy, etc!

Victoria,

Have you tried to change the position of the baby? A good friend of mine had a baby in breech position and her doctor suggested changing the baby's position using music. She found music that made the baby move around a lot (in her case, it was classical), and she positioned two little speakers low down over the uterus. She lay down and played the music for about an hour every day - and the baby shifted into head-down position so she was able to have normal vaginal delivery. You have to do it until the point where the baby can't keep turning in the uterus.

I used the same method about a month before each of my children was born and they were both head-down. It may sound like an old-wives tale, but since it worked for my friend I was willing to do it. In any case, it doesn't hurt anything and it gives you a reason to get a rest, which is always good at this point in your pregnancy!

She claims that her child later was really attuned to classical music because of that experience. Can't say mine were, but we can't all be that lucky!

Hope this helps!
-M.

My 3rd baby was breech, my dr discovered it at about 32 weeks. I was told to do some exercises to see if my son would turn. Basically, I had to lie on the floor with my pelvis elevated at a certain angle for 20 or so minutes. When I went back at 36 weeks my son was still breech at that time I was penciled in for a c-section at 38 weeks (my son was measuring big and was 10 lbs at birth) and I then had an appointment for a version the following week.

My husband and I went and I was given the IV and the drug (I don't remember then name) to relax my uterus. Then my dr came in and started to push on my belly. For me it was very painful, my husband was holding my hand and I remember crying from the pain. My dr stopped after about 5 minutes and said I would have to have the c-section because my son was just too big and there wasn't any room for him to turn around.

The worst part about the c-section for me was getting the epidural. I don't like needles, they freak me out. The surgery went well and afterwards the nurse kept commenting about how nice my incision looked. The first week at home was the hardest. I had a 7yo and a 4yo to look after as well and you are limited in what you can do. By the second week I was starting to feel much better.

I hope this helps you in your decision. Good luck with your delivery!

Hi Victoria,

I saw your letter and wanted to respond...I had this procedure done about 16 years ago because my daughter was in the breech postition also. She had one leg down and the other was tucked under her bottom...like she was sitting on her foot. Anyway...I wasn't offered any IV or anything so yours may be better than what I had. I had 3 male doctors that were going to do the turning and one to do the ultra sound. I had 2 doctors on one side and 2 on the other. One proceeded to push down on my belly and push the baby. He was going to get it to a certain point and the other doctor was going to pull from the other. I couldn't see any of this but my husband could. He said he could see our daughter turn. However...the first doctor lost his grip and she flipped right back into the breech position. They attempted to do this 3 times before I screamed I couldn't do it anymore...it was too painful. My husband put a stop to it right about the same time because he could see how much pain I was in. I had to stay in the hospital for about 24 hours after that because they said 99% of the time...that sets you into labor. Not me! I went home with a very sore belly. It was black and blue for a couple of days. I ended up having a C-section which didn't really bother me. I recovered nicely and I had a beautiful baby girl. Your procedure may be different since you are going to get a relaxer...I didn't have anything. Maybe technology is different now and your's will go smoothly. However..if it were me.. I wouldn't do it. My second daughter was breech also and they wanted to do it with her and I said no. It turned out that in my last week of pregnancy..she turned herself and I had her vaginally. I hope I didn't scare you but thought I would share my experience. Good luck in whatever you decide.

E.

Hi Victoria M. I am a RN in Labor and delivery and just recently gave birth to my first son who was also breech. I can reassure that knowing all that I know didn't make my decision on getting a version any easier; and like you my husband was against it. However to make a long story short we were unable to even get the version because my son was already engaged in my canal and too big and I know that was God intervening on my behalf.

I say all this to say; while there are risk with the procedure I have seen many done successfully without complications. They monitor you closely and at any sign of distress to you or the baby they stop and usually don't try again. I also did not want a C/S again because I know too much, but thank God all went well and my recovery was not too bad! So just write down all the pros and cons of everything and if you believe in God really pray for Him to lead you in the right decision for you and the baby.

S. B.

Victoria,

I had my babies naturally in the midwifery center so I understand your "drug" concern. When my son was transverse breach while I was in labor, I laid across one of those huge "labor balls" with pressure on the top of my belly. The midwives were hoping it would make him so uncomfortable he would move...and he did! Might be worth a try!!

I had a baby in breech position and used acupuncture to turn him. It worked! There have been some scientific studies that have shown this technique to be effective. Sometimes it takes a few days of treatment, but for me it worked in one day. The needles go into the little toes, nowhere near the abdomen or baby. There are several acupuncturists in the area who specialize in acupuncture for pregnancies. I used Mr Lee for an induction (also through acupuncture) and my GP for the breech, but I know Mr. Lee treats breeches as well. Mr. Lee was able to fit me in very quickly.

Mr. Lee, Vienna, ###-###-####
Here were some others recommended by my childbirth educator, in addition to Dr. Lee
Susan Jenson, Washington, DC ###-###-####

Victoria Bryant, D.C. ###-###-####

David Collins, McLean ###-###-####

Hi Victoria
I was an ldrp nurse for 3 years and assisted doctors in this procedure quite a few times during my time as a labor and delivery nurse. I never saw any complications during or after the procedure to this. This is just my two cents but as you've been researching, there are risks involved as with anything else. Ask yourself this, is your doctor a gentle person to start with? Or are cervical exams a nightmare because he or she is quite the inconsiderate brute? Ive seen bopth types of doctors, and Id definitly trust the gentle kind in a version, but a rough guy I might be a little worried.
I googled "breech baby" and a whole bunch of things came up for suggestions on how to turn the baby. http://pregnancychildbirth.suite101.com/article.cfm/turni...
Maybe your doctor will give you more time to see if the baby can turn on its own. Also, since this is your second child- whos to say you cant deliver this baby breech? Your first birth was not that long ago- you could have a very fast delivery and the babys position might not evne matter! My sister was born breech without any difficulities.
Good luck and please let us know what happens!

I am a chiropractor in Annapolis, and there is a breech-turning technique which involves multiple adjustments to the pelvic region. There are a couple of chiropractors that do this locally if you are interested in trying that instead of the more invasive approaches. Our office does this, as well as another in the Cape St. Clair area. My name is Dr. S. Chaney. The other doc that can help you is Dr. Tania Howard
www.mylivinghealth.com

My 4th child was breach. I tried everything, the chiropractor up to 3 times a week, the acupuncturist with the moxibustion, all I got out of that was a burned pinky toe. The doctor agreed to do a version after I told her I could not have a c-section and take care of 4 young children on my own. Before she scheduled the version, I had turned the baby myself. I was working with a midwife over the phone for tips and tricks on how to turn the baby. I tried her advice several times with no success and then one evening, it started to work and I got her flipped and she stayed. I was 39 weeks. It wasn't painful, it took only a few minutes. She was safe. I was relieved. If you'd like to know more, email me. I can explain how I did it.

My advice would be to try the other alternative methods and if they don't work, do the inversion. I am also a drug free kind of person so the thought of the epidural frightened me. But its a better alternative to major abdominal surgery. There are exercises you can do at home to help encourage the baby to stay in the heads down position.

Cephalic versions are more successful the ealier they are performed. However, they don't like to try too early, because if complications arise the OB wants the child to be able to be safely delivered. They will never force the baby to turn, only try to encourage the baby. Frankly, I would try it.

If the baby is in a frank breech position though, the baby can be delivered as safely vaginally as if it were in cephalic presentation. You just need an OB who has experience with breech vaginal deliveries. Most no longer do, but there are some.

Hi Victoria! This is my first time responding to anyone, and even though I'm rushing around getting ready for our family vacation (hence, short on time), your issue spoke to me. With my first child, I was so scared about the possibility of a C-section. Thankfully, I was able to experience a normal, happy delivery. The second time around, my baby turned breech three days before he was delivered. They aren't suppossed to be able to turn when so big...but he did (he's still doing somersaults!). Anyway, I was going to consider the version/inversion (whatever) and started doing my research as well. I was willing to go through whatever pain to deliver naturally again...until I spoke to a friend (who happened to be the delivering MD's sister) who reminded me that if he flipped once, he could flip again during delivery(meaning we could have endured the process for nothing). This same friend said that her brother would never receommmend the proceudre to any of his own family. That being said, I think it depends on the size of the baby, and the potential dangers (if any) of the procedure. After speaking to my friend, I was planning the C-section, as I didn't need any more trauma/exhuastion than was already going to occur--both my guys would be needing their mommy in full form when we got home :) The decision was taken out of my hands though, when I went into natural labor that night. The C-section became a blessing in disguise when it saved my baby's life--when my water broke (as I walked in to the emergency room that night), the cord prolapsed and his foot would have compressed it if it weren't for the appropriate placed hand of a wonderful nurse named Amy (I'll never forget that name!). I was whisked in for an emergency C-section, and am forever gratefull to God for his mercy and to the amazing staff at Sentara Leigh! The third time around I opted for a planned C-section, which was the easiest of all! Continue your research, ask around....this was just my own food for thought....hope it helps! For me, the show must go on.....good luck with your precious baby, and God Bless!

My advice having seen my aunt (who is only 10 years older than me) go through with this and having witnessed the experience of her pain during the ordeal, and with the loss of her baby girl because while the doctors did this they tied not one but 2 knots in the babys umbelical(sp) cord. If you are feeling uneasy about it don't do it. My best advice is to see if they can wait it out since the baby is due in July he will most likely shift into position, and if possible at a later date do another ultrasound and see if he is still in a breech position and discuss more options then.

Best of luck to you.

DON'T DO IT!!! My baby was breech too....C-section I did not want.....but my Dr said it could hurt the baby to turn them....they are breech for a reason! I HATE drugs and hated the idea of a c-section. My daughter is not 16 months and it was the best thing ever. It was not at all as bad as I thought it would be....and I HATE getting SHOTS!!! But my Dr said, she was breech for a reason and they could take the RISK and turn her....for her to go right back to breech or when I did go to deliver....I could have problems and end with the c-section anyway. Do what you feel you need to do...it is YOUR family and YOUR decision....but why mess with NATURE!!! Good luck and congrats on the baby....it is WONDERFUL!!! (You know whith one already!) :)

I had a C-section when my son was born. It was a little frightening for everyone involved since the Doctor told me the baby was in position. Unknown to us he was coming out feet first. I wasn't crazy about being on Morphine for 24 hours but I would rather have a c-section any day before letting someone push h*** o* my belly to get the baby to move, what if it is stuck? Even worse, what if they hurt the baby? Recovery from the C-section only took about two or three weeks. The only thing I took for pain after they released me from the hospital was Tylenol (I was afraid if I took something stronger I wouldn't hear the baby if he needed me). Good Luck.

Hope this helps.

L. S.

I had a version with my first. It was a very painful, uncomfortable procedure and it didn't even work. They can only try to move the baby for so long before they need to give the baby a rest. Every time they took a rest my son would flip babck around to the original position. In the end I had handprint bruises on my stomach and ended up having a c-section a few week earlier. Hopefully you will have better luck.

Im not familiar with this procedure. However when I was pregnant with my son, it was found that he was also in breech position. At the time I was reading a natural birthing book (I think the title was "Birthing from Within") which had very useful suggestions about what the mother can do to change the position. One suggestion was to take a long iron board (or some kind of board) and elevate it somewhat (for example place it on a step). Then the mother would lay on th board with her feet facing the step (or elevation point). She would need to do this during a quiet time and be very relaxed. The mother should lay at 5 minute intervals. I did this for a three days and I 'asked' the baby to move. (note: this should not be done if you have high blodd pressure). Another thing I tried was to get on all fours and do a pelvic tilt (if youre familiar with Yoga its a sort of 'cat' position). Another thing I tried was to swim and to relax in the pool. I know this sounds like a very old wives tale but it worked for me.

Also, here is a list of resources

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=2007101007461...

http://spinningbabies.com/index.php?option=com_content&am...
Good luck!

J.

My first son was breech and I opted not to have this procedure done. I did end up having a c-section, but I believe that it was meant to be this way. I have seen a cephalic version done on t.v (a reality show on pregnancy and birth) and it looked very rough. Get all of your questions answered before agreeing to it and try some other natural remedies first. Pray and ask God for guidance. What you want in the end is a healthy baby!

Hello Victoria,

I have had two sons by c-section because they were breach. I did not know that my first son would be breach until I went into labor. At first her was laying horizontal and the doctor wanted to wait to see if he would turn. After being in labor for 9 hours, he became breach and my doctor wanted me to have him vaginally. I asked for the c-section and it was not as bad as I had thought it would be. The only discomfort I had was when the doctor had to push my son's head out by pressing on my chest bone. My second c-section was not bad because I knew in advanced what to expect. He was breach as well but I did not know that until I went into labor. I watched the discovery channel a lot when I found out I was going to have the second c-section to see what happens from the other end. Although each pregnancy and labor is different, the procedures are basically the same. Just trust that everything will be alright and you will have a healthly baby.

victoria
if you have doubts about the procedure then don't do it. i was pregnant with twins and one was in breech position since 21st week of pregnancy. we kept hoping she'll turn but she never did. my OB was a very wise woman and she said from all options we have the safest bet would be c-section. i did go through with the c-section, and loved it.i really don't know why you want to avoid c-section. really, there is nothing to be afraid of. if anything, it was very good and easy on me, my body and the girls. i was up and walking the very next day of the surgery
good luck to you

Hi Victoria. I have never had this done, but I have read about it extensively as my daughter was breached. I would not take the risk. As I'm sure you have read it may not work or the baby might move back in the breached position. C-sections aren't that bad. I've had two; they ( c-sections) come with risks also but I think they happen far less than with other option. Babies do move on their on sometimes, I would wait it out to see if the baby moves during your labor, knowing that a C-section may be neccessary. Don't ignore your gut, if you feel you shouldn't have it done-don't. Listen to your husband also. Good luck Keisha

This has always sounded like a scary procedure to me, not so much because of the drugs but because of the manipulation. I pretty much had decided not to do it, had it been an option.
Although I think they are becoming quite common.

Ask your doctor about the actual rate of problems in general and in his/her practice. Your doctor should be able to tell you how many s/he has done and how often it brings on labor or has a more serious complicaiton. That would be very useful in guiding your decision. You could also ask for the similar stats in terms of c-sections. I totally understand the desire to not have a c-section, but you should not feel pressured to have this procedure either. At the least the doctor or nurses should be willing to discuss with you at length.

Also ask for some advice on getting your baby to turn "naturally." My friend was given all sorts of suggestions on positions to stand and sleep in - like kneeling on all fours for like 30 minutes at a time (I think, please don't try that without asking your doctor). She ended up going in for the version, but didn't have it because the baby was not in a safe position to do it. I absolutley agree with the other poster to at least wait until closer to your due date, too.

I had a external cephalic with my third baby. It went rather smoothy for me, it is rather painful for a few seconds with all the pressure, my baby was turned under 2 min. I went into labor a week later, 3 weeks early! with a reg. delivery. If you do the procedure make sure that your husband is there with you, you will need to hang on to him tight!

SAHM w/4 kids

First off, relax. Stress / anxiety are only likely to make this more difficult. I too had a baby who was inverted, and I was planning a totally drug-free delivery. I had trained with hypnobirthing and was expecting no interventions at all, so my daughter's refusal to turn was not good news to me.

Express your concerns with your doctor and talk about all your options. I talked with my doctor about my concerns and my desire to "go natural" and they recommended a visit with an acupressurist - there are certain trigger points on the body which are supposed to help in this situation (just as there are those that will supposedly trigger labor if you need help in that department later on) Mostly - relax relax relax. The acupressure wound up not working for me, and the practitioner suggested that maybe there was something that was making us "not ready" for baby.

Yes, the manual version does carry a risk, but I believe the primary risk is that you will go into labor then and there. In my case, we actually did the version without any drugs, it was really not all that painful - I used the same relaxation techniques I had been practicing for the birth. And I did not go into labor - in fact, I went past my due date by almost 2 weeks, and my daughter came when she was ready :)

Victoria, I wanted to write because I was in your position, except this was my first pregnancy. When I went in for my 36 week ultrasound, they determined that my son was already 8 pounds, and would likely be 10+ at full term. Also, he was breech, constantly shifting from footling to bottom breech. Due to his huge size and my small pelvis, they believed that he was sitting upright because head down was not comfortable. Based on how he felt in me, I believe he had been breech for a LONG time, and had no intention of moving himself. I was offered to do the manual turn, and I decided that my baby's health and safety was paramount, and that the dangers of trying to turn him (possible cord tangled up, early labor, etc) were not worth trying for a vaginal, which would probably be a mess due to his and my size. I opted for an elective c-section at 38 weeks, and he was still turning from footling to bottom breech on the delivery table! The c-section went beautifully, and we were rewarded with a beautiful, big, healthy son at 8 lb 12 oz.! While any surgery has risks, I believe that c-section has it's place, and that it's risks are more controllable than the risks of turning, which may result in c-section anyway! Whatever you decide, I wish you the best!

Hi Victoria-
My husband is a chiropractor who does perform the WEbster technique. We are located in Glen Burnie, MD (not sure if you are in Maryland or Virginia). Webster's technique is a gentle technique- no twisting, etc. I delivered at Bay Area Midwifery/Anne Arundel Medical Center and they send us breech presentations if the moms are open to this treatment. Webster's works best with babies around 34 -36 weeks- any later and there is less and less room, making it a little less likely of turning, though it is up to the baby :-) Good luck, just thought I'd give you another option.
Oh yes, the number is ###-###-#### Advantage Chiropractic, Dr. Adam Brenner.

I know that my daughter was in a breech position and she turned in time so that I had a regular delivery. I would get a second opinion. If you are both feeling uneasy about. I love Dr. Corliss Newhouse, Capital Women's Care in Silver Spring. She's a wonderful OBGYN. Good luck and please keep us posted. I will be praying for you and your family. This certainly is not an easy thing you all are going through.

Annie R

Hi Victoria,

Usually baby's are in the breach position and then they turn on their own. My daughter is a midwife in TN.

write her and talk to her about this. Her name is Rachel Hattendorf and her e-mail is:

____@____.com or call her at ###-###-#### or cell: ###-###-####

Hope this helps. Good luck. D.

I never ever ever ever wanted a c section either - but now that i've had one (emergency).... its not so bad. Less stress on the mom and the baby as far as i am concerned. I wouldnt stress, not get the cephalic version and sched a c-section if the little booger doesnt move. Best of luck and all will turn out fine :) - K.

Hi Victoria, if you're comfortable with your doctor, and if you want to take efforts to avoid a c-section, I would recommend that you try it. I'm sure your doctor has warned you that it might not work so I don't want to get your hopes up. In fact, it didn't work for my sister. However, I wouldn't blame you for trying!! If it were me, I would definitely make the attempt.

Hope this helps!

not to sway you either way, but i had an emergancy csection, and it wasnt bad at all.. i was up and out of the hospital in 2days. and didnt take any pain meds when i got home.. the only thing that bothered me was a slight burning sensation, but that went away. i know not all people react the same way, but its not the worse thing if it happened.

Hi!

Check out http://www.spinningbabies.com/ for some neat info about "optimal fetal positioning"

It has recommendations like lying on an inverted board or ironing board (checking with your dr/midwife first!) and putting cold/hot in certain places to make the baby move themselves. It's a fascinating website.

The only advice I have is to go with your instincts--you know what is best for your body. And relax...your baby will come out and it will be fine regardless of how it comes out--you'll have a new little one to cuddle soon!

Victoria,
Four years ago when I was pregnant with my second child, he was breech. We had to flip him over 2 weeks before my due date. I was so nervous because I made the mistake of wathing a story on Maternity Ward about the procedure. My experience was so different from that horror story!

I was hooked up to the IV and given the stuff to relax my muscles. One doctor and one nurse were there for the procedure. My doc was so quick that my husband missed the procedure because he was parking the car!!!!

I was induced on my due date only to discover my baby was a lot bigger than the docs thought! My son was 9 lbs 3 oz! The doc said he would have never done the procedure had he know my boy was so big... but everything worked out really well. I was spaired a c-section and my boy was beautiful and healthy!

By the way, my first baby was breech for a few weeks before she was born. Luckily she flipped herself over before there was even talk of any external versions =)
The doc thought she would flip because she was a mover. My second child, however, was not. The doc watched him lay in the same position for weeks... The growth made it less likely that he would be able to flip himself even if he wanted to.
My third child was never breech.

The decision, of course, is yours in the end. If you are confident in your doctor's advice, I would probably go with what he/she felt was the safest alternative to you and your baby (even if it is a c-section).

good luck!
K.

http://www.ican-online.org/pregnancy/breech

Here you will find several natural ways to encourage your baby to turn. You can also search other pages on this site to learn about c-sections. Best of luck to you!!

I would definitely NOT DO it yet. There is every reason to expect the baby will get into the correct position before birth. I would get a second opinion and/or talk to others in the medical field. DON"T stress out! That won't help. RELAX. You and your baby will be all right. God Bless you both!

Victoria~
My first daughter was breech (we found out b/c I was measuring big and they did an ultrasound!) and my doctor too suggusted the version. I had the procedure done, it did not really hurt at all. My version was unsuccessful though, b/c my daughter's heart rate kept dropping. After three tries, they performed a C-section. I'm not sure what your doctor has suggested as far as what to do if they get your son turned, but just remember if they do get him turned and send you home to "wait it out" there is a chance he will turn right back! Or, if they get him turned and induce your labor, there is about a 40% chance you'll still have a C-section b/c your body isn't ready to go into labor! That's the stat that stuck out in my mind! I have to say, I was actually very happy when they decided to do a C-section b/c the last thing I wanted to do was to get the baby turned, be induced, go through hours of labor only to have to have a C-section in the end. You will have a much easier recovery if you do no labor prior to having the C-section.

One other suggestion for you...I see a chiropractor and have done so since having my first daughter. When I was pregnant with my second daughter, the chiroprator told me that if she too was breach, there was an adjustment that she could perform that would make the baby turn on it's own. I don't know how you feel about chiroprators, but if you're up for it, you should contact one. If you live in or around the Richmond, VA area, I'd be more than happy to give you the name and number of my chiropractor! She's wonderful and really cares about preserving the "natural" way of childbirth! She gave birth to 4 children without any drugs for any of them!

Hope this helps! Good luck!

My son was breached as well and one doctor wanted to do the prodcedure but another didn't. It can be dangerous, very painful, and may not even work. Your son may turn back. I decided not to do it and have a c section. My suggestion is not to do it. I hope you are @ peace @ whatever decision you make. L.

Hi Victoria,
I would ask your dr. to wait until closer to your due date to try and perform the version. I was scheduled to have one with my son but my husband couldn't be there so we rescheduled for a few days later. When we went in they gave me an ultrasound before they did anything, and they couldn't find his head. What'da ya mean? I know he's still in there. The nurses were in shocked. The dr. came in moved the wand to way down there and said 'there he is. go home' my son had turned himself!
A version can be very stressful and in some cases induce labor.
Best of luck
M.

I personally would not do an inversion. Babies who aren't messed with, tend to have a very low rate of breach birth. They may not flip when your doc wants them to, but the vast majority of the time, they WILL turn on their own. Also, the version does cause a false sense of security, quite a few babies flip back to breach again.

Make a visit to a chiro who does prenatal, and ask them to do the webster tecnique.

As another posted suggested, I also reccomend www.spinningbabies.com

When I was pregnant with my 2nd I was seeing a chiropractor toward the end of my pregnancy. A woman I met in the waiting room was seeing him to try to get her breach baby to turn. This chiropractor didn't do full on twist spine cracks on pregnant women. His approach was very gentle. I don't know if it worked for her but you might do some research on it. I've also heard of people doing accupuncture to turn the baby.

You also might check out http://www.spinningbabies.com/ for "natural" ways to get baby in position.

Since a c-section is a surgical procedure, it's more dangerous than the external cephalic version. It is painful, but if your doctor is experienced in it, it should be successful. Ask your doctor what his/her success rate is. Also, I understand about wanting to be "drug free", but if you end up having a c-section, you will be far from drug free.
Another option... if the baby is in frank presentation and isn't big, there is still a chance on vaginal delivery. It happens all the time. It's a riskier delivery because the head doesn't have time to mold, but it can be done.
No matter how you deliver, you'll still have a wonderful baby, so try to relax.
Good luck...

My first baby (I now have 2) was footling breach and I had a version done. The version worked, but then they induced me (at 37 weeks) because they didn't want her to flip back. I would do the version again, but I wouldn't allow them to induce me again (since the induction failed and I ended up with a c-section anyway). The version didn't hurt although it did take my breath away for a moment when the baby pressed into my lungs. Also, I used a midwife with my second baby and she said that it is not uncommon for babies to continue moving until delivery. If you don't want to have the external, you can just wait it out and see if the baby flips on its own. I have friends who vaginally delivered breach babies and they were fine. Or you could have the backup c-section route, although I'd give the baby all the time possible chance to flip first. Good luck!