דיקור נשי

How to Turn a Breech Baby

If your baby is breech, read on. Learn how acupuncture can help turn a breech baby and help prevent a cesarean.

Towards the end of your pregnancy, the baby settles into a head-down position to prepare for its journey through the birth canal. The ideal position is a left or right occipital anterior position (LOA or ROA), which means the baby’s head is down and its back is in line with the curve of your belly. Both LOA and ROA are considered optimal positions for the baby to be in.

A posterior position is when your baby’s head is down but with its back pressed against your back. You can still have a vaginal birth but it could mean a more prolonged and painful labour. If the baby is in any position other than the head down it is said to be in a breech position.

How do I know if my baby is breech?

By around week 34 to 36 of your pregnancy, your doctor or midwife will let you know if the baby is in a breech position. By feeling their belly, many mothers can also tell how their baby is lying. Take a look at this great site called Spinning Babies for lots of information on belly mapping as well as tips for preventing a breech or posterior baby.

It’s important to remember that there is nothing dangerous about breech position but it does mean that unless the baby turns before the onset of labour, the likelihood of a C-section is higher unless you are able to find a doctor or a midwife who has experience delivering breech babies vaginally.

Is there a way to turn a breech baby?

There are options for women who want to do what they can to avoid a cesarean because their baby is breech.

Acupuncture is one of the safest options for turning breech babies or babies in a posterior position. If your baby is in one of these positions, the best time to come for treatment is between weeks 34 to 36 while there is still room for the baby to move. However, if you have been pregnant before, then we can try right up until the end of your pregnancy as there is a bit more wiggle room.

There is a very simple treatment that has a long history of helping to turn breech babies. It’s so simple that you can do it at home. I meet with you for one session to teach you when and what to do and that’s it. So far I’ve had over a 50% success rate turning breech babies so it’s definitely worth trying, especially since this acupuncture technique for turning breech babies is very safe.

Other options for turning a breech baby include the Webster technique, which is done by trained chiropractors. Yoga positions can help and are usually taught as part of a prenatal yoga class. And then there is a medical procedure called External Version (ECV). This type of procedure would be done in the safety of the hospital where the baby can be monitored as it is being turned.

For more information on breech babies and acupuncture, call Sharon at 054-916-0156 or email Sharon@dikurnashi.co.il