How do you turn a breech naturally?

Well, little Ana has decided she prefers to stay upright at nearly 33 weeks,
with her feet firmly planted on my cervix - ouch!
In fact two midwives who examined me failed to pick up that she was still
breech, because of how far her head was under my ribs. My midwife was a
little shocked and said it was an unusual place for a baby's head to be at
33 weeks - in fact when I had my u/s, the doppler was not far under my
breast while they were looking at her brain!
She isn't trying to panic me, but she thought that considering we are
inducing at 38 weeks it might me a good idea to start doing something about
it, and has given me some kind of homeopathic remedy - three little
tablets - to try and help, and said if that doesn't work there is some kind
of chinese thing they'll try, I can't remember the name of it. I've also got
to spend a lot of time eating carpet with my feet in the air, yay, sounds
like lots of fun with my bad back...
She said if they're still breech at 36 weeks they often get stuck that way
and don't really want to move.
Other than the methods above, does anyone have any tips on how to get this
little one head down, scientifically proven or otherwise? The homeopathic
stuff certainly didn't sound very scientific, I asked her what you could
possibly put in a tablet that would make a baby want to stand on its
head...but whatever works.

Amy wrote:

Well, little Ana has decided she prefers to stay upright at nearly 33 weeks,
with her feet firmly planted on my cervix - ouch!
In fact two midwives who examined me failed to pick up that she was still
breech, because of how far her head was under my ribs. My midwife was a
little shocked and said it was an unusual place for a baby's head to be at
33 weeks - in fact when I had my u/s, the doppler was not far under my
breast while they were looking at her brain!
She isn't trying to panic me, but she thought that considering we are
inducing at 38 weeks it might me a good idea to start doing something about
it, and has given me some kind of homeopathic remedy - three little
tablets - to try and help, and said if that doesn't work there is some kind
of chinese thing they'll try, I can't remember the name of it. I've also got
to spend a lot of time eating carpet with my feet in the air, yay, sounds
like lots of fun with my bad back...
She said if they're still breech at 36 weeks they often get stuck that way
and don't really want to move.
Other than the methods above, does anyone have any tips on how to get this
little one head down, scientifically proven or otherwise? The homeopathic
stuff certainly didn't sound very scientific, I asked her what you could
possibly put in a tablet that would make a baby want to stand on its
head...but whatever works.

Check out http://www.gentlebirth.org/prenatal/breech.htm.
If these things don't work, check out external version with a
very skilled practitioner at around 37 weeks.

Good luck,
Ericka

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...
Amy wrote:

Well, little Ana has decided she prefers to stay upright at nearly 33
weeks,
with her feet firmly planted on my cervix - ouch!
In fact two midwives who examined me failed to pick up that she was
still
breech, because of how far her head was under my ribs. My midwife was a
little shocked and said it was an unusual place for a baby's head to be
at
33 weeks - in fact when I had my u/s, the doppler was not far under my
breast while they were looking at her brain!
She isn't trying to panic me, but she thought that considering we are
inducing at 38 weeks it might me a good idea to start doing something
about
it, and has given me some kind of homeopathic remedy - three little
tablets - to try and help, and said if that doesn't work there is some
kind
of chinese thing they'll try, I can't remember the name of it. I've also
got
to spend a lot of time eating carpet with my feet in the air, yay,
sounds
like lots of fun with my bad back...
She said if they're still breech at 36 weeks they often get stuck that
way
and don't really want to move.
Other than the methods above, does anyone have any tips on how to get
this
little one head down, scientifically proven or otherwise? The
homeopathic
stuff certainly didn't sound very scientific, I asked her what you could
possibly put in a tablet that would make a baby want to stand on its
head...but whatever works.

Check out http://www.gentlebirth.org/prenatal/breech.htm.
If these things don't work, check out external version with a
very skilled practitioner at around 37 weeks.

Good luck,
Ericka


Interesting recent quote...

"[P]ostural methods...acupuncture...chiropractic
manipulations...hypnosis...seems that their results may be favorably
compared with that of the external cephalic version, a much more complex
procedure, which is potentially dangerous..."
--Prof. Georges Boog. J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod (Paris). 2004
Apr;33(2):94-8. PubMed abstract

Todd Gastaldo wrote:

Interesting recent quote...

"[P]ostural methods...acupuncture...chiropractic
manipulations...hypnosis...seems that their results may be favorably
compared with that of the external cephalic version, a much more complex
procedure, which is potentially dangerous..."
--Prof. Georges Boog. J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod (Paris). 2004
Apr;33(2):94-8. PubMed abstract

Worth trying, and fabulous if they work. If they
don't (as happened in my case), external version with a
skilled practitioner still beats the pants off of a c-section,
or even a vaginal breech birth (in the unlikely event you
can find anyone to do that).

Best wishes,
Ericka

Amy wrote:

snip
Other than the methods above, does anyone have any tips on how to get this
little one head down, scientifically proven or otherwise? The homeopathic
stuff certainly didn't sound very scientific, I asked her what you could
possibly put in a tablet that would make a baby want to stand on its
head...but whatever works.

Take a look at http://www.spinningbabies.com/

cheers,
Marion
EDD 10/16/04

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...
Todd Gastaldo wrote:

Interesting recent quote...

"[P]ostural methods...acupuncture...chiropractic
manipulations...hypnosis...seems that their results may be favorably
compared with that of the external cephalic version, a much more complex
procedure, which is potentially dangerous..."
--Prof. Georges Boog. J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod (Paris). 2004
Apr;33(2):94-8. PubMed abstract

Worth trying, and fabulous if they work. If they
don't (as happened in my case), external version with a
skilled practitioner still beats the pants off of a c-section,
or even a vaginal breech birth (in the unlikely event you
can find anyone to do that).

Best wishes,
Ericka


PICTURES OF EXTERNAL VERSION...
http://www.aafp.org/afp/980901ap/coco.html

Ericka,

I liked your initial advice - and your appended remarks.

Regarding c-section avoidance with external version...

As any woman undergoing external version must be informed (I hope they are
informed at least), in rare instances external version can CAUSE a
c-section:

"The procedure should only be performed in a facility equipped for emergency
cesarean section...External version has an 80 percent success rate when
performed in preterm gestations.14 Concomitantly, the spontaneous reversion
rate is approximately 16 percent. It is surmised that the relatively small
size of the preterm fetus is responsible for these high rates. A small fetus
has more room to be turned and can revert on its own. At term (defined as 37
weeks or more of gestation), the success rate falls to 63 percent, but the
reversion rate improves to 6 to 7 percent.4 The same rationale (the larger
fetus has less freedom of movement) is responsible for these reduced rates.
The most important reason to wait until the fetus is at term is to avoid
iatrogenic prematurity if complications arise. If an external version
attempt results in active labor, ruptured membranes or fetal compromise that
requires cesarean section, and the fetus is at term, delivery can proceed
without concerns about complications of prematurity. Complications resulting
from an external version attempt in a preterm fetus could result in
increased fetal morbidity and mortality. "
--Andrew S. Coco, MD and Stephanie D. Silverman, MD
http://www.aafp.org/afp/980901ap/coco.html

Regarding vaginal breech deliveries...

The recent recommendations that all singleton term breeches be taken by
c-section was based upon studies of breech births with the birth canal
senselessly closed up to 30%.

OBs are driving up both the cesarean rate and the external version rate by
senselessly closing birth canals up to 30%.

Most bizarre.

Todd

Dr. Gastaldo

Todd Gastaldo wrote:


As any woman undergoing external version must be informed (I hope they are
informed at least), in rare instances external version can CAUSE a
c-section:

Absolutely, that is a risk factor. A small risk of a
c-section beats a certainty any day in my book, though ;-)

The recent recommendations that all singleton term breeches be taken by
c-section was based upon studies of breech births with the birth canal
senselessly closed up to 30%.

...and on studies that were flawed in other ways
as well (though some studies show that vaginal breech birth
is quite sensible in some situations). Nevertheless, with
so few practitioners trained to do vaginal breech births
safely, it often becomes a moot point :-(

Best wishes,
Ericka

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...
Todd Gastaldo wrote:


As any woman undergoing external version must be informed (I hope they
are
informed at least), in rare instances external version can CAUSE a
c-section:

Absolutely, that is a risk factor. A small risk of a
c-section beats a certainty any day in my book, though ;-)


Yeah, I have a friend whose first baby was breach, and she was going to have
an external version done. Then another friend of hers told her that it was
really painful, and she could end up needing a c-section anyway, so rather
than try at all, she opted straight to the c-section. At the time, I was on
this board, and reading so many stories of womans experiences with the
external versions, some painful, some leading to a c-section, and so many of
them relatively painless. I did tell her about how many woman I'd heard of
who didn't consider it a painful experience, but her mind was made up. I
thought (and still think) she was nuts to just opt straight for the
c-section. Especially for the first baby. Oh well, to each their own.
--

Jamie & Taylor
Earth Angel, 1/3/03

Check out Taylor Marlys -- www.MyFamily.com, User ID: Clarkguest1,
Password: Guest
Become a member for free - go to Add Member to set up your own User ID and
Password

Check out our Adoption Page at http://home.earthlink.net/~jamielee6

Todd Gastaldo wrote in message
k.net...

Regarding vaginal breech deliveries...

The recent recommendations that all singleton term breeches be taken by
c-section was based upon studies of breech births with the birth canal
senselessly closed up to 30%.

OBs are driving up both the cesarean rate and the external version rate by
senselessly closing birth canals up to 30%.

I thought you'd forgotten something on your first post ;-)
Debbie

Jamie Clark wrote in message
ink.net...
"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...
Todd Gastaldo wrote:


As any woman undergoing external version must be informed (I hope they
are
informed at least), in rare instances external version can CAUSE a
c-section:

Absolutely, that is a risk factor. A small risk of a
c-section beats a certainty any day in my book, though ;-)


Yeah, I have a friend whose first baby was breach, and she was going to
have
an external version done. Then another friend of hers told her that it
was
really painful, and she could end up needing a c-section anyway, so rather
than try at all, she opted straight to the c-section. At the time, I was
on
this board, and reading so many stories of womans experiences with the
external versions, some painful, some leading to a c-section, and so many
of
them relatively painless. I did tell her about how many woman I'd heard
of
who didn't consider it a painful experience, but her mind was made up. I
thought (and still think) she was nuts to just opt straight for the
c-section. Especially for the first baby. Oh well, to each their own.
--

Mum had me turned (twice). She said it tickled! (It worked the second time)
Debbie