8 Ways of Turning Breech Baby

Pregnancy in itself comes with several anxious moments right from the very first day of conception. Each day is a new experience and a new feeling. The world seems all colourful when you feel the movements of your little one in the tummy. The worry, the care, the overthinking for your baby about all small things form an integral part of the pregnancy phase.

As the pregnancy progresses, the anxiety rises to another level and you just want everything to be more than perfect. Mother’s generally panics or gets stressed when they visit doctors for their last trimester ultrasound and hear them saying that the baby is in the breech presentation. Hold on...! There’s nothing to worry, mommies.

What is the breech presentation?

Babies, just before their birth (post 32nd week of pregnancy) tend to move their head down towards birth canal with their feet up. In about 3-4% of pregnancies, babies do not turn themselves and are with head up and feet down, even post 34th week of pregnancy. This position is termed as breech presentation and the baby born with this presentation are called breech baby.

Types of breech presentation

1. Frank breech presentation

This is the most common breeching where the baby’s buttocks are down and legs are pointing up, near the head.

2. Complete breech presentation

Baby is sitting cross-legged with head up and buttocks down.

3. Footling breech presentation

Baby’s either one or both legs are pointing down with head up.

4. Transverse breech presentation

Baby is lying horizontally rather than upright.

5. Oblique breech presentation

In this position although, the bay’s head is down but is pointing towards the mother’s hips.

10 Breech Baby Causes

• The abnormally shaped uterus which may be either from the birth or may develop later on resulting from surgery, fibroid removal or uterus infection. This may restrict the baby to flip.
• Multiple bearing pregnancies
• The woman who delivered preemie baby in the past
• Uterus with either excess or very little amniotic fluid
• Woman with placenta previa where placenta bars the uterus neck completely or partially.
• Abnormalities in baby’s muscular development
• Short umbilical cord
• Risks are increased if the previous baby you had was breeched
• Research shows that smoking is also a risk behind breech presentation in babies
• If a woman or the husband was breeched, there are chances of your baby being in a breeched position

Complications in breech pregnancy

There is no risk in breech pregnancy throughout pregnancy per until the time comes to deliver the baby. There are several risks and complications involved delivering a breech baby vaginally.

There is a huge risk of the baby getting stuck in between the birth canal and the breakdown of the umbilical cord may hamper the oxygen supply to the baby while delivering it vaginally.

The safest way to deliver in such condition is C-section.

There are many cases where the breech babies have been successfully delivered by the trained professionals, but it is always better to choose the safest and secured option for both, baby and mother.

8 Ways of turning breech baby

There are several methods available to try to turn your baby from the breech position. None, although comes with a hundred per cent success rate though many women have found it effective.

1. External Cephalic Version (ECV) in breech baby

Your doctor will observe you through sonography at around 37th week and if he sees that the baby is still in the breech presentation, he intervenes with ECV procedure. 

The practitioner puts a firm yet gentle pressure on your stomach and tries to up down your baby moving his head down towards the birth canal. This procedure is not painful but a little uncomfortable. This technique becomes a little harder as the due date will near as there is no much space for the baby to flip or move.

This procedure has shown more than 50% success rate in turning the breech babies

2. Forward Leaning Inversion in breech baby

This technique uses the principle of gravity and few ergonomic postural changes that helps baby to head down. This includes rocking back and forth, belly dancing movements, raise the pelvis using the staircase, lie in a child’s position for 10-15 min. The technique does not hold any evidence of its work but it’s not at all harmful.

3. Pelvic Tilt in breech baby

Lie on the mat on the floor for say 15-20 minutes, raise your bottoms up in the air with head and shoulders on the floor. This gives the room for baby to move.

4. Essential Oils in Breech baby

Few pieces of research have shown the efficacy of putting essential oil (peppermint oil) on the stomach where the baby shows some movement on its application. Kindly talk to the practitioner before using any oil as few are red-listed during pregnancy.

5. Acupuncture in breech baby

Many people have found this a useful technique and the safe option to opt for. The pressure points relax the uterus and helps the baby move.

6. Moxibustion in breech baby

This is a Chinese version of acupuncture, where a stick kind of is lit at one point only and applied at baby toe points to relax uterus muscles.

7. Music in breech baby

Place headphones at the uterus which may help the baby to turn around

8. Temperature in breech baby

Like music, the temperature can also stimulate baby’s movement. Place hot-cold-hot at the top of the uterus where your baby’s head is positioned.

Discuss with the practitioner before opting for any method. Trust your body and your brave baby and all will be fine.

Breeching is common and can be turned positive with your mindset. Many studies have proven that even hypnosis and thinking the baby in correct position also turns the breech babies. So think positive and get ready to welcome the beautiful soul.