I went for my 7th month check up yesterday and my doctor told me that my baby’s head has not turned down. I’m a bit worried when he told me that as I want normal birth and don’t want to go for Cesarean! (I have this phobia of someone cutting my stomach with a knife!). I blurted out to my doctor “Does that mean I won’t have natural birth???” My doctor smiled at me and said coolly “It’s still too early to say that….don’t worry too much……when you come back after 3 weeks, we will know” I feel like strangling him cause he always has this compose and cool look even though we asked him many questions and this one especially worries me.
My doctor is very confident that I can still go for normal vaginal delivery as this is my second baby and if the baby is below 3.5kg. My baby’s weight is at the average side (not too big and not too small) and there’s a high percentage for me to go for natural birth. But Tjun Aun suggested that I go for Cesarean for safety measure (IF I’m going to have a breech baby) as we cannot imagine when I push the leg will come out first instead of the head?? Doctor said “Still early to decide on anything and we can talk about the birth plan during your next visit”.
No wonder I felt this baby moving a lot compared to Naomi as he tend to do a lot of somersault. I started to research from Internet and found out many interesting facts about breech babies. I also get to know that it’s normal for 2nd or 3rd baby to turn later compare to the 1st baby. Next thing I did was interview people. I asked few of my friends (who are currently expecting (delivering soon) and those who has more than one baby about this. One of them, who is 36th weeks pregnant now told me that her baby’s head is not engaged yet and still doing somersaults! She just said pray and hope for the best that everything will be smooth. The other friend, who just gave birth to her 2nd baby recently told me that it’s true, her 2nd baby turn later than her 1st baby as well and she can’t remember exactly when already but she said it’s more than 30th weeks and near to her delivery date. She has natural birth for both her babies. To me, there’s still hope….and I talk to my baby and ask him to co-operate with me…..hahaha….This is the tips I got from one of my friends.
Anyhow, I’ve prepare for the worst….to us as long as I deliver a healthy baby (no matter natural birth or Cesarean). Wish me luck!
These are the tips I got from the internet:
Here are 17 Ways to Turn Your Breech Baby!
Be sure to check with your provider before trying the positions for turning a breech baby to see if there is any reason why you should not use them.
1. Visualizing the baby moving down with the head very deep in your pelvis, several times a day; especially in conjunction with positions and exercises below.
2. Swimming as often as possible. This keeps your body and pelvis loose and relaxed. Do in conjunction with headstand below if you have help.
3. Headstand - with assistance and in a pool frequently as possible.
4. Breech Tilt - begin at 32-35 weeks gestation. Do 3 times daily for 10-15 minutes each time, when you have an empty stomach, and the baby is active. Prop one end of an ironing board securely on a sofa or chair 12 to 18 inches high (or may use slant board). Lie down, bend knees but keep feet flat on board. Relax, breathe deeply, avoid tensing. May also use pillows on a flat surface to raise hips 12-18" above shoulders. Gravity pushes the baby's head into the fundus, tucks it, and baby can then do a somersault to a vertex position.
5. CD/iPod headphones - place them inside mom's pants toward her pubic bone and play classical music for 10 minutes 6-8 times a day.
6. Flashlight - try moving slowly down from the top of the uterus toward your pubic bone while you are in a breech tilt position.
7. Massage - start with your left hand at the bottom of the abdomen and your right hand just above it. Move move your hands clockwise around the right side of your tummy. As your right hand reaches the top of your abdomen, slide the left one over your right and move it down the left side of your tummy. Your left hand leads as you you come full circle, continuing clockwise. Massage gently as you would to apply lotion. Massage for ten minutes or more up to several times each day.
8. Clothespin - place on the small toe of each foot at the outside corner of the toenail; sideways so that the toenail and toepad are stimulated for 30 minutes per day, this is an acupressure point that is a "moving down" point. You can also do this with just finger pressure as you remember to do it.
9. Motion Sickness band - place with the bead four fingerwidths above the inner ankle bone - another acupressure point that is used for stimulation of the uterus. Do not use this point if you are experiencing any pre-term labor.
10. Glass of orange or other juice - follow this with a side-lying position with your hips positioned higher than your feet. Babies move more after a sugar high!
11. Pelvic Tilt- with an ice pack on the top of your tummy on an empty stomach, 10 minutes twice a day. Do this while lying on your back on the floor with knees flexed and feet on the floor with three large pillows placed under your buttocks. Try this in conjunction with headphones and visualization.
12. Cat stretch - start with all fours, then lay your head and chest flat on the floor with your buttocks in the air, as you round your back and return to all fours.
13. Knee-chest position - by kneeling with hips flexed slightly more than 90 degree, but with thighs not pressing against your tummy and your head, shoulders and upper chest are flat on a mattress for 15 minutes every two waking hours for five days.
14. Belly Relaxing followed by Inversion - Partner places a shawl, sheet, towel or rebozo under mom's hips as she lays on the floor. Lift up on the corners of the cloth and shimmy her from side to side moving your hands up and down to wiggle her belly from side to side. These should be very small movements which mom should find very relaxing. Do this for about 5 minutes. Then mother kneels on the stairway landing. Walk your hands down 2 or 3 stairs into an all fours position; have your partner support your shoulders to balance you. Remain in this position for about 5-10 minutes or as long as comfortable. Also do this on an empty stomach.
The following techniques to turn breech babies to vertex involve the assistance of a specialist or medical professional:
15. Acupuncture - find a acupuncturist who is familiar with pregnancy and knows the points to stimulate for turning a breech baby.
16. Webster's Breech Technique - see a Chiropractor who is experienced in this technique.
17. External Version - this can be done in the hospital at about 37 weeks; see an Ob-Gyn for assistance and more information.
