Help! My Baby is Breech!

by Tereza
(Calgary Canada )

I am seven month pregnant, and my baby's position is head is up. What is the cause of this? Can this affect delivery time and the health of my baby?

Answer:

Hi Tereza,

Your baby is in what's called the breech position.

It's preferable for babies to be in the vertex position, which means his head would be down in your pelvis. This position can make delivery easier - though it's completely possible to deliver a breech baby vaginally.

The problem is most doctors will not assist in the vaginal delivery of a breech baby anymore, and even many midwives won't. They'll automatically perform a cesarean section.

Like I said above, it's possible to have a breech baby vaginally. Standing positions and hands-and-knees positions often assist a breech baby's birth. The baby's bottom comes first during birth, and it's important that as soon as the body is delivered the head be delivered.

Since you are only seven months you have plenty of time to encourage your baby to turn to a vertex position.

I recommend you begin by talking to your baby and encouraging him to turn around to prepare for his birth.

You can also begin some simple daily things to help encourage him to turn over. I have detailed them here:

Find out how to Turn Your Breech Baby!

You can also find out more about Baby Positions in the Womb.

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Help! My Baby is Breech!

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Nov 20, 2009
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They Can Turn !:)
by: Anonymous

My baby was breech as well. My midwife had me try all the non-invasive stuff (shining lights, talking to the baby from certain positions, laying with my hips elevated, etc. - they're easy to find online if you search), but nothing worked.

At about 30 weeks my midwife sent me to her backup ob-gyn for a detailed ultrasound to make sure the umbilical cord was in an ok position etc., and then once he cleared it she manually turned my daughter.

I will not lie and say it felt great - it was fairly painful and left some bruises from the pressure she had to apply (basically - the doctor or midwife pushes the baby's butt up out of our pelvis, while at the same time applying sideways pressure to the baby's body. The goal is for the baby to basically be annoyed and move away, and complete the turn.)- but it was relatively relaxing and calm and it worked!

My daughter turned, and she stayed headfirst, and I was able to have a natural delivery. I think that some doctors will inject some sort of muscle relaxant before manually turning a baby, but my midwife just oiled my belly up with massage oil.

I had a cousin who was in the same position just a couple of months before me, and her doctor made the manual version (I think that's the official term?) seem fairly scary and risk-laden, and she refused it and had a c-section.

In my opinion, as long as the ultrasound shows no reason to NOT turn the baby, it's worth it!

Jul 21, 2010
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How do you determine breech?
by: Anonymous

How can you tell if the baby is breech or not on your own?? My midwife thinks that my baby is in the breech position, but she it not sure. How can I feel if baby is or not? Does it feel different in the womb? I am 33 Weeks pregnant.

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