I want to give birth naturally and my baby is in the breech position, what should I do?
Your baby is in breech position: don't worry too much, baby can still take his time and we will offer you different techniques so that he can turn naturally.
In any case, it is important that you are relaxed to give your baby every chance of turning.
It is really during your 32nd week ultrasound that we expect your baby to be head down. Before this date, there is no urgency for him to turn. Only 50% of babies turn after 8 months of pregnancy.
If this is not the case, wait 2 to 3 weeks before really thinking about taking different steps to get him to turn over. It is after this deadline that you will have to consider several techniques to help your child turn over. Before this date, any attempt is useless because he can return to his initial position at any time.
Here are different techniques to help your baby turn over:
• Hypnosis:
This technique is highly recommended because it will allow you to relax completely and be in the best conditions to experience a serene pregnancy. If you are mentally relaxed, your body will also relax, especially your uterine muscles and facilitate the turning of your baby .
• Haptonomy:
Haptonomy is a method that allows you to get in touch with your baby. By creating a strong emotional bond, you can communicate with your baby and invite them to find the position that will facilitate their birth naturally. Through touch and the feeling of security transmitted by the parents, the child can feel guided.
This method cannot in any way force the baby to turn over since in the end it is the baby who decides...
• Osteopathy:
This medical technique focuses on your body, it consists of analyzing and understanding it in order to act accordingly to restore possible blockages.
Osteopathy involves stretching the muscles, and can, in the case of pregnant women with a breech baby, make room for the baby by gently releasing tension around the uterus and diaphragm so that it can turn. Thanks to light pressure applied to your body, your pelvis will regain more mobility and your uterine muscle will be more relaxed, allowing the baby to make the movements it wants, and to put its head down, especially if something was preventing it from turning.
• Acupuncture and moxibustion:
Acupuncture is a technique widely used in Chinese medicine. It involves inserting very fine needles into your body at specific locations, which stimulates specific points on the body for therapeutic purposes.
Moxibustion is very similar to acupuncture but this Chinese medicine technique will stimulate an acupuncture point thanks to the heat released during the combustion of moxas (grass sticks) directed towards this point.
These techniques focus a lot on the energies carried and are painless so you have nothing to fear. And in addition to being natural, they are very effective!
In this context, when a pregnant woman wants to help the baby turn over, the acupuncturist places a needle at the outer corner of the fifth toe, which will stimulate the baby and its movements. Always in the process of allowing your child to position himself head down for a natural birth.
Other acupuncture points help you to better experience your pregnancy, in particular to reduce pregnancy aches and pains, and later, in the 3rd trimester, to facilitate childbirth: dilate the cervix, reduce the pain of contractions, and soften your uterus, avoid contractions and make your pregnancy more pleasant.
• Yoga and its positions which will promote the rotation of the fetus:
– The passive bridge / the inverted half bridge: Every day, morning and evening, raise your buttocks (your lumbar vertebrae) about 30cm off the ground for 20 minutes. Your body should be in an arc and your head below your pelvis. To do this, you can use a nursing pillow (such as our Hugo nursing pillow made from cotton and organic spelt husks without endocrine disruptors). This position will naturally help your baby turn over.
– The Indian bridge: Like the passive bridge position, every day, morning and evening, after lying on the floor, elevate the lower part of your pelvis with a nursing pillow. During the exercise, you should spread one leg to the side, alternating each leg, and it is important to breathe well throughout the exercise.
– The knee-chest position : Lay on the floor, knees apart and hands on the floor, round your back while thinking about breathing deeply. Then, gently place your forearms on the floor and bend your knees. Repeat the exercise several times for about twenty minutes.
• The external maneuver version called VME:
This technique is only performed in a hospital setting with the help of a gynecologist. Allow one morning. VME is performed around the 36th week of pregnancy.
The gynecologist will place his hands on your belly in order to move your child and position him so that he turns so that his head is down. We advise you to contact a hospital or a gynecologist directly.
This is the most medical method to try to turn your baby.
Here are the different techniques from the gentlest to the most medical, which will help you turn your baby and prepare you for a natural birth. We hope that these suggestions will help you help your baby turn and that you will have the birth of your dreams!