So you’ve been told that your baby isn’t in optimal position for a vaginal birth by your OBGYN. Now what? Well, if you’re between weeks 34-37 acupuncture and moxibustion might just be the answer you’re looking for, especially if you’re looking to avoid having a manual external cephalic version (ECV) or a cesarean section.

There are a few different types of breech

  • Complete breech- baby sitting on it’s heels
  • Footling breech– feet first
  • Frank breech– bottom first, with feet up by head

Breech presentation affects around 4% of all pregnancies, but most of the time babies will flip on their own by the 36th week. However, if the baby continues to be breech, most OB’s advise having a C-section so it’s worth trying to get the baby to turn if you can.

 

How we can help

At Health Pointe Jacksonville, we use a series of acupuncture treatments and moxibustion application to help encourage a cephalic (head down) presentation.

Acupuncture: we usually recommend a handful of treatments 1-2 times per week to encourage your baby to turn, reduce stress, relax any tight muscles that might be preventing turning and an ideal presentation in our clinic

Moxibustion: we send you home with moxibustion sticks and instructions to use it 20 minutes daily x10 days (or until baby turns)

When to receive treatment

The ideal time to seek acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for breech presentation is between weeks 34-37 of your pregnancy. Typically, beyond week 37 the chances of success decreases as your baby is continuing to grow, and might be running out of additional room needed to turn on it’s own

 

What else can you do?

  1. Swimming: any type of swimming with your belly down in the water can remove excess pressure and gravity from your uterus that can allow the baby extra room to turn
  2. Dance: put your favorite music on and shake it like Shakira- move those hips, mama!
  3. Chiropractic care: the Webster technique is a very specific (and safe) technique used by trained chiropractors that is useful in turning breech babies by gently aligning the position of the pelvis and soft tissue release of affected muscle groups. This allows the pelvis to function properly during advancing pregnancy stages. Other benefits include relieving lower back pain, and sciatica pregnant women commonly experience. We readily refer to local highly experience chiropractors in our clinic to our prenatal patients!
  4. Spinning babies: this website offers a unique pregnancy preparation program with labor activities that have been shown to ease birth including Belly Mapping Method and Breech position exercises that can be done safely at home
  5. Breech tilt: or postural inversion position. Lie on your back with your hips propped up 12-18 inches higher than your head 2-3 times per day for approximately 10-20 minutes at a time

When all else fails….

If your baby remains breech after employing all of these measures, there may be very good reason why: it may be because of the position of the placenta, or short umbilical cord that is preventing the baby from turning into vertex position, or your baby may just be “stuck” with it’s buttocks so deep into the pelvis that it cannot move itself. These things are not necessarily anything to worry about and breech may simply be the best position for your baby.

 

Call us at (904-448-0046)

If you’re living in Jacksonville, Florida and would like help turning your breech baby we’d love to help!