8 Ways to Help Turn a Breech Baby Naturally 

A breech position is when your baby’s feet are near your cervix and their body is in a head-up position inside your uterus. It’s fairly common for babies to be in this position at some point during pregnancy, so if your doctor tells you they’re breech early there’s no reason to jump to conclusions. In most situations, your baby will reposition into a head-down position as your delivery date gets closer. Your doctor will be monitoring this as you progress. In the case that this doesn’t happen, there are some things you can do to help encourage a little movement. Below, we’ll go over eight ways to help turn a breech baby naturally.

Different Types of Breech Presentations

Breech simply refers to being in a head-up position, but there are a few different types of situations that meet this definition.

• Frank Breech – this is when your baby’s legs are both up against their head, almost in a forward fold position. Their bottom is closest to the birth canal.
• Incomplete Breech –this occurs when one of your baby’s feet is straight up and the other is bent at the knee. One of their feet and their bottom is closest to the birth canal.
• Complete Breech – this refers to the position where both of your baby’s knees are bent. Both feet and their bottom are closest to the birth canal.

   

  7 Natural Methods to Correcting a Breech Position at Home

  The following techniques can be used to help turn a baby who is in any of the types of breech positions listed above. Always work with your doctor to ensure that you can safely practice any techniques that you’re not used to and continue to monitor your baby’s position. While these methods can help coax your baby into a safer positioning, there are times when they may shift back into breech position. Knowing this early can help you prepare for a safe delivery.

  1. Pelvic Tilt

  The pelvic tilt method is also referred to as the breech tilt or ironing-board technique. It aims to correct your baby’s breech position by gently using gravity to help them turn around. All you need to do to perform it is lie flat on your back and lift your hips up above your heart. If you experience difficulty holding this position comfortably, stack some pillows underneath your hips for assistance. You could also use a flat board, like an ironing board, to help give you added support. In the correct position, your head should be against the floor with your pelvis up in the air. You can practice this up to three times a day, in 10-to-15-minute increments. If you find that this makes you dizzy, discontinue the pelvic tilt exercise and talk to your doctor. Don’t try to attempt it again until you’ve spoken with a healthcare professional.

  

  2. Forward Lean

  Another low impact option is to try the forward leaning inversion and other similar positions. The goal of these is to simply give your baby room to move around and correct their position. One option is getting on your hands and knees and gently rocking back and forth. You can do this for about 10 to 15 minutes before bed each night as part of your routine to get ready for sleep. Another option is to go into child’s pose and rest for the same amount of time. Although these poses aren’t scientifically proven to help correct a breech position, they act as hip openers that can provide the space your baby needs to flip around. Plus, they won’t harm your baby and can be quite relaxing to do.

  3. Music

  During pregnancy, many expecting mothers play music for their baby. This is often thought of as a way to boost cognitive development and jump start the learning process. Music that’s directed towards the bottom of your bump might also help encourage your baby to correct their position. Although the success of this method isn’t backed by research, playing music isn’t going to do any harm and can still have some great benefits on development.

  4. Using Temperature

  Place a cold item towards the top of your bump (where the baby’s head is in breech position) and a warm item towards the bottom. The theory is that the temperature will help encourage your baby to react and move their head towards the warmth. As long as you don’t submit yourself to uncomfortable extremes when trying this method, you can do it as often as you like.

  5. Webster Technique

  The Webster technique is rooted in addressing any asymmetry that may be present in your pelvic region or hipbones. This is done with a licensed chiropractor and aims to make realignments that help prepare your baby for optimal delivery. Always talk to your doctor before undergoing chiropractic care and if you’re not comfortable trying this method, stick to the other options on this list.

  6. Acupuncture

  Using alternative medicine is another option to help turn a breech baby. However, always talk to your doctor before doing anything like acupuncture or massage, especially if you’re in your third trimester. Moxibustion is an alternative form of acupuncture that uses gentle heat source called a mugwort stick rather than needles. The stick is applied to pressure points to help coax your baby into the correct position. Again, scientific evidence for mugwort is lacking, but there are some studies that support acupuncture as an effective way to reposition your baby.

  7. Swimming

  The gentle water that surrounds your body when your swimming can make you feel weightless and light. It can also impact the feeling of your baby in the womb and give them the encouragement to correct positioning. Although this method isn’t proven, swimming provides several benefits and won’t cause any harm to your pregnancy.

   

  What to Know About an External Cephalic Version

  An external cephalic version (ECV) is another natural option for correcting your baby’s position, but it needs to be done in the hospital with the assistance of a medical professional. It involves your doctor applying pressure to your stomach in an effort to guide your baby to the correct position. An ultrasound is used to confirm the position and monitor your baby’s heart rate during the process. Your doctor may also recommend medicine to help the muscles in your uterus relax and increase the chances of successful repositioning.

  If the ECV procedure is successful and there is a low risk that your baby will become breech again, you’ll likely be able to leave the hospital until it’s time for delivery. This will depend on how close to your due date you are, the amount of fluid in your amniotic sac, your baby and placenta positioning, and how much your baby weighs.

   

  Important Information About Delivering a Breech Baby

  Many hospitals around the country prefer to avoid vaginal deliveries if they know the baby is breech and your water hasn’t broken yet. This is because delivering a breech baby can greatly increase the risk of complications and is best to be avoided. Your doctor will be able to tell your baby’s position well ahead of your delivery date, so there’s plenty of time to try to turn a breech baby naturally. If their position hasn’t changed by the 36- or 37-week mark, your doctor may recommend scheduling an external cephalic version (ECV). There are some instances where a woman should not have an ECV. These include women who experience:

   

• Vaginal bleeding
• Abnormal fetal heart rate
• Premature rupture of membranes
• Twins or multiples pregnancy
• A placenta that’s in close proximity to the uterus
• Low level of fluid in amniotic sac

For women who have a baby in breech position and are unable to find success with repositioning, or aren’t eligible for an ECV, a cesarian section is recommended. This can help avoid issues with breech delivery. Babies delivered in a breech position have an increased risk of umbilical cord problems, which could lead to nerve or brain damage. Breech babies can also become injured during delivery.

This is why a C-section is usually the best option. However, it is considered a surgical procedure, so it’s accompanied by different risks. Always talk to your doctor to get more information about your unique circumstances and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Similarly, you should make it a priority to keep all of your prenatal visits to monitor your baby’s progress and catch any signs of a breech position early.

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