turning a baby the right wat @ 34weeks +

[misdee]

am 34 weeks pregnant, and we suspect baby is breech. am due to see the midwife again in 2 weeks to check position again.

but am i right in thinking any home turning things like bum in air etc etc isnt any point trying at this stage as he could still flip the wrong way. what stage is best to try this?

this is my 5th, and as such things are a bit more roomy (or slack lol) so am not sure what to do.

am also Rh- so midwife is unsure on what current protocol is in regards to hands on turning iyswim.

[matana]

Don't know about breech, but mine was 'back to back' a couple of weeks ago. I was really upset as i was told 'don't rule out an epidural' and i really don't want one! Anyway, i swim, do aquanatal and sit on a gym ball whenever possible and try to stay fairly active within reason to try to tip my pelvis forward. It's now lying more 'normal' (i'm 38 weeks) and she thinks the contractions will shift it into a proper position. If your baby is not yet engaged it might be worth a try with some exercises, and asking also if the midwife can manipulate it into position at this stage. If this is your 5th, i would think there's probably still room for it to move head downwards with a bit of work, so try not to sweat it too much.

[Violet5]

Hi, my 5th was breech, right up until probably a day or two before labour i think. I don't remember her turning but when i went into labour she did come out the right way, although back to back.
I'm 36/7 weeks now and this baby (boy this time) is also breech and back to back.
My midwife just seems to think he'll turn when he's ready like my daughter did, hopefully she'll be right, my first 4 were all head down and engaged from 30 weeks but not these last 2 it seems !

[Getoutofmyhouse]

there are ltos of techniques that supposedly help turn babies, google optimal fetal positioning.
Loads of people swear by birth balls, and if at your next appt your baby is still breech there is a method that a consultant can use to try to physically turn the baby from the outside- its success rate is only about 50% though i think.

[ReshapeWhileDamp]

I'd make sure your baby really is breech before trying to turn it, but there are things you can do at this stage that are thought to help. For instance, inverted postures are meant to be helpful (get on hands and knees then put bum in air and head on floor - warning, it feels horrible and don't do it if you have high BP! or position your knees on the sofa and hands on the floor - anything that makes your pelvis higher than head. Lying on your back with bum on a mountain of cushions too.). Some people swear by Moxabustion (burning a Chinese herb stick next to your little toenail) and some people just swear at it (as in, what the bloody hell is that terrible smell! ). Visualisation is also something to try - have a relaxing bath, candles, etc, to relax you (my MW added 'a glass of wine'!) then lie somewhere comfortable and imagine the baby turning a somersault inside.

ECV (consultant manually turns the baby at around 37/38 weeks) is worth a go if you still have a breech by then, but most babies who are breech at 30-33 weeks or so will turn on their own - only about 4% of all babies are still breech at full term. So there's hope!

Mine is breech and I am 34+3. I'm doing all of the above!

[AlpinePony]

Just wanted to say - mine turned breech at around 33 weeks and was back again by 34 weeks. I'd been down on my hands & knees scrubbing dog poo off the floor (v sickly pooch :( ) and my son decided to turn breech. I was offered a CVS if he didn't turn but he took it upon himself to turn.

I did take a look at the "spinning babies" stuff but I figured (like you) he'd turn if he wanted to.

A friend had a breech baby ALL throughout her pregnancy, they tried a CVS but she found it unbearably painful... during her c-section they discovered that the reason the baby had been breech was due to a 4lb fibroid on her uterus! So there was simply no room for the baby to turn - so there's not always a possibility for the baby to turn.

[AlpinePony]

I think I meant ECV, not CVS.

[misdee]

thank you. i am due to see the midwife again in 2 weeks. if she suspect baby is still breech then, then said she will be on phone to book a scan there and then to double check. atm, she can feel the head at the top, and we are getting the heartbeat heard very high up. he was head down 2 weeks ago at my last scan to check placental position, so has flipped the wrong way in the last 2 weeks.

if he is still breech in 2 weeks will try the techniques to turn him myself, as i really do want to avoid c-section. i have 4 other children and not sure how i'd cope after a section.

[newgardenmum]

Hi, I'm RH negative and had an ECV at about 37 weeks. They had to give me an extra anti-D injection when they did it incase of any bleeding. It was not a pleasant experience at all, but it did work and is much better than a section I think. Still plenty time for the baby to turn though.

[misdee]

thank yoiu. atm i think he has moved to transverse position as can feel his head on my side and kicks on the other side.. i think he just likes to explore lol.