Osteopathy to help turn an OP baby

[Swaliswan]

Has anyone tried going for osteopathy or cranial osteopathy treatment to help turn an OP baby? Did it work?

I've had very frustrating stop-start pre-labour for over a week and it seems that this baby is just not managing to turn. When it first started I had to go in for monitoring as I was pre-term. The MW was convinced that I was in labour from the look of the CTG and the regular pattern of ctx but when I had a VE she found that the ctx were not dilating me. I saw the midwife today who thinks that baby's position is causing problems for labour to establish. I have excrutiating pain over one of my round ligaments that is apparently typical when an OP baby 'gets stuck'. I have tried everything suggested on the spinning babies website for weeks to try and get this baby to turn. I know that eventually labour may establish and that ctx will corkscrew the baby into a better position but I feel like it is 'stuck'. I never had any of these problems with DD who stayed in ROA position once she was head down. I managed to dilate and deliver quickly with her.

not sure how an osteopath would help? by manipulating the bones in the pelvis??

how many weeks are you?

I would try not to worry. I delivered dd the 'wrong' way up as she never did turn in labour. It took 2 hours to push her out so I was very nervous when I learned that ds was also OP. He was out in 8 minutes and turned in labour I think it makes a big difference if you keep upright- I spent my first labour lying on the bed, so of course dd didn't turn. With ds I was upright the whole time and I did feel him turn in labour. I was told that it is probably the shape of my pelvis that will mean any future babies will also be OP, but it's not a concern now I trust that my body will deal with it in labour.
fwiw, both of mine were more than a week overdue, and I do wonder wether it was because they weren't putting sufficient pressure on the cervix.
Good luck
One more hting I would add, I am a big believer in reflexology- I have had excruciating SPD in both pregnancies and it has worked wonders. It might be worth seeing if you can book a session with a good practitioner.

Haven't tried osteopathy in pregnancy sorry, but my DS was OP and like you I tried everything to get him to turn but the stubborn little bugger never did. I spent 30...count em...30 hours in labour and it hurt...alot...I had to have an epidural after 22 hours and he was a forceps delivery too.
Sorry that isn't much help is it, I guess it's worth a try though. It helped with my DS silent reflux when he was tiny, I am a big believer in it.

I should add, that like littlelamb I also had an OP baby.
staying upright during labour def helps.
I managed to deliver my 9lb 5 boy in just 6 hours (from first twinge) and he didn't turn in labour either. long pushing phase but nothing horrendous.

so OP doesn't necessarily mean a hideous labour

i had a fairly straighforward VBAC with an OP baby, it probably helped i did not know she was OP until afterwards !! she was born OP too

took 18 hours of ctx to get to 3 cm , then labour 3 1/4 hours from 3 cm to baby out without any intervention

try sitting on a birth ball, with your knees apart to get the baby moving down, but don't obsess too much about changing her position. an OP baby can be birthed, just acn take a while longer

I'm not entirely sure what they do but I believe that they check the alignment of your pelvis and can do some manipulation to release any tension that isn't the sort you can do by just relaxing. I think that they can do something to relax an over-tight round ligament that can prevent an OP baby from turning. It is supposed to at least help with the pelvic/back pain and the round ligament pain. It is more common for nurses to have an OP baby because they tend to slightly mis-align their pelvis from working alongside a patient and that is why osteopathy is supposed to work for them. I'm hoping to at least get some relief of the pain!

I'll be 38 weeks on saturday when I go for my appointment so still plenty of time to turn this baby (although DD was born at 34+6 so it feels like I've been pg forever!).

thisisyesterday, I agree. Don't think that you are doomed to a hideous labour. My labour with ds was amazing, truly a great experience. The same can't be said of dd's birth. If you get chance, see if any of the midwives are particuarly keen on active birth- by my good fortune, the midwife I had in labour was an active birth teacher too and she was so so good. I really htink her help and suggestions for changes in position (which was really only 2 or 3 slight changes over a three and a half hour labour) helped to speed things along. I know that if I had been laying downit would have been much slower and more painful. I can't see how anyone can bear to lie down in labour. I remember getting to the hospital and being asked if I wanted a wheelchair to get to the labour ward, I looked at the porter as if he were mad

Believe me, I have been trying everything to turn this baby for weeks and after a whole week of having stop-start pre-labour (with ctx so strong that they were off the scale on the CTG printout) I'm starting to think that ctx are not going to get this baby turned. The midwife isn't sure that the baby is getting enough pressure on my cervix to dilate it because of the odd position that the baby is in. I wasn't worrying too much about getting the baby to turn before labour until the last week. But now, I'm exhausted and the midwife thinks that the baby is clearly ready and trying to come out without success.

I don't think the midwife is being very helpful or positive.I tried everything to move both of mine and nothing worked. I really think a big part of having a successful labour is the belief that you can do it, so please don't let her put doubts into your mind. Of course this could just be wishy washy tosh, and there may well be a reason why your baby won't turn. But do try and believe that your body can give birth to your baby If you can, get hold of Ina May Gaskin's 'Ina May's Guide To Childbirth' and snuggle up with it for a few days- I'm convinced the self - belief I gained by reading that book made all the difference in my having a good birth

if you're only 38 weeks I really wouldn't worry that baby is trying to come but can't. although I agree he may be trying to turn but finding it hard.

give the osteopathy a go, I am a great fan of it actually, just hadn't heard of it being used for this before. I will def bear it in mind though as have a lovely osteopath who can help me out should current baby end up OP like the last one did

Thanks for all of your encouragement.

Has anyone actually tried using osteopathy treatment to help turn an OP baby?