Why Breech Babies Are Breech In The First Place?

Hi everyone,

I was told today that bubby is breech and i have to decide on a CS, breech birth, or an EVC so i have been reading up on everything but one question i can't find an answer to (and was in too much shock to think to ask my OB) is: Why are breech babies breech?.. i mean is there a reason they don't turn? I'm starting to worry maybe it's because something is wrong with bubby or does it just happen sometimes?

Hope someone out there has an answer :)

sometimes babies are breech for a reason that is unknown to us, but babies are pretty smart little beings and just sometimes have their way right from the beginning.

If your bubba is breach it is generally because this is the most comfortable space for them to be in. Normally a baby will turn head down anytime in the 3rd trimester...right up until 38wks for a first time mummy or just before labor with a 2nd, 3rd etc mummy (the tummy muscles are not as restrictive due to previous stretching)...it is more comfortable head down as the baby's head snuggly rests in the pelvis, as opposed to being jammed up underneath mummy's ribs and diaphragm.

So a breech baby may be that way because their head will not fit snuggly into the pelvis (too small in 2nd trimester means they can still play gymnastics) and too big head just wont fit in (this is called cephalopelvic disproportion...kelly has an artilce on it I think)

you are at an increased risk of breech baby if...
you have gestational diabetes...big baby and maybe tight fit
previous pelvic injury that reduces the pelvic cavity...the space the baby moces thru to enter the vagina
and sometimes...
placenta previa...where the placenta covers the cervix
or a short umbilical cord...or a really long one that has wrapped around the baby...both ways acting as a bunjy cord and preventing them from turning

hope this helps

try not to worry...your body and your baby know what to do

xx yogababy

Pixie I would recommend seeing a good chiro. There is apparently lots of recent study on breech and chiro which helps, my chiro told me about it - will get the info from him. Something to do with getting the pelvis into good alignment. Definitely worth a shot!

Also check out a book called Breech Birth, Woman Wise by Maggie Banks... very, very good.

LP - I was also told that you can have a septum in your uterus that wouldn't be picked up at the early ultrasounds, but means their head almost gets trapped up the top. Not at all dangerous, just means they can't turn themselves around.

When I was pg with my DD she was breech until 34wks and then turned but remained posterior. I did heaps of research into turning on both counts and found a lot of info that supports the fact that bub is that way because they need to be. I saw a great chiro who specialises in pregnancy and she had learnt some great stuff to help bubs turn from both breech and posterior.

I did all the spinning babies stuff and saw her 1-2 times a week in the last 8wks.

I had an ARM at 3 days past my due date as I was 4cm already and as soon as they broke my waters she started turning (took about 1 hr) she was born 2hrs later. Turns out she had a very short cord. So I stick by the rule that bubs knows best but I def believe that if it wasn't for all the chiro work and reading up on best ways to position bub and labour then my labour would have been a lot longer and more painful.

All the best, hope you find something that works for you

Thanks everyone, I was just getting more and more worried that there was a certain reason she is breech - If i done something wrong, Or there was something wrong with her - as i couldn't find anything on why it happens.
I will try as much as i can in the next week before my final ultrasound and see if i can get her to turn, I can tell she's going to be a troublemaker already :)

I was wondering this as my bubs is breech atm ( although still has quite a while to turn), but I was talking to my mum last night and found out I was a breech baby myself (whom mum delivered naturally without any complications). mum says it was just my stubborn nature and determination to be different. Either way it was kind of a relief knowing someone who had had a breech and without any dramas.