Success w/ turning breech bub @ 37wks?

Hey All!

I have just learnt from my good girl friend that her baby girl is in a breech position and according to the sonographer, there is no way that she is going to turn!!! The baby girls head is up in between her ribs, legs pointing down and they seem to be stretched out. And I dont think the bub has much fluid around her.

So we jumped on the net and had a lil search to see what ways are suggested to help encourage the baby to turn. We found the bum up in the air and chest on bed position and the hips tilted up in the air positin. Are there any other positions that could try and help or is it all just trying to get gravity to help along?

Also, I just wanted to know how successful you were with helping turn your bub around?? My girl friend is booked in for c-section on the 21st of August but she REALLY wants to have the natural birth (amazing how quick things can change!). I have told her that there is still the possiblity the baby will turn but whatever happens will happen, main thing is that her and her bub are healthy!

TIA :)

Veronica, your GF could try some moxibustion, done by an acupuncturist. They will accompany both acupuncture and moxi together and will give her a good chance of bub turning.

I will say though, the fact that there is little fluid around bub means that it is pretty unlikely bub will spin. Did they offer her an ECV ? It's a procedure where they attempt to turn the baby by manipulating it's position by moving it, with experienced Dr's there is a good success rate.

Have you looked on the spinning babies website ? There are a heap of positioning ideas on there. Bub's position is called a footling breach and it's not likely they will "allow" her to attempt a vaginal birth.

Your gf could also try some inversions. She will get uncomfortable doing them, but if it works then it's well worth it. 1 way to do this is to lay something sturdy, like an ironing board up on the lounge, meaning one end on the lounge, the other on the floor. She needs to position herself so that her bum is in the air and head is near the floor. Maybe using a pillow for support under her head. I did this with Abbey and it worked. But you do need someone with you while you do this. Bub moving into your chest is quite uncomfy and hard to breathe. The theory is that bub will not like this position and will spin around.

Of course, anything you try just might not work too. Bub could have it's own reasons for not wanting to spin around :D

Goodluck and let us know how she goes.

The baby not turning - bull. I turned at 8 days post dates and was born 9 days post dates. Babes don't even get a chance at that these days.

Trish's suggestions are all great - tell her to see a traditional chinese medicine practitioner, who has experience in pregnancy and check out spinning babies.

Thanks Trish! I totally forgot about the spinning babies website. I will need to send that web address through to her.

I think her ob did offer her an ECV but she thought it was sounding too bad/uncomfortable and they mentioned that her girl could come out bruised from all the manipulating. So they did not like that idea. I will mention the acupuncture to her, but it may just be an added cost to the whole pregnancy..

Did you have a lot of amniotic fluid to successfully turn Abbey using the ironing board method? We saw this on one of the sites, not sure if she is going to attempt it cause her house is all floor boards and she is afraid of it slipping down. But if she does try it, I will let her know to do it with her partner there to help out if needed.

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Kelly - They mentioned yesterday that the ob they chosen is just very doctor like and just wants to get the baby out. So she is not really in to trying to get the baby to turn, more just want to get the baby out the best way I guess! Which is upsetting for my GF as she wanted the natural birth. Hopefully she will try some things and get her baby girl to turn. I think she is about 36/37wks so maybe MAYBE with a lot of trying and positive thoughts her baby will turn!!

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I would love to her from any other people there that have done this with success. I know it sunday but hopefully there is some of you out there! :) :D :)

A friend of mine was a tiny little size 6 & pregnant with twins. Her belly was huge & both the babies were 4lb born. They were head to toe & she was having fortightly u/s. Towards the end they were switching positions at nearly every u/s. By week 37 they were both head down ready to go & the girl was paving the way. They were born at 37+4. The OB was talking about c/s at 32 wks as they thought it best coz she was so small.
So not only did they find room to turn - I still don't know how!! - They were both born vaginally.