Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Exercises (Weeks 30 to 37)
• Part 2 of 3: Alternative techniques (Weeks 30 to 37)
• Part 3 of 3: Medical treatment (After 37 weeks)
• Warnings

While it is normal for a baby to lie in the breech position several times during pregnancy (with the buttocks down), about 3% of all babies remain in this position until delivery. When a baby is in breech position, you are more likely to have problems such as hip dysplasia and lack of oxygen during birth. Several methods can be used to turn a breech baby into the correct position (known as the vertex position). To turn a baby into breech position, you can follow the following steps (with your doctor's approval) from the 30th week of your pregnancy.

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Part 1 of 3: Exercises (Weeks 30 to 37)

1. Hips up. This exercise is most commonly used to turn a child into a breech position. It helps the baby to retract the chin, which is the first step in turning.
   • Keep your hips about 8 to 12 inches higher than your head. There are several ways to do this. The easiest way is to lie on the floor with pillows under your hips.
   • You can also put a wide plank against a bed or sofa. Lie on the plank so that your head is at the bottom (put a pillow underneath) and your feet are in the air.
   • Do this three times a day, for 10 to 15 minutes, on an empty stomach, and whenever the baby is active. Try to relax and breathe deeply, and don't tighten your abs. You can combine this exercise with other methods such as heat or ice, or sound.
2. Bring your knees to your chest. This exercise uses gravity to encourage the baby to adopt the correct posture.
   • Get on your knees on the floor or on the bed and lean on your forearms. Raise your butt and pull in your chin. For example, part of your uterus can expand to make room for the baby's head.
   • Hold this position for 5 to 15 minutes, twice a day. Do it on an empty stomach or you may feel nauseous.
   • If you can feel the baby lying down, you may be able to help turn it. Lean on one elbow and use the other hand to gently push up the baby's butt, which is just above your pubic bone.
3. Lean forward. This exercise is similar to the previous one, but a bit more extreme.
   • Start on your hands and knees on your bed or at the top of the stairs. Place your palms on the floor (if you are on the bed) or two steps lower (if you are at the top of the stairs). Retract your chin, because then you relax your pelvic muscles.
   • Orphan very be careful when doing this exercise as you should not slip with your hands. Have your partner help you and ask them to support your shoulders during this exercise.
   • Hold this position for thirty seconds. Remember that it is better to repeat the exercise more often (3 to 4 times a day) than to hold the position longer.
4. Go for a swim. Swimming, squatting and somersaulting in the pool allows the baby to turn into the correct position by itself. Try the following exercises in the pool:
   • Squat at the bottom of the pool in deep water, then turn off and extend your arms as you jump back out of the water.
   • Just swimming around in the pool can also encourage the baby to move (and it feels great during the last weeks of your pregnancy, too). The front crawl and breaststroke are particularly good for this.
   • Do somersaults back and forth in the water. This relaxes your muscles and makes the baby turn on its own sooner. If you have a good sense of balance, you can also do a handstand in the water and hold it for as long as possible.
   • Dive into the water. The weightlessness and running water may cause the baby to turn on its own.
5. Pay close attention to your posture. In addition to these specific exercises, it is important that you always have a good posture, because that influences the movements of the child.
   • Due to a good posture, there is enough space in the womb for the child to be able to turn in the correct position. Follow these guidelines for perfect posture:
   • Stand upright with your chin parallel to the ground.
   • Let your shoulders drop naturally. If you are standing upright with your chin in the correct position, your shoulders will naturally fall into place. Don't pull them back too hard.
   • Pull in your stomach. Don't let your stomach bulge.
   • Retract your butt. Your center of gravity should be above your hips.
   • Put your feet down properly. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and distribute your weight over both feet.

Part 2 of 3: Alternative techniques (Weeks 30 to 37)

1. Use warm and cold compresses. If you put something cold at the top of the uterus and something warm at the bottom, your baby may want to leave with the head in the cold and towards the warmth, causing it to turn into the correct position on its own.
   • Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas on top of your stomach, close to the head. Hopefully your baby will want to dive away from the cold and turn around to find a warmer, nicer position.
   • If you are using an ice pack in the bath, with the bottom of your stomach in a warm bath, the baby may want to get to the warmth. You can also place a warm compress or a water bottle on the bottom of your stomach.
   • This heat and cold technique is completely safe, so you can do it as often and for as long as you want. Many women put something cold on their stomach while doing the hips up exercise.
2. Use sound to encourage your baby to turn. There are a few different ways you can try that involve turning in the direction of the sound to get into the correct posture.
   • A popular method is to play music for the baby by placing headphones on the underside of the stomach. You can download special music for unborn or newborn babies - from soft classical music to lullabies.
   • You can also ask your partner to put their mouth against your abdomen and talk to the baby so that the baby will move towards the sound. This is also a good way for your partner to bond with the child.
3. See a chiropractor who is familiar with the Webster technique. The Webster technique was developed to restore balance in the pelvis, which is why it is thought to help get the baby in the correct position as well.
   • The Webster technique involves two things - first, it makes sure that the sacrum and pelvis are aligned. If these bones are not aligned, the baby may not be able to return to the correct position on its own.
   • Second, this technique helps to reduce stress on the bands that support the uterus by loosening and relaxing them. When these straps are loosened, the baby has more room to move, allowing him / her to get in the right position for birth.
   • Keep in mind that the Webster technique is quite a process and you should be treated at least three times a week. Get treatment from a licensed chiropractor experienced with breech babies.
4. Immerse yourself in moxibustion. Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese technique that uses burning herbs to stimulate acupressure points.
   • To turn a baby into breech position, mugwort is burned at the pressure point BL67, which is located at the outer corner of the fifth toenail (the little toe).
   • This technique is said to increase the extent to which your baby is active, allowing you to encourage him / her to turn in the correct position.
   • Moxibustion is usually performed by an acupuncturist (sometimes in addition to normal acupuncture) or another licensed Chinese physician. But you can also buy the moxibustion sticks, then you can try it yourself at home.
5. Try hypnosis. Some women have managed to turn a baby into position with the help of a hypnotherapist.
   • Hypnotherapy usually takes a two-pronged approach.First, the mother is hypnotized into a state of deep relaxation. This helps to relax the pelvic muscles and allow the uterus to expand, allowing the baby to turn better.
   • In addition, the mother is encouraged to visualize that the baby is turning in the right direction.
   • Ask your doctor for a referral to a trusted hypnotherapist.

Part 3 of 3: Medical treatment (After 37 weeks)

1. Make an appointment for an external version. After 37 weeks, the baby is unlikely to turn on its own.
   • Therefore, you should consider making an appointment with your doctor so that he or she can turn the baby externally. This is a non-surgical procedure, but it is done by a doctor in the hospital.
   • During this procedure, the doctor will apply pressure to the lower abdomen, which most women find very uncomfortable.
   • During this procedure, the doctor will keep a close eye on the baby's heart rate - if it gets too low, an emergency caesarean section may be necessary.
   • In 58% of the cases it is possible to turn the baby in this way. If this is not your first child, the success rate is higher. But in some cases it is not possible to apply an external version, such as in case of bleeding, or in case of a lack of amniotic fluid. It is also not possible to do this if it concerns twins.
2. Talk to your doctor about a caesarean section. In some cases, a caesarean section is necessary whether the baby is in breech position or not - such as if you have an overlying placenta, have triplets, or if you have had a caesarean section before.
   • But if the baby is in breech and all other factors are normal, you will have to decide whether you want a vaginal delivery or a caesarean section. Most breech babies are delivered by caesarean section because it seems to be a bit safer.
   • A planned caesarean section is scheduled no earlier than the 39th week of pregnancy. An ultrasound will be done to make sure the baby has not turned since the last check.
   • However, if you are having contractions before the scheduled date and it is going too soon, you should deliver the baby vaginally.
3. Consider a vaginal breech birth. Nowadays it is no longer thought that vaginal delivery of a breech baby is as dangerous as it used to be.
   • Many doctors believe that vaginal delivery is no more risky than a caesarean section.
   • Vaginal delivery can be a good option if the mother's pelvis is wide enough; if labor starts naturally and proceeds normally; if an ultrasound shows that the baby is of normal weight and has no other abnormalities (except the breech position); if the midwife or doctor has experience in breech vaginal delivery.
   • If you think you meet these criteria and would rather give birth naturally than by caesarean section, talk to your doctor to discuss options and decide whether vaginal delivery is safe for you and the baby.

Warnings

• Always consult your doctor or midwife before attempting any exercises or other methods of turning the baby. If the baby twists, there is a risk that it will become entangled in the umbilical cord or that the placenta will be damaged.
• The Webster technique is currently still being scientifically researched.