how to tell if baby is breech

cnu_gurl

Ok, so i know this sounds ridiculous, especially since this is my 3rd kid.. but is there a way to tell if your baby is breech? I feel like other people can just tell which way the baby is facing, where as i have no clue....at all. I know it is still early for me, but my second was breech and i ended up with a c-section, trying for a vbac this time, and I'm just getting worried.

AllTheTeaInChina

Ask your OB. They can usually determine fetal position by feel.

eleolin8

for the past 10 weeks when I go for my Doppler checks, the heart beat is always on my left side and I feel kicks and feet digging under my right ribcage, so I believe baby is still transverse that was seen in my anatomy scan. I don't think he's head down because I would feel pressure down there (I think).

animalisticneeds

obvious answer would be an ultrasound.  My baby is breech and I'm 39 weeks.  I feel all of the kicks/movement in my lower half (bladder especially).  I can also feel her head above my belly button if I press slightly on my belly.

NicoleWI

I've had breech and not breech and the only way I can tell is by ultrasound.

jennypolkadots

It depends on your build I think. I am pretty small and my midwife has shown me how to feel for the baby's position. At 29 weeks I go from head down to slightly transverse depending on what baby is up to in there. If I lay on my back and sort of crunch my belly, the abs will flex around the uterus and I can tell what side the baby is on very easily, then I palpate for a head (which feels right now like a softball), and the bum which feels like a wider softened bulge not as hard as the head. I also feel kicks. Last night I felt simultaneous movement on both sides so I knew the baby was laying transverse but after my exercises he/she was back head down and I felt little feet near my ribs. Little hiccups also can give a clue as to where the head is. 

So in short, ask your doctor or midwife. Midwives seem to be better at this stuff in my experience. If this baby ends up presenting as breech, you can try spinning babies, exercises to improve fetal positioning, and find a chiropractor that specializes in the webster technique. There is also a section in the book "natural birth the bradley way" that talks about exercises and how to sit/lay throughout the day to improve fetal positioning that I found really helpful.  Babies can flip all the way up through delivery, but you have to do what you can to improve your odds. You may also look for a doctor or midwife who does breech delivery as many of them still exist. Up until a few decades ago a breech presentation was not considered a serious complication but now most doctors aren't taught to deal with it. 

drpayne

Google "belly mapping." Spinning babies website goes over it some. I find it helpful and can usually tell which way baby is facing.

Alygohome

I feel hiccups in my crotch and baby banging it's head against my cervix all day and kicks in my ribs. Doc confirmed baby was head down.

SSCmomma

My MW said baby is likely to continue moving around until 36-37 weeks so she didnt want to speculate at this point. She is sending me for an U/S at 36 weeks to see where we are at then. Try to be patient and good luck !