Natural breech deliveries or baby turning head down later in pregnancy

fiendelle · February 2014

Hi all- I lurk here a lot, but am more active on my month board. My first delivery was an amazing home birth and I plan on #2 being the same...today I had a US at 34.2 weeks and baby is still not head down...I know there is tons of time for him to turn, and I would wait until the last second to alter my birth plan, but it freaked me out a bit and has me thinking 'what if' everything does not go as planned- wondering if any of you have had successful natural breech deliveries, or have had baby turn head down later than 35 weeks. Just feeling the need to be reassured. TIA!

barnwife · February 2014

My mom did.

And when I was pregnant with A., she flipped to breech briefly late in the game. When it happened, I asked my MW what she does if baby is breech. (We plan HB as well.) My MW told me that they treat breech babies as a normal variation in birth. Yes, it can present some complications, but (at least in her opinion) it's within the range of normal.

Her response totally reassured me. I totally trust my MW and would absolutely attempt a breech HB if she was willing.

GPeterson24 · February 2014

I agree with PPs, lot of time left for baby to turn and definitely check out spinningbabies.com. Any chiropractors in your area that know the Webster technique?

Other things to try are moxibustion (can do it on your own), homeopathics (ie. pulsitilla), visualization.

Try to avoid laid back positions like recliner chairs.

organicmom7 · March 2014

Hi, I have six children (last 4 home births) and my last two babies were breech until right before labor or right at labor. I would just talk with your midwife, they are usually well trained in delivering breech babies. Doctors these days don't have experience anymore since they will automatically take a breech baby c-section, due to fear of malpractice lawsuits (I actually questioned a Dr. about this issue and that was his response). So, I would say you are probably in good hands and to try the methods others have mentioned. I did not enjoy the stress of having babies in the breech position either and hope it doesn't happen this time, so I totally understand you being nervous. Take heart that babies do and can turn at the end. Oh, and my last baby was 9lbs 9ozs, so even though people will say a big baby would not have room to turn, my guy did!

Empireceo · March 2014

Also try mybreechbaby.org. I prefer that website over spinning babies, JMO. Good luck!

AmyRI · March 2014

I had a natural breech delivery with my DD.

I saw a Webster certified chiropractor (https://icpa4kids.org/Find-a-Chiropractor/, choose the "webster certified" option) and got her to flip from transverse to vertex after 2 adjustments at 33 weeks, and she stayed vertex until sometime between my due date and 40w6d when I went into labor (I'm 95% sure she flipped at 40w5d looking back). The intake nurse missed it but my midwife knew immediately when she checked me and I was 7cm.

There are criteria that make good and bad candidates for a vaginal breech birth, so discuss it with your midwife and make sure she's been trained in breech births if she's going to deliver you. I was transferred to the on-call OB and he was trained in breech births. I was a good candidate and everything went off without a hitch. It was a little crazy to have more people in the room and a second team waiting in the OR, but in the end it was med-free and low-intervention. If you're interested in the whole story, I can dig up a link to my post here.

pillowass · March 2014

I had my twins at 37 weeks and they were both flipping a lot in the final few weeks so you there is definitely hope. If I were you, I would try everything pp's suggested to get the baby to turn, but I would not in a million years have a home birth with a breech baby. Recent data from the Midwives Alliance of North America showed the risk of death for a breech baby born at home to be 20/1000 compared to .8/1000 when born in the hospital. (link to the study here) Granted, the huge majority of those hospital births were probably c-sections, but I would rather have a c-section than a preventable loss.

For the record, everyone in my MFM practice was trained in breech vaginal delivery and they all were comfortable with breech extraction of my Baby B, although we would have gone c-section if Baby A was breech. There are lots of doctors who are trained in breech delivery and you may be able to find one, but data is very clear that outcomes for breech babies are better when born by c-section. (Also remember that malpractice suits only happen when there are poor outcomes.)

Anyway, not to get too preachy as I totally understand the desire for a home birth, especially if you had a great experience last time. But I think that midwives sometimes gloss over the risks. Hopefully your baby turns and this is a non-issue!

AmyRI · March 2014

pillowass said:

For the record, everyone in my MFM practice was trained in breech vaginal delivery and they all were comfortable with breech extraction of my Baby B, although we would have gone c-section if Baby A was breech. There are lots of doctors who are trained in breech delivery and you may be able to find one, but data is very clear that outcomes for breech babies are better when born by c-section. (Also remember that malpractice suits only happen when there are poor outcomes.)

Sure, c-sections are safer for babies. But that statement totally ignores the fact that c-sections are far less safe for mothers.

I was a prime example of this. I either put my baby's life in "danger" by delivering vaginally, or I put my life in "danger" by having a c-section. Neither scenario was dangerous at all - they were both low risk options because I was an excellent candidate. But if someone like you hadn't bothered to tell me the risks of the c-section and I went for it, I would have spent 3 days in the hospital, weeks unable to drive or pick up my toddler, and been at risk for another c-section if I had another child. Instead, we left the hospital the very next day and I had absolutely zero complications, and I could still play with my toddler without fear of my stomach ripping open. Sure, my scenario was ideal. And I don't judge women that choose the c-section because it's best for her and her family. But ignoring half of the equation is not making an informed decision.

I cannot wait for the day that a woman gets up the guts to bring a malpractice suit on a doctor for an unnecessary c-section. Because someday it's going to happen. The pendulum has swung too far and the attitude of "c-sections are always the least risky option!" is to blame for the poor maternal and fetal outcomes in this country.

pillowass · March 2014

With breech presentation and a planned c-section, there are no increased risks to the mother over vaginal birth (see here). That said, there's obviously a longer recovery time and considerations regarding future children. I don't think it's unreasonable to try for a vaginal birth, but I do think that one should be aware of the risks to the baby, which are significant, particularly when it comes to home birth.

fiendelle · March 2014

^ just for the record, if I did opt to have a breech birth, I would do it in hospital with my MW, instead of at home. But so far with my research it seems better to try vag. birth than have a section...there are risks to both, but less with vag. breech birth vs. section. I'm getting chiro and hypno tomorrow and moxibustion starts friday...I want this baby to turn so I can stop researching breech and birth my 2nd like my first- vertex and at home! Thanks for the info everyone- Send me out those baby turning vibes!! :bz

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