Breech Baby

At my last scan at 20 weeks, baby was still breech. This basically means head up, butt down. This isn't the right birthing position for a natural birth, so basically baby needed to move head down. Usually babies do this all on their own around 30 weeks, however the last time the midwife checked, my bubba was head down but not in my pelvis, meaning baby can still still turn back. Obviously, s/he is on the right track but I wanted to do some research into how I can help bubba move down into my pelvis because if bubba wasn't in the right position by 34 weeks, you have to start thinking about other birthing options, i.e. c section. I really don't want this, so the googling and asking around started. As well as this, my bubba is back-to-back, in the posterior position, this isn't ideal for labour either and can mean labour is longer and more painful. This can be due to the shape/size of your pelvis & how you move and sit when relaxing. Although, babies can change position right up to and during labour, I still want to help as much as I can.

How to sit

It is SO important how you sit on a day to day basis, especially if your spending the majority of the day sat down. Sitting in a slouched position in a comfy squishy sofa will discourage the baby to move head down. GUTTED. So here are some positions you can try to help bubba get in the right position.

• Sit the wrong way round on an upright chair and lean over the back.
• Sit on an upright chair, with your feet flat on the floor, and lean forward so that your belly hangs between your knees.
• Sit on a birthing ball.
• If you sit a lot at work, take regular breaks to stand up and move around. If necessary, sit on a couple of cushions to keep your hips raised up above your knees.
• Kneel forward over a pile of pillows, a beanbag, or a birthing ball, with your knees apart and your bottom down. You can read or watch TV in this position.
• Get onto all-fours and move around.
• Put a cushion under your bottom if you’re travelling by car.
• Lie on your left side, with your right leg over and in front of your left leg (with a cushion or pillow between your knees).
• Swim or float on your front (avoid breast-stroke leg actions if you have any pelvic pain).

Exercise

Even if its just walking, do plenty of it. Being up on your feet will mean gravity can help bubba get into the right position. Swimming on your front also is said to help.

Mugwort 

MoxibustionThe first person I asked was a young student midwife who is trained in hypobirthing. She told me about this process called Moxibustion. It basically when you burn a  natural Chinese herb Moxa, commonly known as Mugwort close to the skin of the fifth toes of both feet. The fifth tow is a traditional acupuncture point called Bladder 67. There is no one recommended was to use moxibustion, but many women burn the mona sticks close to there toes for a about 15-20 mins, from anywhere to 1-10 times per day, for up to two week. This treatment is usually started between 28 and 37 weeks of pregnancy. The burning of the moxa stick stimulates heat receptors on the skin of the toe. It is thought that the heat encourages the release of two pregnancy hormones - placental estrogen & prostaglandins - which lead to uterine contractions. These contractions can then stimulate baby to move head down.
Now this to me seems like a final resort, later on in pregnancy, but if at 37 weeks baby isn't head down I will definitely give it a go.

Unfortunately theres no much evidence that ANY of these work, however, most midwifes and women feel like they might be worth a try.