Breech Position

What is the best way to deliver a breech baby?

Breech Position

Your doctor may examine you or perform an ultrasound and tell you that your baby is in a breech position. If your baby is found to be in a breech position, that means he is sitting with his butt or feet at your cervix. Your baby may be frank breech-which means that he his bottom first with his feet by his head. A complete breech position occurs when the baby is bottom first with his legs crossed Indian-style. If your baby is sitting in a footling breech position, he has one or both of his feet near the cervix. Ideally, babies need to be head first to have a safe vaginal delivery.

It is not uncommon for a baby to be breech early in the pregnancy. This should not be a cause for concern because there is still plenty of time for the baby to move into a head-down position. Around 8 months, there is not very much extra room in the womb. If your baby has not turned by this point, the likelihood of him turning on his own is slim. Normally, your healthcare provider can tell what position your baby is at the beginning of the third trimester.

If your baby has not turned into a head-down position by the time you are 36-37 weeks pregnant, you may be a good candidate for an external cephalic version. This simply means that your caregiver will try to manually turn your baby into a head down position by using her hands over your abdomen.

If the external cephalic version is not successful or you were not a candidate for the procedure, you will probably have a caesarean section to deliver your baby. In twin pregnancies, a vaginal delivery is attempted if the presenting twin is in a head-down position. If you have a planned c-section because of your baby's breech presentation, you will probably be given an ultrasound to confirm the position before the surgery.

Comments: Breech Position

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klderoos - 20 days ago.
My mid wife never picked up my breech position until I was a day over due, even though I'd told her several weeks earlier that I had been receiving huge kicks to the groin area! It was confirmed with an US she was single footling breech the obgyn at the hospital said no to turning as I was by that stage 4 days over due and he said that it would most likely end in a c-section, so that is what I had. Now preggers with my second and i have learnt my lesson to be more confident with my midwife and push for more info if I feel my concerns are being brushed aside. it took me 6 months to fully recover from my ceasar and I really want a natural birth this time around.

lilli1317 - 33 days ago.
My doctor cracked up when I told him but I mine as well throw it out there. I googled at home simple methods to try to get the baby to turn so at 35 weeks I was sitting with a frozen bag of veggies on top of my stomach and a flashlight on the bottom. Felt a lot of movement, the baby moving away from the cold thats the idea, and towards the light haha. OK now that Im not pregnant anymore it sounds crazy but at the point I was willing to do anything!!! Baby had flipped by my next appointment haha and when I told the doc how I did it, he about fell out of his chair laughing. Oh well, just spreading the knowledge doesnt hurt to try hahaha.

sooohappy - 38 days ago.
hi was breech at 34 weeks mw said bounce on labour ball for half hour each night and go on all fous, this seemed to work as at 36 weeks baby was head down and engaged.

jenniferalisonuk - 54 days ago.
I was breech and at 38 weeks my doctor suggested i tried the ECV. I read a lot of negative feedback about the procedure on the internet however decided i was worh a try having discussed it with the consultant. The procedure was quite quick.. it only lasted a few minutes. The baby turned fairly easily. It was slightly uncomfortable but by no means painful and there was no bruising at all.... i dont know if i was just lucky!! But i did insist that if it did become uncomfortable that I wanted the consultant to stop... thankfully this was not the case! The baby stayed in the right position afterwords. Im glad I had it done but it was a really hard decision! I kept asking the consultant if it could in anyway hurt the baby and he assured me it couldnt and the babys heartbeat was monitored through out... therefor it would be fairly obvious if the baby was in any distress. Having heard and read so much negative feed back surrounding this I felt I should write about my experience which was positve and effective. Its a tough decision to make! I was so stressed out about it! But im glad i done it.

tripp - 62 days ago.
My baby was breech up til 37 weeks where I had an ECV where they turned the baby whilst she was in the womb, it wasn't painful and it saved me from having to go through a C section.

msmeli81 - 62 days ago.
i just delivered my lil man on aug. 18th and he was in breech postion...so what the doctors did was they turned my baby before i delivered...they did say if they couldnt turn him i would have a c-section...luckily they gave me a lil bit of the epidural to get things started just in case i had to get a c-section and it eased the pain when they turned him..it did still hurt a lil but they did it...i had 2 doctors on each side of my belly turning my baby...it took about 15 min for them to turn him...thank god i didnt need a c-section and im glad everything went ok...

preggomamma - 64 days ago.
ive heard of people giving birth to breeched babies why does the doctor take that risk

tannersmommy - 82 days ago.
My daughter was fine until my last appt. When my gyno checked me she about freaked on me because somehow my girl had flipped breech over the past week, verified by ultra sound. So they scheduled me for an inversion (where they flip the kid around in your belly) and then a possible c-section. And wouldn't you know it when I showed up for my inversion or c-section my daughter had already flipped around on her own. They were once again shocked and then decided to induce me so she couldn't flip anymore. Anything is possible maybe he'll flip on his own. Oh I did look up those yoga poses and tried some of them the best I could, they made me so sick to my stomach, but maybe they worked.

clange - 83 days ago.
Mrs. L, My little man was breech. I had a planned c-section because my obgyn told me the chance was slim of him turning with the procedure. My c-section was fine.. The positives are you know when you will deliver, the baby is born after maybe 30 mins from when you first get your iv placed. no contractions and pushing. I was sore afterwards but, no more than my girlfriends who gave birth vaginally. Good luck to you. Don't worry it will all be ok.

Bri - 84 days ago.
mrs lady - We'll keep our fingers crossed that he will turn but...if he doesn't then your doctor can try to turn him externally within weeks of birth. If your baby is really that big then it might not work. There needs to be room for baby to move. The risk does involve pushing you into labor which is why they won't do it at the week you are at. In the end you may need a section. I know that sounds scary but a planned section isn't that bad. The awful experiences that you read about are from those with emergency sections. You could see if you can find a doctor that will deliver your baby breech but it's rare. Many hospitals and doctors will refuse because of the risk to Mom and Baby. My middle sister was breeched. My mom delivered her just fine and she was also 10lbs but that was 33years ago. They didn't know she was breeched until her feet came out. HAHA! Good Luck! Talk to your doctor more about what can be done. There are also yoga positions that can help move baby. Google online to find out how to move baby. Practice them as often as you can and pray that he moves.

mrs lady - 84 days ago.
im 36.5 weeks and my doc said that he is breech...and hopefully he will turn by next week but what happens if he isn't? I most likely have a very big baby and thinking he won't budge my last was 10.7 pounds...this never happened at my last pregnancies and I am a little worried he won't turn in time. My husband is home for a few days and keeps talking to my belly trying to talk him into turning around lol its cute but I am worried.

naunilee - 98 days ago.
Hey guys! My baby girl was NEVER the right way :) She was breech at every U/S and was not going anywhere! We tried an ECV and it was the most painful thing I have ever been through..... and it didn't work. So I had a c-section done a week later. After having two two babies 'the traditional way' :) I would take a c-section again any day! I was so scared that it was going to be so hard, it wasn't for me at all, I didn't bleed at all and actually we had sex with in a week. We were at the track walking a week after we had her. I just wanted to let ya all know, don't get freaked out about having a c-section. I am now 6 weeks with baby #4, so we'll see how this c-section goes : ) I wish you all luck!!!

YoungMum- - 109 days ago.
momagainaft16years your not even 36 weeks yet what his he trying to schedule you for? Is there large waiting lists or something?

momagainaft16years - 110 days ago.
My daughter in in transverse position. Her legs are dangling above my pelvis and her back is curved away from my breasts. Doc says if she doesn't turn by tomorrow he wants to schedule a c section. Don't I have time yet???

trkrchk - 111 days ago.
I gotta breech boy baby.. Hes my 2nd breech out of 4. for some reason it just seems more uncomfortable than a normal laying baby. I gonna have a c/s anyway so it doesn't really matter, I suppose. Good luck to those still early enough to turn on their own.. P.S. A ECV with my first was unsucessful and resulted in a C/S. :)

mommy2bee6917 - 121 days ago.
I am almost 36 weeks, baby is breech, head pokes out up by my ribs....I just saw a chiropractor that practices a 'Webster' method which is supposed to be something like 95% effective -- just finished my first treatment...he did like one thing, and i have been feeling quited a bit of movement since then, very excited. I am seeing him again next week. Doc said that if baby has not turned by Monday than we will talk about c-sec but I am not giving up...Also there is a Chinese 'Accupuncture' thing that can be looked into called 'moxibustion' not sure if that works or not, but its another option I am willing to try. Just on a side note, there was alot of tension down by my pelvis in the front, he just applied some pressure to help it ease up, it felt better just him doing that...??

YoungMum- - 128 days ago.
I think that you have until 38wks to have the baby turned by a doctor, I found out after 38wks and the doctor was saying that he wouldn't have attempted it any way even if I wasn't 38wks because of the complications. He didnt really go into what the complications were though

Bri - 128 days ago.
At 35weeks there still is a chance. There are yoga positions that 'can' help to turn the baby. There is also a procedure that your doctor can preform that can turn baby. The problem with that is it's high risk. You would need to do a non stress test afterwards and sometimes it will send you into labor. I've also heard about baby getting disstressed because of it and an emergency section has to happen. If when the doctor turns the baby and the cord doesn't go correctly it can go around the neck. Basically, it's really risky. You could as well deliver the baby breech, well depending on what type of breech it is. It's also risky and painful. My second sister was delivered breeched, my mom didn't have (no time) for pain meds. She went on to have me perfectly. I guess for your question, you do have a chance but if not then oh well. I have a section with my last. It really wasn't bad. I do want a natural VBAC this time around but I want to let you know that sections aren't always horror stories. I know plenty of women that would rather have a section then go into labor. Good luck!

jenakatessa - 128 days ago.
I am 35 weeks and today i had a ultra sound with my doc to see what posistion baby was in and he is in breech position....what are the chances of him turning

Beautiful Bre - 132 days ago.
well, thank you for the info. i would rather do the vbac not c section!! but i will take what comes at me.. not like i have a choice! just curious i will have to have my dr do another ultra sound when i go in. i would feel so much better if my little one was head down.

wantingfourth - 132 days ago.
I just want to mention a woman's or shall I say a mother's intuition is usually spot on. When I was pregnant with my dd I had 2 u/s's and both times she was head down. But around the 7th month I noticed a lot of pain around my cervix like it was being kicked, when I mentioned it to my OB she said oh she'll turn. By the time I was 8 1/2 months I was done, I couldn't take anymore and opted for a c/s instead of a vbac. Convinced she was head down my OB was shocked that she was breech and actually knicked my dd's thigh when they cut me open. Needless to say I knew the whole time. So if you sense something-don't hesitate to speak up. Had I been induced I may have had a very complicated birth but instead it went quite smoothly and my dd is now 8 1/2yo and just as stubborn now as she was then.

YoungMum- - 132 days ago.
Bre the doctor can physically assist in turning your baby but like everything there are complications and it must be done by a certain time frame in the pregnancy.

Beautiful Bre - 132 days ago.
i have a breech positioned baby.. i am 27 and a half weeks and i was just wondering when they usually turn around... if they do. is it j ust at all different times or usually around the same time? cant your dr also go in a try to help move them to be head down?

shirls - 133 days ago.
An article about changing the policy in Canada for cesareans due to a breech delivery. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/c-section-not-best-option-for-breech-birth/article1186104/

lippylou - 148 days ago.
Hiya girls, I had a growth scan this morning and was told my little girl is in breech plus she is a bit on the small side, the sonographer didn't seem all that worried but she has booked me an appointment with a doctor at the hospital on Monday so he can check me out. I've read up about External -cephalic-version and sounds quite promising but its meant to be uncomfortable, I will hear more about it when I see the Doc. I haven't written a birthplan so if I have to have a c-section then I'm not going to be too upset.....my little girl has to come out one way or another!