Breech Baby

All moms have a different birth plan, and many of our moms at Blue Hills Chiropractic want a natural, vaginal delivery. While there’s no way to guarantee this will be possible there are steps that can be taken to make it more likely. One complication some moms face is their baby being in a breech position.

A baby will move into the ideal position for delivery with the head moving closer to the birth canal a few weeks before birth. But some babies will be in a breech presentation. This means the baby’s buttocks and feet are positioned to deliver first. While vaginal delivery with a breech baby is not out of the question, it does come with extra risk factors such as umbilical cord prolapse, baby’s head stuck in the birth canal, and a prolonged, difficult labor.

A baby can be in a breech position due to the position of mom’s uterus. A mom’s reproductive system can be compared to a hot air balloon (don’t get mad, you’re beautiful, we’re not calling YOU a hot air balloon, just some of your organs). Your uterus is like the balloon itself, the ligaments are the strings and your pelvis is the basket. When your pelvis is in a non-ideal position, it pulls on the strings (ligaments) and that pulls on the balloon (uterus). Chiropractic care can put the sacrum in a better position, decreasing stress on the soft tissues associated with the uterus.

When ligaments are tight due to the sacrum being out of alignment, it puts extra stress on the uterus, and it pulls it into a poor position. When the uterus is in this position, it gives baby less room and baby may turn into a non-ideal position (breech) due to added stress. Once a baby is breech, it is unlikely to turn on its own.

While it’s easier to keep mom’s uterus in an ideal position throughout pregnancy, it is possible to put mom’s pelvis in a better position once baby is breech.

Chiropractic care can help reduce stress on mom’s pelvis, allowing the ligaments and uterus to relax. A more relaxed uterus makes it easier for baby to turn naturally. We are certified in using the Webster Technique. According to the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, the Webster technique has an 82% success rate. When successful, the Webster Technique avoids the costs and/or risks of external cephalic version, cesarean section, or vaginal trial of breech. For more information on how chiropractic can help you during your pregnancy reach out to any of our prenatal trained doctors.