Spin Right Round Baby Right Round...

I was 32 weeks when we found out Baby G was breech. It came as a shock because the midwives had been saying the baby's head was down all along. Maybe they just didn't want to concern me...maybe they genuinely thought that the baby was head down? Who knows, maybe it was head down and then turned? But now here I was at 32 weeks laying on the ultrasound table in the dimly lit perinatal center with Brian by my side when the ultrasound tech proudly announced "and here is your baby's head" as the probe glided over my upper abdomen. I looked down at my belly and looked at the screen. Back at my belly and back at the screen. I said, "wait, that can't be right, my baby's head is down". "Nope, your baby is breech", she said with authority.

I didn't bother to get many more details than that because really we were there for more serious matters...I had some contractions and was spotting and dilating a little early so they had sent us there to make sure that the placenta and the cord looked good, which fortunately they did. It took a day or so for the breech-ness to really set in.

The midwife suggested "Moxibustion" so I consulted a family friend and acupuncturist for mugwort- a special kind of Chinese herb that has been known to turn breech babies when burned close to your pinky toes or acupuncture point UB67 (just on the edge of the pinky toe nails). She was kind enough to give me a treatment for free...not only that but she gave me acupuncture in the traditional sense with a needle too (ouch! that kinda hurt!). At the end of the session, she gave me the rest of the smokeless "moxa" stick to use at home. At first Brian and I had to do it together because I couldn't quite figure out how to hold the stick so close to my pinky toe (let's be honest it is a challenge to simply get socks on at this point!). But then I found a creative way to do it myself and stimulate both feet at once: 

I did this for 20 minutes at least once a day for 10 days. The baby moved around a lot every time I did it which I took as a good sign. Sometimes I would also listen to a hypnotherapy track on turning breech babies simultaneously. Surely, the combination of efforts would be better than just one method alone?

Despite this, day after day it still seemed that Baby G was not budging from that same comfy spot. 

I also tried the infamous "breech tilt":

The purpose of this exercise I'm told is to get the baby's presenting part (in case of a breech baby- the baby's bottom) to "float" again and then hopefully the baby will decide that there is a better position to be in. This exercise is supposed to be done 3 times per day for 20 minutes each time. They simply tell you to prop yourself up on an ironing board against a stable surface and lay on it upside down. Sounds pretty simple right? Oh so very wrong. They must have forgotten that they are suggesting this to PREGNANT women! The first time I tried it with supervision and still almost killed myself trying to get on the damn thing! And then just when I thought I was on it, I started sliding right down...Brian had to prop some pillows under my head before I was off the board entirely. And even still, once there, all I did was cling on it for dear life to prevent myself from sliding completely off of it. It was impossible to get in this position alone (although I did try it unsuccessfully) and with Brian and I working opposite shifts the past few weeks it was practically impossible to make it work. I added a cold pack on top of the baby's head because supposedly the baby will turn away from the cold...but this child must have Brian's DNA because he or she did not seem to move one inch! But 3 times per day? There is just not enough time in a day...

I'd been seeing a chiropractor for the Webster technique since I was around 23 weeks pregnant and having lots of Braxton Hicks contractions due to tight pelvic ligaments. The Webster technique is an adjustment of the pelvis that opens up the pelvis to promote optimal fetal positioning. I hadn't been religious about going until I realized the baby was breech. Last week, my regular chiropractor wasn't there so I saw his parents and they kindly let me borrow this inversion table to try at home: 

It looks scary but actually it is so much safer than the ironing board thing. They helped me set it up appropriate for my height and there is a strap underneath that when tightened will only let you go back so far; in my case 30 degrees. I've had more success with this and have found that I can actually somewhat relax in this position (unlike holding onto the unstable ironing board). At best, I can get in it once a day...but baby still has yet to turn around. 

So then I consulted a homeopath for the homeopathic remedy Pulsatilla which is well known in pregnancy for promoting optimal fetal positioning through relaxation and softening of the pelvis and uterus. Homeopathic remedies are medicines prepared by special pharmacies utilizing a careful process of dilution and succussion (vigorous shaking). The more dilute the dose, the more "potent" the remedy. Homeopathy dates back to Hippocrates, but became more popular when a German physician, Samuel Hahnemann, began experimenting on himself and volunteers and started writing some of the first textbooks on the subject. The "essence" of the original substance is all that is left after the dilution and succussion and this energy is what is thought to be responsible for the effects. I had to wait a few days to take it because coffee renders this particular remedy ineffective (and lately I'd been craving it more and more). I just took the 20+ tiny pellets last night...to be continued...

If baby doesn't turn after all this, I may have to start playing this classic 80s hit on repeat over his or her sweet little head...maybe then Baby G will get the hint! 

You Spin Me Round