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| 10/26/2006 2:21 PM |
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Hi,
Does anyone have any advice for me. I am in the UK, currently 31
+3 weeks pregnant with my second baby. I was told (and had suspected) that my baby was presenting breech at the moment, and I'm sure has been settled in that position for at least a fortnight already, and I have a gut feeling it is pretty settled that way. I would appreciate any help regarding encouraging my baby to turn, pros and cons of external cephalic version, and also any info about whether I should consider an elective caesarean or try for a vaginal birth.
My first baby was a normal delivery weighing 7lbs 15ozs/3610g without complications.
Thankyou, Janine By: Janine |
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| 10/27/2006 11:52 PM |
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There are several ways to turn a breech baby. Starting with ones that don't involve directly manipulating the baby, there is the Webster technique, which is a chiropractic manipulation, and there is moxibustion. This is a Chinese medicine technique that involves stimulating an acupressure point on the outside of the littlest toe with the heat of a burning herb. There is actually a random assignment trial finding this to be effective. Then there is external cephalic version (ECV), an outpatient technique that involves turning the baby by manipulating your belly. Good news for you is that this is more likely to prove successful in women who have had a baby before. Here is a summary of the results of studies of ECV.
As for vaginal breech birth, in the year 2000, the results of a large trial were published concluding that planned cesarean was the better option. As a result, vaginal breech birth all but disappeared in many countries--although it was getting harder and harder to find a pracititoner who would attend a vaginal breech birth even before the study. BUT the study was extremely flawed in ways that tilted it against vaginal birth. For openers, the trial didn't study what it claimed to study: full-term, normally formed breech babies in the frank breech (buttocks down) position, the optimal position for vaginal breech birth. (If you want more details, I have a deconstruction of the study on this website.) Nonetheless, it is now extremely difficult in many countries to find a practitioner willing to agree to vaginal breech--or who has the necessary knowledge and skills to assist at a vaginal breech birth--although it is a perfectly reasonable choice for most women. You may be better off in the U.K., though, in this respect than you would be here in the U.S.
You may also wish to consult my book, The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth. I have a chapter on breech birth with an appendix summarizing the research on ECV and on vaginal breech birth. The chapter and appendix provide both information that can help you make an informed decision and practical ideas and strategies.
-- Henci
By: Henci Goer |
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| 11/10/2006 11:16 AM |
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May I add info from this site?
www.spinningbabies.com
maria By: maria |
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