AFirst of all, congratulations on your pregnancy! This special period brings many beautiful moments, but sometimes also some concerns. One of these concerns can be a breech position. Did you know that approximately 3-4% of babies are in breech position at the end of pregnancy? In this blog, we explain exactly what breech position is, what the possible causes are, and how chiropractic care can help.
Breech Position: What It Is and Why Timely Action Is Important
In a normal position, your baby lies with the head down, ready to be born first. In a breech position, your baby lies differently in the uterus: with the buttocks or feet down. This can make delivery a bit more complicated.
Breech position is quite normal until about 32 weeks of pregnancy – babies often turn several times. After that time, most babies have already turned with their head down. If your baby is still in breech position around 36 weeks, it’s good to discuss the possible causes and solutions.
Different Types of Breech Position
There are three main types of breech position:
- Complete breech: The baby is in a sort of squatting position, with the buttocks down, knees bent, and feet near the buttocks.
- Frank breech: The baby’s legs are stretched upward along the body, with the feet near the head.
- Footling breech: One or both feet are positioned first in the birth canal.
Your midwife or gynecologist can determine which type of breech position your baby has with an ultrasound.
Most Common Causes of Breech Position
Breech position has several possible causes. Often there is no clear reason, but various factors can play a role.
The shape of your uterus can influence your baby’s position. Some women have a uterus that is shaped differently, for example pear-shaped where the top is wider. This can make it easier for the baby to stay with the head at the top.
The position of the placenta also plays a role. If the placenta is low in the uterus or covers the entrance to the uterus, the baby has less room to turn to the right position.
The amount of amniotic fluid can also be a factor. Too much amniotic fluid gives your baby more freedom of movement, which can make it harder to stay in the right position. On the other hand, too little amniotic fluid can limit freedom of movement.
In a twin or multiple pregnancy, there is simply less space in the uterus, which can cause one or more babies to be in breech position. This is a fairly logical cause that you can’t do much about.
An important factor that is often overlooked is pelvic instability or misalignment. A misalignment or instability in your pelvis can reduce the entrance to your pelvis or change its shape. This can make it more difficult for your baby to turn to the right position. Chiropractic care can play a major role here, but more on that later.
Increased tension in the abdominal muscles or pelvic floor muscles can limit the space for your baby, making it harder to turn. This can be due to stress, a previous injury, or simply your body type.
In rare cases, breech position can be the result of congenital abnormalities in the baby, such as certain neurological conditions that limit movement. Fortunately, this is not common.
Finally, it’s good to know that if you’ve previously had a baby in breech position, the chance is slightly higher that it will happen again in a subsequent pregnancy. This suggests that there may be anatomical factors that are specific to you.
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Home Remedies to Help Turn a Breech Position
If your baby is in breech position, there are several things you can try yourself to encourage your baby to turn. Note: always consult with your midwife or gynecologist before trying these methods.
Positioning Techniques
- Knee-chest position: Get on hands and knees and lower your head and chest to the ground, while keeping your buttocks up. Hold this position for 15 minutes, 3 times a day.
- Bridge exercise: Lie on your back with bent knees and feet flat on the ground. Lift your pelvis so that your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Hold for 10 seconds and then lower. Repeat 10 times, 2-3 times a day.
- Side-lying position: Try to sleep on your left side as much as possible. This improves blood circulation to the uterus and can help your baby turn.
In addition to these positioning techniques, you can also work with light and sound. Babies are often attracted to light and sound. Try placing headphones with soft music or your own voice low on your belly, near your pubic bone. Or shine a flashlight low on your belly. The idea is that your baby becomes curious and turns toward the light or sound.
Movement and posture also play an important role. Regular swimming can help because the weightless feeling in water gives your baby more freedom of movement. Avoid leaning back for long periods in a recliner or couch, as this can actually promote breech position. A daily brisk walk can stimulate your baby to turn through the rocking motion.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help with Breech Position
Chiropractic care offers a natural, non-invasive approach that can help with breech position. A chiropractor looks at the balance and alignment of your pelvis and spine, which directly affects the space and position of your uterus.
The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic method developed to address pelvic instability in pregnant women. This technique corrects misalignment in the pelvis, reduces tension in the pelvic ligaments and muscles, creates more space in the pelvis, and reduces pressure on the uterus. Research suggests that the Webster Technique has a success rate of approximately 82% in helping turn babies in breech position. It is a gentle technique specially adapted for pregnant women.
In addition to helping with breech position, chiropractic care offers more benefits during pregnancy. It can provide relief for back pain and pelvic pain, improve posture which helps with carrying the extra weight, and reduce nausea. Some studies even suggest that regular chiropractic care can contribute to a potentially shorter delivery time and optimal position of the baby for delivery.
At Avant-Garde Chiropractic, we have chiropractors who specialize in care for pregnant women. They use adapted treatment tables and gentle techniques that are safe during all phases of pregnancy.
When to Take Action with Breech Position?
If you are in week 32-34 of your pregnancy and your midwife or gynecologist has determined that your baby is in breech position, it’s a good time to consider chiropractic care. The earlier you start, the more time there is for your baby to turn.
It’s important to know that chiropractic care is a complement to your regular prenatal care, not a replacement. Always stay in contact with your midwife or gynecologist and discuss any treatments you are considering.
If your baby is still in breech position around week 36, your healthcare provider may discuss other options, such as an external cephalic version where they try to manually turn the baby, or a planned cesarean section.
Don’t worry too much if your baby is in breech position. Many babies still turn spontaneously, and if that doesn’t happen, there are various options to still have a safe delivery. The most important thing is that you and your baby are healthy.
Do you have questions about how chiropractic care can help with breech position or other pregnancy-related complaints? Then contact our team at Avant-Garde Chiropractic in Haarlem. We are happy to help you with personal advice and tailored care during this special time in your life.