A vaginal breech birth need not be more difficult or painful than a headfirst birth. However, like headfirst births, breech births vary. Vaginal breech births are managed in different ways by healthcare professionals depending on their training and experience. Some breech positions do allow for an easier vaginal birth. If the baby is particularly big, you will probably be advised to have a caesarean birth, but bear in mind that judgment about the size of the baby before birth can be inaccurate.
- My Minotaur.
- Los casos de Lupión (Spanish Edition)?
- 7 ways to turn a breech baby;
- Lesson Plans Five Chimneys: The Story of Auschwitz;
- Breech Babies: What Can I Do if My Baby is Breech?!
- We value your feedback.
If you have a clear preference for a vaginal birth you may want to discuss just how big the baby is expected to be and what additional risks the doctor thinks this poses, to help you decide. The safety of a vaginal breech birth depends partly on the approach and experience of the midwife or doctor at the birth.
As a caesarean has become usual for breech babies, trainee midwives and doctors have fewer opportunities to gain experience in vaginal breech births, and many will only be familiar with the managed approach. If a unit is unable to offer the choice of a vaginal breech birth, women who choose this option should be referred to a unit where this option is available.
Some women labour too fast for a caesarean and occasionally a breech position is not diagnosed, so bottom-first births continue, despite hospital policies. You might want to consider enquiring about care from an independent midwife ; they usually have experience of natural breech births, but you would have to pay for their services. We also offer antenatal courses which are a great way to find out more about pregnancy, labour and life with a new baby.
Breech babies and birth. Read time 8 minutes.
Breech Birth
Consequently, many women have used music or taped recordings of their voice to try to get their baby to move towards the sound. Placing headphones on the lower part of your abdomen and playing either music or sounds of your voice can encourage babies to move towards the sounds and out of a breech position. Some homeopathic remedies have also been found to be successful in correcting breech positions.
If interested, you can contact your local holistic practitioner about the possibility of using of Moxibustion or Pulsatilla to correct a breech position. Most health care providers do not believe in attempting a vaginal delivery for a breech position.
Breech birth
However, some will delay making a final decision until the woman is in labor. The following conditions are considered necessary in order to attempt a vaginal birth: Another potential problem is cord prolapse. A cesarean delivery may be an option if signs develop that the baby may be in distress. Most health care providers recommend a cesarean delivery for all babies in a breech position, especially babies that are premature. Since premature babies are small and more fragile, and because the head of a premature baby is relatively larger in proportion to its body, the baby is unlikely to stretch the cervix as much as a full-term baby.
This means that there might be less room for the head to emerge.
Breech babies and birth | NCT
Gary, et al, Ch. If your baby is in a breech position at 36 weeks, your doctor or midwife might suggest you think about an ECV, or external cephalic version , after 37 weeks. This will increase the chance of your baby turning to a head-down position. Things may be different if you have had a caesarean section before — in this case, if you wish to explore the option of vaginal breech birth, you will need to discuss this with your obstetrician. You may be advised to have a caesarean section again.
Often, women are encouraged to have a caesarean birth if their baby is breech because it might be safer for the baby. But a vaginal birth is still an option in the right circumstances, such as:.
The birth process might be more challenging if your baby is breech. But there is a chance that the head, or the head and arms, may not follow easily, once the body is born.
- New Wine: Mental Illness and the Church!
- Breech Presentation - Breech Births;
- What is involved in a vaginal breech birth?;
In this case, it is important that a midwife or obstetrician with skills and experience in breech births is present to assist your baby to be born. Upright maternal positions, such as kneeling or a hands and knees position, are recommended when you give birth to a breech baby. In such cases, there are a number of techniques that can be used to assist your breech baby to complete the birth vaginally, or it may be necessary to proceed to an emergency caesarean section. The progress of your labour will be monitored closely.
Breech Babies: What Can I Do if My Baby is Breech?
If there is any delay in the descent of your baby, a caesarean section might be recommended. In many settings where vaginal breech births are offered, it is preferred that your baby is monitored continuously with a cardiotocograph CTG. Ask for a cordless, waterproof CTG so you can remain upright and mobile, and so you can use the bath or shower for pain management during labour.
It is worth discussing whether you might benefit from an ECV, because if this is successful, you can go on to try a vaginal birth. Not all hospitals have obstetricians and midwives on staff with the skills and experience in assisting women with a vaginal breech birth. If you are planning a home birth , discuss options for your care with your midwife. The Australian College of Midwives and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommend that you should be referred to an obstetrician if your baby is breech at the start of labour.
This usually means being transferred to give birth in a hospital. In most cases, your midwife will be able to continue supporting you during your birth in hospital and also continue postnatal care at home after your baby is born.