My Baby's Breech—Now What?
One of the best lessons pregnancy and birth can teach us about parenting is that there is so much we can't control. If you just found out that your baby is breech, and you are in the final weeks of your pregnancy, you may be feeling frustrated, angry, disappointed, relieved, or wondering if something is wrong with your body or how you've handled your pregnancy. These feelings are valid. You need to know that you haven't done anything wrong, and this is one of the first of many times in your journey through parenthood that practicing acceptance and self-forgiveness will serve you well.
All this being said, there are things you can try that help to create an optimal environment for baby to turn, and many babies turn on their own without "help," before or during labor. Aside from a version (when a trained provider, usually an OB, manually turns the baby from the outside), the techniques and resources listed do not actually turn the baby, but may help to create space and relaxation in your body for the baby to turn him or herself.
The final piece of the puzzle: work toward accepting the idea that you may need to have a cesarean delivery. If it feels right to take measures to get the baby to turn, then by all means, do it. But all the while, consider with seriousness that these things may not work. Talk to your caregiver about options for a gentle cesarean, and ask them questions such as:
- Who can be with me during the birth?
- Will I be able to have immediate skin-to-skin contact with the baby?
- Is there flexibility for delayed cord clamping?
- Can there be music playing?
- How soon can I initiate breastfeeding?
- Can you explain the procedure from start to finish?
If you are able to make peace with a cesarean birth before it happens, you will likely feel more fulfilled by your experience, and be less at risk for postpartum depression.
The stars appear each night in the sky. All is well.