Q: I'm currently 30 weeks pregnant with my third child. My
first pregnancy was breech. I ended up with a c-section. My
second pregnancy was vertex. I ended up with an unnecessary
c-section after attempting a VBAC. This time, I am trying
for VBAC with my third baby. I need your help about herbs
[or other methods] to enable the baby to turn to head down.
I have been using a lot of pelvic tilt, visualizations, etc.
but my breech baby hasn't turned. Any suggestions or advice?
-Beth McGinnis
====
There are a couple of safe ways to encourage a malpositioned
baby to turn to a more favorable position. Chiropractic
adjustments and craniosacral therapy can optimize the
function of the body in general and pelvis in specific to
allow the baby to comfortably assume the best position
possible for birth ... Obviously, there are other reasons
for babies turning breech and a baby with a short cord will
stay persistently upside-down, but if pelvic torsions are
playing a role, it is essential to address that torsion.
...As a chiropractor specializing in pregnant women and
children, I have learned and used things that are often not
part of an average chiropractor's care, and make a
difference. When I have a mom come in with back pain,
visible and palpable torsion in her uterus, spine and pelvis
and am able to resolve that, what a wonderful thing for that
birthing pair! Not only have we improved the
"mechanical/structural" parameters of this labor and
delivery, but we have improved the nerve function of mom's
body as well, allowing her body to work more efficiently
throughout labor and delivery.
Look for these signs in your mom: Is the posture unbalanced?
shoulders, hips and ears appear uneven from the back. Does
mom complain of back pain, sacral pain, pain in the top,
insides of her thighs & groin? When you palpate the round
ligaments on the uterus, do you feel one side spasmed? Or
pain/tenderness in both? These are a few signs of an
unbalanced pelvis and a baby who may be searching for a
comfortable spot in a twisted uterus.
Dawn Bush, D.C.
====
I am a doula and pregnancy massage therapist and have turned
several babies at 32+ weeks by first of all giving the mom a
full massage, special rocking technique that relaxes the
whole body.
After that I go with my hands to mom's belly and touch the
baby and talk to him/her mostly intuitively. I circle my
hands over mom's belly (very important to get in touch with
the position of the baby to know if you need to go clock
wise or opposite direction). My experience is that most of
the time I have to move counterclock wise.
I keep on rotating and talking to the baby and have the
mother breathe deep and slow. The mother lies on her back
with pillows under her legs and a towel rolled up under her
side. The baby just slowly turns around. I have to say that
I have plenty faith that this is exactly what is going to
happen. Relaxation is the key in this experience ... The
pelvic tilt exercises can only work if mom is totally
relaxed and has faith that she makes space for baby to turn.
-Greta Sprenkeling
also check: http://www.birthconnection.bizland.com
email consultation possible
Reprinted from Midwifery Today E-News (Vol 2 Issue 24 June 14, 2000)
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