Having a Breech Baby

When I found out I was pregnant, and even before that when we were just trying, my plan was to have a natural birth. My husband and I are pretty health-conscious; we try to eat whole foods focusing on proteins like meat and eggs, plenty of vegetables, healthy fats, and some fruits, and avoiding processed foods, sugars, and gluten. We also try to avoid unnecessary chemicals in our toiletries and house cleaning products. So, when it came to making plans for the birth of our child, it was a no-brainer that we wanted to try for a natural, drug-free delivery. I took care of myself and the baby very well during the pregnancy, eating right, and working out. And my husband and I took the Bradley Method childbirth classes to learn techniques for a natural, vaginal birth.

So, when I found out our baby boy was breech about halfway through my pregnancy, I was pretty disappointed. In talking to my doctor, my chiropractor, and doing research online, though, I learned that there were a lot of things I could do to try to make the baby turn. So, I tried them all. (The Spinning Babies website- http://spinningbabies.com- is a great resource, but I would definitely consult with your doctor or midwife and other trusted advisors before trying any of the techniques to be safe.)

The chiropractor used the Webster technique which aims to balance the pelvis properly and reduce the stress to the ligaments that support the uterus. I got adjusted once or twice per week for the last couple of months of my pregnancy. I also tried laying inverted (on an ironing board propped up on the seat of the couch) with my head down low and my hips and legs elevated and put a drop of peppermint oil and ice on my stomach where the baby's head was. My doctor and chiropractor said this could help the baby move by attempting to get away from the cold source. So I tried it once a day.  I also tried swimming and doing flips in the water, taking Pulsatilla, a homeopathic remedy, and finally, I tried acupuncture. Unfortunately, none of it worked to turn the baby, and at 36 weeks, I could still feel baby boy's head right in the same position as he had been 16 weeks prior.

My doctor and I had previously discussed the possibility of doing an external cephalic version where my doctor would try to reposition the baby by pushing on my abdomen and the baby's head, but this can be very painful and could result in an emergency c-section. So, we decided against doing the version and planned on having a c-section sometime in the next couple of weeks when I would be 38-39 weeks. I had been having high blood pressure for several weeks leading up to that point, though, so my doctor had been closely monitoring me for signs of preeclampsia, and during my visit at 36 weeks, she drew my blood again to make sure everything was okay.

She called me the following Monday and said the blood work showed my kidneys were starting to function less than optimally so she was worried I might be developing preeclampsia, and she wanted to go ahead and schedule the c-section for the following day. I was a little taken off guard since it would be a week or two earlier than we had discussed last, but I knew it was what we needed to do for my and the baby's health. So, that night, my husband and I quickly came up with a new plan. It wasn't our original birth plan, but it was the way things needed to be, and we made the best of it.

The next day, during the surgery, my doctor found that the umbilical cord was wrapped around my son's neck three times. That was very scary to hear, and I immediately felt bad for trying so many things to make him turn head-down when he obviously wasn't able to turn due to the cord, but she got the cord unwrapped. Then, I heard her ask a nurse to call for another doctor for back-up, and I knew something was wrong, but then, a minute later, before the other doctor go there, she said "got him!" And I learned after he was delivered, that his head was stuck under my rib cage, and she had to get on a step stool to get enough leverage to pull him out. That was terrifying to hear, but I'm so thankful she was able to deliver him safely, and he was, and is, healthy and happy. Although it wasn't the birth I had hoped and planned for, I will always treasure it as our special birth story and the way I first met my baby boy.