Monday, September 8, 2008

Breech Baby

I had another appointment with my doctor today. Most everything is still right on track... baby measures 32 weeks and weighs in at just over 4 pounds. My bp is 120/64 and my weight is right where it should be.

The only (kind of) concern now is that baby is still not head down. I thought it had turned a few weeks ago but was wrong. It has actually settled into a transverse lie position, and the ultrasound today showed that its head is on the right side of my uterus with the butt on the left side. It's legs are actually straight out by the head (flexible little thing in there!).

My baby is actually just opposite of this- facing down with its spine on top rather than bottom like this picture shows. Doc said I could have a funny shaped uterus that encourages baby to hang out this way since its more comfortable. Not exactly comfortable for me when the back of baby's head gets lodged up in my ribs!

The good news is that most babies will turn on their own before 36 weeks. I've been trying some of the at home methods of turning a breech baby for the last few weeks without any success (but I don't give up easily so I'm still trying!). Doc said maybe I could try a chinese herbalist for Moxibustion treatments which according to a study published in JAMA has been successful in turning 75% of breech babies. Doc actually gave me the phone number of a woman who might be able to help me do this (doc wants to avoid a c-section as much as I do!), although if you watch that You-Tube Moxa video (link above), it appears that I could do it pretty easily on my own... maybe I'll be making a trip to ChinaTown to see if I can find some??

Last resort, if baby is still hanging out like this at 37 weeks will be to go to Kapiolani Women and Children's hospital to have a specialist work on performing an external version. Not real excited about that so hope baby figures it out and turns on its own in the next few weeks!! I guess I'm skeptical that it will since its head has been in the same place all along... But I think I'll order some of the moxa and give it a shot. Can't hurt, right?

7 comments:

Clare said...

a friend who was due 8/30 was in your boat, but her kid turned on her own around 38 weeks. of course, 9 days past her due date, she's still pregnant...good luck! seems like there's plenty of time (but maybe not??).

Kate Parker said...

Little Alice was breech until 34 weeks (or thereabouts)...I went to my chiropractor for a few weeks straight and it did the trick.

They have a technique that helps turn breech babies the right way...some sort of adjustment they can do to open the pelvis more or some crazy stuff like that. Worked for us.

I was like you...would do just about anything to avoid a c-section. I was crawling around our house for a bit there after reading that might turn her.
Nuts!

Allison Chapple said...

I hope you can get you babe turned around! I bet you have enough time to do so...

:)

Audrey said...

Aw, your baby is halfway turned and wee so s/he probably has the room to turn yet. Maybe your baby is a future Olympic Gold Medalist in gymnastics and s/he is practicing tumbling..? *grin* Still..I'll be keeping my fingers crossed on the Moxa treatment!!!

Frayed Laces said...

Thanks for the well wishes for Maui! sounds like you are gearing up for something way greater than any marathon. Good luck, mama!

RunningMama said...

Hope the baby turns! You still have time!

Tracy said...

Our first was like this until about 34 weeks, then she turned all on her own. They have they're own way of getting around to where they're going I guess. Don't worry, things will be fine :)