Breech Baby? How Chiropractic Care May Support Optimal Baby Positioning
Breech Baby? How Chiropractic Care May Support Optimal Baby Positioning
Hearing that your baby is in the breech position can feel overwhelming, especially as your due date gets closer.
While not every breech baby will turn before birth, there are gentle, natural ways to support your body during pregnancy including chiropractic care.
What Is a Breech Baby?
A breech baby is positioned with their bottom or feet facing downward instead of their head.
Most babies naturally turn head-down by around 36 weeks, but some remain breech as birth approaches.
What’s interesting to note is that a breech baby is actually a variation of normal.
The skills to deliver vaginal breech babies has been lost and so breech is then deemed to be high risk.
Why is my Baby Breech?
A breech position may be caused by an imbalance (asymmetry) in the mother’s pelvis or soft tissues.
This is not your fault, because as our lifestyle habits have changed throughout the eons; habits such as sitting down for long periods at the desk or in the car and crossing your legs, can all cause a slight twist in the pelvis.
Some other causes may be:
- Previous or recent injuries
- Carrying a toddler on one hip or other activities that repeatedly rotate the pelvis like carrying the laundry basket on your hip
- Standing with a slight bend in your knee
How Can Chiropractic Care Help?
Pregnancy places extra stress on your pelvis, spine and supporting ligaments.
Gentle chiropractic care aims to improve pelvic alignment and balance, creating an environment that may allow your baby more room to move into an optimal head-down position.
All of these causes above, may cause an imbalance in the pelvis and indirectly cause a twist in the uterus.
Many chiropractors can loosen the ligaments by providing a technique called Webster Technique, which our Chiropractors at Chiropractic On Winston are trained to do.
Visit our blog to read more about the Webster Technique
Chiropractic adjustments focus on the position of the sacrum, pelvic bones and associated muscles and ligaments.
It's important to note that the Webster Technique is not a method for turning breech babies. Instead, it focuses on improving pelvic balance, which may support your baby's natural ability to reposition head down.
The wonderful thing about Chiropractic care, that is often overlooked, is its ability to balance you and your baby's nervous system, helping you to be in a state of calm (Parasympathetic) vs a stressed and anxious state ( sympathetic nervous system).
This is important because you, and baby, need to be in a relaxed and calm state ( parasympathetic) to bring on and support labour.
Here’s some things you can do at home, to support Baby's Position
Alongside chiropractic care, you may like to try the following exercises:
● Mindfulness techniques - such as journaling and talking to baby
● Spinning babies breech techniques and
● Acupuncture ( Traditional Chinese Medicine)
● It’s important to know that your health care providers may discuss your medical options, such as an external cephalic version (ECV), if appropriate. As always it’s important to work with your health care providers and to discuss the risks and benefits associated with this.
● 3 sisters of balance from Spinning Babies.
Is Chiropractic Care Safe During Pregnancy?
When provided by a chiropractor experienced in prenatal care,which our chiropractors are trained in at Chiropractic on Winston, chiropractic treatment is generally considered safe for most pregnancies.
Techniques are gentle and specialised pregnancy pillows and tables help keep you comfortable throughout your visit.
Supporting You Every Step Of The Way
Every pregnancy is unique, and while chiropractic care cannot guarantee that a breech baby will turn, it may help improve pelvic function, reduce pregnancy related discomfort, and support your body's natural ability to prepare for birth.
If your baby is breech, speak with your maternity care provider and consider whether pregnancy chiropractic care could be part of your birth preparation plan.
We’re here to help.
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