Normally, your baby automatically comes in head-down position (i.e. bottom up) when you are near your due date (mostly around 36th week of your pregnancy), as to prepare itself for vaginal delivery. But in some cases, the baby is still in the bottom-down (i.e. head-up) position when you are near your due date, then it is called as BREECH PREGNANCY i.e. you have a breech baby. If your baby is in a breech position, then it gets difficult and even risky for you to have a vaginal delivery. Let’s discuss this topic in detail by looking at: the variations of breech position, what makes a baby to be in breech position And Is there any way to turn the position of your breech baby?
TYPES
Breech position is basically of three types, but all in all the cases, your baby comes up with a bottom-down position with little variations in it. Following are the three types of breech position:
Frank Breech: In this, the baby is in bottom-down position with both its legs straight up, so it’s feet are near its face (just like a V-shape). It is one of the most common breech position and the buttocks are their presenting part. It is also called as extended breech.
Complete Breech: In this, the baby is in bottom-down with the cross-legged sitting position (as their knees are bent but their feet are near the buttocks). It is also called as flexed position. Not only the bottom but feet are their presenting part.
Footling Breech: In this, the baby is in the bottom-down position with one (or both) foot is hanging down. One foot or both the feet are their presenting part and it is also called as incomplete breech.
WHAT CAUSES BREECH BABY?
Actually, the main cause of the breech is not known, but some conditions can increase your chances of having breech baby, which are as follows:
Amniotic Fluid:
The volume of amniotic fluid matters a lot which affects your baby’s positioning in your womb. If there is too much fluid around your baby, then it has very free space to move and easily flips in bottom-down position. And on the other hand, if there is too little fluid around your baby, then it gets very difficult for your baby to move and can’t turn into normal position of delivery near your due date. In short, if there is too much or too little amniotic fluid around your baby, then it can cause breech baby.
Placenta Previa:
During early pregnancy, it’s normal to have placenta on the lower part of the uterus. But when the baby grows and uterus stretches, then it automatically moves on to the top of the uterus by the last stage of pregnancy. But in some conditions, the placenta remains in the lower part of the uterus which blocks the cervix (and makes vaginal delivery risky), which is called as “placenta previa”. It is also called as low-lying placenta. This blockage will increase your chances of having a breech baby.
Multiple Pregnancies:
If you are expecting more than one baby, then they have very less space to move, which makes them difficult to come in head-down position for vaginal delivery. This simply means multiple pregnancies can increase your chances of having (at least one) breech baby.
Uterine Problem:
If you have any kind of uterus problem like abnormal shape of your uterus, have fibroids in the uterus, due to some surgery like a C-section, or any other uterus complication or infection, then it gets very difficult for your baby to flip due to less space. As a result, your baby is in a breech position.
Early Labor:
Mostly your baby is in breech position before the 36th week of pregnancy and then flips to the head-down position before the last month. But if you have early labor and have to deliver before 36th week, then again there is a high chance that your baby is in a breech position.
Umbilical Cord:
Sometimes, there is an issue with the umbilical cord i.e. the length of the umbilical cord is too short, which restricts the movement of your baby. This condition is rare but can cause your baby to be in breech position near your due date.
Any History Of Breech:
If you have any history of breech i.e. if you have had a previous breech baby, if you were breech, if your partner was breech, etc., then again it’ll increase your chances of having a breech baby.
HOW TO CONFIRM IF BABY IS IN BREECH POSITION?
Your doctor will do the check-up as you are near your due-date by feeling the position of your baby through your stomach. If he/she feels that the head is towards the top of the uterus, that means the baby is in breech position. It’ll further get confirmed through an ultrasound.
After it’s confirmed that you have breech baby, now the next question is “which kind of delivery is safest?”
If your baby is in a breech position, even then it’s possible to have a vaginal delivery, but it comes-up with many risks like increased chances of injury to you and your baby, can cause nervous and brain damage problem in your baby, can cause baby distress, and many more. Due to which, doctors recommend a C-section over vaginal delivery in case your baby is in a breech position.
IS THERE ANY WAYS TO TURN YOUR BREECH BABY?
In some cases, there is a possibility of turning your breech baby with quite a good successful rate, that all depends upon the cause of your breech baby. Talk to your doctor about the possible ways to flip your breech baby. Let’s look at some of the ways which may help you to flip your breech baby and get it ready to deliver through the vagina, which are as follows:
ECV (External Cephalic Version) is one of the most common ways that doctors suggest to flip your breech baby. In this process, your doctor put some pressure on your stomach through their hands to push the baby in the head-down position. It has more than 50% successful rate. This process is not painful, but a little uncomfortable.
Pelvic Tilt is one of the best inversion methods that works on two principles i.e. balance and gravity, which helps to flip the breech baby. In pelvic tilt, just lie on the floor, bend your knees, and lift your hip. Apart from that, you can also try other inversion methods as well which are safe to try during pregnancy.
Music may also help you turn your baby from breech position to head-down position, just play a calm music and place it near your pelvis. The logic behind the theory is: as the baby responds very well to the outside noise in the third trimester, so when baby listens to the music, he tries to respond and move towards the music, which in turn helps your baby to flip.
Exercises which help to open the pelvis (i.e. by using the exercise ball or some yoga poses) also help to flip the position of your breech baby.
ECV has scientifically proven that may help to turn your breech baby. But pelvic tilt, music, exercise, or any other way have not been proven to flip your breech baby, you can try if you want to as there is no harm in it.