QuestionI am currently 36 weeks pregnant. I had an ultrasound done at 35 weeks because the doctor said I was high risk with my blood pressure. During the ultrasound, the doctor said the baby was breached. When I went to the doctor on 3-1-07, another doctor said that he could not tell whether the baby was still breached. The next ultrasound is scheduled to take place two weeks from now. Is that safe to wait that long? Also, how can a doctor not know what position the baby is in? I can tell that there is only fluid in my lower pelvic area.
AnswerI would not wait until your next scheduled ultrasound to do something about the breech. There are many things you can do to encourage your baby to get into a better birthing position, and none of them will do any harm whatsoever.
First, consider visiting a chiropractor familiar with the Webster technique. This is a very specific pelvic alignment technique used on pregnant women, and it has a very high success rate for turning breech babies, often after just the first visit or two.
Second, visit www.spinningbabies.com. Here, you will find lots of information on optimal fetal positioning. One of the reasons your doctor may have had difficulty determining the baby's position is if your baby is posterior, or sunny-side-up. This means the baby's back is facing your back, and the hands and feet are in front. Since the doctor can't feel the back or sometimes the head, it is very difficult to determine the exact position. By following the optimal fetal positioning exercises listed at Spinning Babies, you will encourage your baby to move into an anterior, head-down position, naturally and gently.
Once your doctor has confirmed that your baby is head-down, don't stop the exercises. Keep going! Babies that have been breech for a while will want to flip back around, so they need constant encouragement to stay head-down.
Good luck!
