Can anyone help me out with a breech question?

Question

my baby is breech....i'm 35 weeks... and i dont want to have the doctor try turning her because i heard its painful and theres risks and i'm already on bedrest because of preterm contractions, but anyway, my question is... can a breech baby still 'drop' and if not...then what is with the menstrual cramping and sore ligaments that evryone says is from the head dropping into position.. i have read a lot of answers and questions about the head dropping into position and thats why your feeling that way. well why am i feeling the same stuff when i'm breech? sorry if it sounds confusing...hopefully someone can help me out.

Answer 1

You get sore ligaments from the hormones that have been released because you are pregnant.  That really has nothing to do with what position the baby is in.  I was sore to the point of being unable to walk in both my pregnancies....

In my last pregnancy, on the day my babies were born (triplets), the lowest one was breach in the AM, but had turned and was dropping headfirst by 9PM.

I would not worry about what position your baby is in.  35 weeks is a bit early yet, and it can change within a few hours.  Just let your body do what comes naturally.

Answer 2

at 35 weeks, there is still time for the baby to turn on it's own. even though your baby is breech, you'll still have the same pains all pregnant women have. just the weight of the baby can cause cramping, it dosen't just come from the baby dropping down.

congrats and good luck!

Answer 3

The cramping and sore ligaments are not caused by the baby dropping into position but by the hormones that soften and prepare the muscles (and other soft tissue) for labour. This softening and toning is also what helps the baby engage.

Breech babies do "drop" but obviously it's not their head that engages but the bottom or feet.

You still have a fair bit of time before you reach full term so a version may not even be necessary. Here are a few things you can try to encourage him/her to turn:

- gentle swimming

- acupuncture/acupressure (very effective!)

- kinesiology

- heat therapy: place a hot water bottle or heat pack on your lower abdomen and a cold pack on your upper abdomen to encourage baby to turn away from the unpleasant cold sensation

- play pleasant music or sounds (like a bell or fathers voice) between your knees. Some babies will turn to hear the interesting sound better.

- lie on your back with your hips raised for a few minutes then slowly get up on all fours and crawl around for a few minutes.

See the sources below for more info.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Hi -

My 3rd child was breech up until a couple days before delivery and I didn't want to do the transverse turning thing....I had previous c-sections so they probably wouldn't have done it for me anyway.  I recall trying out positions to encourage turning.  I think one was being on all fours????  Not sure, it was a long time ago....but she did turn!  I know exactly when she did it  - WOW!  (She was a big 9 lb baby) Anyway, your baby still has time!!  Maybe look on some websites for ways to encourage turning.....nothing dangerous though!!  GOOD LUCK!

Answer 5

I didn't even do the turning thing.  My baby was breech from day one and it was already set that I would have a c section.  I didn't have any cramping or ligament pain, but my water broke when I was 36 weeks.

Some people still have the cramping and sore ligament thing even with a breech baby.

Answer 6

My opinion from watching millions of baby shows...a baby can turn head down at the last minute when they were breech for weeks before. I heard a first time mom's baby usually drops/positions itself head down sooner than in a second pregnancy, but I am 34 weeks pregnant with #2 and she's been head down for weeks (hoping she doesn't play tricks and flip on me lol). I am not sure what the pains could be from, I'm not by any means a doctor so it could be his/her position where her feet are causing the cramping.  There is still hope for him or her to turn. Good luck!  :)