How to Turn a Breech Baby

My Daughter Hannah Doing the Inversion Pose (Photo by Mary Earhart)

Pregnancy is a miraculous journey, filled with anticipation, challenges, and countless moments that bind mother and child. As the weeks progress, the connection between the two deepens, and the physical and emotional well-being of the mother plays a pivotal role in shaping the experience.

Navigating the final trimester often calls for preparation and adaptability, as circumstances can shift unexpectedly. One such scenario is when the baby does not assume the desired head-first position by late pregnancy, a condition referred to as breech presentation.

It’s your last trimester — you’ve waited almost nine months for the birth of your dreams, but the baby is breech! With a few tools you can still have a normal delivery.

Most unborn babies will turn head down prior to 34 weeks gestation. Only 5% of babies begin labor in a breech, or bottom-first (or more rarely, feet first) position. If the baby is well flexed, or curled up, a vaginal birth is possible in many cases, particularly if the mother has given birth before. When my fifth baby was breech at term, I refused cesarean delivery. I had to sign papers releasing the doctor and the hospital from any responsibility if my baby was injured or didn’t make it. The delivery of my seven pound baby boy went smoothly, however.