At my 33 week appointment on Thursday, Hazel was in the breech position. Only 15% of babies by the 33rd week are breeched. She still has until approximately the 37th week to turn head down and then after that the chances goes down drastically as the baby is usually too big to make such a big transition. In the US, at this point, they will manually turn the baby from the outside, it looks extremely painful for the mother but works about 50% of the time. This procedure can also lead to an emergency c-section. They do not preform it in Switzerland. I don’t know whether to be happy or sad about that because the procedure looks so awful for the mother and the baby.
It is possible for babies to flip right before labor. I asked my mom if she had any experience with a breeched baby and apparently one of her kids flipped the night before she went into labor. If Hazel does not flip, I will have to have c-section. Which I do not want. I am so excited to go into labor and would be disappointed to miss out on that experience.
After reading much information, the most common reasons a baby is breeched is due to a ligament in the mother’s stomach being too tight, a sacrum that is not in its correct position, stomach muscles that are too strong, if the mother’s thyroid is low-functioning or a heart shaped uterus. A chiropractor is very helpful in fixing the first two problems with something called the Webster Technique, which then creates more room in the uterus allowing the baby to turn head down. But of course the chiropractors here do not do preform that technique. I will seek out a acupuncturist Today which also may help. As well, as someone to preform moxibustion (burning incense by my little toes. It should help the baby flip?) I’ll try anything!
In the meantime there are many things I can ‘try’ which some ladies have sworn work. These include:
-Holding a frozen bag of peas at the top of the stomach so the baby will go away from the cold
-Playing soothing music at the bottom of the stomach to attract baby
-Shining a bright light at the bottom of the stomach
-The pelvic tilt: I lay on the floor, put my hips on the couch, support my back with pillows 3x a day for 5-20 minutes
– Chest to knees: Also 3x a day 5-20 minutes
-Inversion: done for 30 seconds at at time, many times a day. This helps stretch the ligaments.
Techniques are encouraged to be combined and best done when the baby is active.
I still have a few weeks left, and am hopeful she will flip. Only 3% of babies do not flip by labor. But if the umbilical cord is wrapped around their neck, there is nothing that will get them to flip. Hopefully, we are just dealing with a stubborn baby who will eventually flip 🙂
American + Dane 
I was the flipper! 🙂 Oy! Sounds like you are going to try everything. But if you do have to have a c-section- it’s not so bad. I’d say the recovery for both was just about the same (minus the scar :)). Flip, Hazel! Flip!!
I will be thinking flip little Hazel, but when you see her beautiful eyes, and hold her, you won’t even care how she got here.
Your mobile turned out so cute, and the blanket you are making is just gorgeous!! I’m very impressed Jilly. Love ya