Walk, swim, or engage in another low-impact exercise.Keeping your hands and knees in place, gently rock your body back and forth.Place your hands and knees on the floor.Switch directions, rotating your hips counterclockwise for 10 rotations.Once you are in position, gently rotate your hips clockwise in a circular movement.Stand or sit on an exercise or birthing ball.It’s best to do this when your baby is active. Hold this position for 10 to 15 minutes, three times a day.Your hips should be elevated about 1.5 feet above your head, and your body should be at a 45-degree angle. Place cushions under your hips to offer additional support. Lie on the floor in front of a sofa or chair, with your feet on the sofa or chair.Always talk to your healthcare provider before trying these exercises to make sure that they are safe for your pregnancy. There are a number of different exercises you can try to attempt to turn your baby from the breech position, though these haven’t been proven in studies to be effective in spontaneously turning the breech baby. Evidence does show an increased risk of perinatal mortality in planned vaginal breech birth as opposed to a C-section with breech presentation. That increases the risk of the cord becoming compressed during delivery, which cuts off the baby’s supply of oxygen and nutrients.īoth of these complications are a medical emergency. With umbilical cord prolapse, the umbilical cord leaves your body before your baby. The other serious concern is umbilical cord prolapse. One of the main risks involved with a vaginal breech delivery is that your baby’s head could become trapped in the birth canal. If the procedure is unsuccessful and your baby remains in the breech position, you could opt for a C-section or choose to attempt a vaginal breech delivery. This can mean that you will begin labor earlier than you might otherwise have done, and your contractions may be more intense from the beginning of labor instead of building in intensity as the labor progresses.

There is a small risk that the procedure will rupture membranes e. The procedure doesn’t generally affect the length of your labor. If an external cephalic version is successful, then most of the time labor progresses in a regular way following the procedure. Serious complications are extremely rare but can include the need for emergency C-section, vaginal bleeding, loss of amniotic fluid, and umbilical cord prolapse. The most common risk with an external cephalic version is a temporary change in your baby’s heart rate, which occurs in about 5 percent of cases. You can also talk with your doctor about waiting past 37 weeks, as the baby may spontaneously turn to a head-down position. That reduces risk for complications in your baby if you do need to deliver shortly following the procedure. For that reason, most healthcare providers recommend waiting until you’re at term, or 37 weeks pregnant, to attempt this procedure. The procedure does increase your risk for premature labor and fetal distress. Babies often turn on their own before 34 weeks, so there is no need to attempt the procedure earlier in the pregnancy. You discuss external cephalic version between 34 and 37 weeks of pregnancy with your doctor if your baby is noted to be breech. These risk factors are based upon clinical opinion, so you should talk with your healthcare provider to see what they recommend based on your individual pregnancy. Your healthcare provider may also advise against the procedure if you’ve had a previous C-section, your baby is suspected to be larger than average, or you have low or high levels of amniotic fluid. you have any structural abnormalities in your uterus, like large fibroids.you are pregnant with more than one baby, such as twins or triplets.there are signs of or concerns for fetal distress.you’ve had any issues with your placenta during the pregnancy.

you’re already in labor or experiencing any vaginal bleeding.This procedure may not be right for you if:

There are some situations in which your healthcare providers may suggest an external cephalic version isn’t right for you. Since breech babies often result in C-sections, a successful external cephalic version may reduce your need for this type of delivery, which is considered an abdominal surgery. The procedure has been found to be successful in turning these babies into a head-down position in around 50 percent of cases. Most women who are 37 weeks pregnant with a baby in the breech position are candidates for an external cephalic version.

Breach meaning baby