What if your baby is breech? Part ONE.

(image from: http://birthwithoutfearblog.com/2010/10/29/breech-babies-is-another-variation-of-normal/)

I recently had the opportunity to attend a seminar about breech birth entitled, "A Hands Off Approach to Breech Birth." For those of us who have understood breech babies to automatically equate to cesarean birth, I have wonderful and exciting news-- it may be possibly to still achieve a natural, vaginal birth. As time has progressed, most obstetricians are no longer taught how to deliver breech babies, and therefore, if you are seeing a doctor who does not know how to deliver a breech baby, you will almost definitely will have a cesarean if your baby has not turned by the time you are "due".  In the metro area, we are very fortunate to have Dr. Dennis Hartung, who is a very unique Ob-Gyn who offers wonderful care for his patients (you can find more information about him here http://www.hudsonphysicians.com/MedicalStaff.cfm/view:112/pid:839/Dennis_R_Hartung_MD_OB-GYN/). Dr. Hartung shared all of this wonderful information (and much more) that I would like to pass along to you, so that you can make informed choices about your care. He is also the only physician I know of in the metro area who is currently overseeing the care of women who are birthing breech babies vaginally.

Here are some of the wonderful tidbits I learned:
-50% of babies who are breech, turn in labor.
-Only 3-4% of babies are breech during labor.
-A fair amount of evidence suggests that a trial of labor is safe for breech babies.
-Induction is not recommended for breech.
-Typically, breech births are rapid.
-A mobile mother during the first and second stage of labor is key during breech birth.
-Once there is a bulging perineum, Dr. Hartung has the mother assume a knees and elbows position on the bed.
-He specifically uses the technique of no touching of the baby until the very end.

Dr. Hartung uses as special technique developed by Dr. Frank Louwen, which uses a knees and elbows position for the mother to birth in, and involves a "hands off technique" which allows the mother and baby to do the work, and the doctor to guide only when necessary. Interestingly, Dr. Hartung shared that he really does not need to intervene, even in the unique setting of breech birth, that the babys  STILL know how to be born. He does avoid having mothers with complicated situations (such as gestational diabetes, or high blood pressure) give birth vaginally to breech babies.

In my next blog, I will talk about some ideas for helping your baby to turn before birth, so that you can have your baby in an optimal position.

For more information about vaginal breech birth, you can read this article: http://spinningbabies.com/baby-positions/breech-bottoms-up/339-vaginal-breech-birth?showall=1