How chiropractic care can help with a breech baby
"Can a chiropractor turn a breech baby around?" This is a question we are asked more often. The short answer is simple: no, we don't. Manually trying to turn a baby by applying pressure and force to the abdomen (aka a version we leave to gynaecologists. What we do do as chiropractors is optimise the conditions for the baby to make the turn itself.
Babies will want to head down on their own when they are in the ideal environment. Therefore, if we enable the baby to make the turn, they will do it on their own. In this blog, we will take a closer look at breech presentation in babies, how chiropractic can help and what the Webster technique involves.
Breech baby
In the last months of pregnancy, in the most ideal scenario, the baby lies head-down in the womb (known as the 'head position'). However, some babies lie in the breech position, meaning their buttocks or feet point down instead of the head. Although some babies turn naturally to the correct position, others remain in the breech position until birth. There are several variations of breech presentation in babies. Some common variations are:
Complete breech presentation: This involves the baby lying with its buttocks down and its legs stretched along its body.
Incomplete breech presentation: In this case, the baby's legs are bent, with one or both knees bent in front of the body.
Footfall: In this variant, the baby's feet face downwards
Knee ligation: This is a rare variant where the baby lies with one or both knees facing down, while the buttocks point up.
A breech presentation can affect labour and therefore sometimes requires special attention and care to avoid complications
Breech delivery
What is the Webster Technique, and how can it help your breech baby?
The Webster Technique is one of the many chiropractic techniques we can apply during a chiropractic treatment during pregnancy. The Webster technique is a specific chiropractic method developed to improve the balance and functioning of the pelvis in pregnant women. By doing this, you create an environment where the baby has more room to move, and where the baby can therefore turn on its own to get into the optimal birth position.
Through gentle, specific adjustments to the pelvis and spine, any restrictions or imbalances can be corrected. By restoring balance and reducing tension in the pelvic area, this technique can make it easier for the baby to turn to the head position. Babies will want to head down on their own when they are in the ideal position. That is where they want to be, so if the space they are in allows them to move with their head down, they will do so (of their own accord).
In addition, chiropractic can also help reduce tension and stress in the mother's body, giving the baby more space and increasing the chances of a natural breech birth. It is important to note that chiropractic is not merely meant to be a method of 'changing' a breech birth. In fact, chiropractic care is much more than that:
Chiropractic care is a way of bringing the mother's body into an optimal state for a smooth pregnancy, natural childbirth and postpartum recovery.
Book your appointment with chiropractor Cherie now
At The Family Chiropractor in Den Bosch, we are passionate about providing chiropractic care to pregnant women, babies and women in the postpartum period. You can visit our chiropractor Cherie Rightly so if you want to see a chiropractor because your baby is breech.
Cherie is certified in the Webster Technique (a specific specialisation few chiropractors have) and has over 10 years of practical experience providing chiropractic care to pregnant women. As we are affiliated as a practice with the DCF and the SNRC, you are also eligible for reimbursement by health insurance.
