Come on, vertex!
Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Crud. Guess whose baby turned breech?

I was a little stressed and emotional yesterday after my midwife confirmed what I had already suspected. Since last Tuesday, the booger flipped. I am trying to keep a positive attitude and visuallize this little one with its head down and tucked under nicely, its back against my belly, and one of his/her heels jammed up in the left side of my ribs, like it used to be. My midwife and her assistant (as of yesterday) believe that not only is the baby breech, but it's back is to my back.

I have been talking to him/her and telling it nicely to get in head-down position. I even give it little pep-talks. "I know you can do it! Yay! Go baby!"

After the appointment w/ the midwife, I went to a chiropractor for my first Webster adjustment. Let me tell ya, I'm a little torn about what to do. On one hand, I'd like to try everything I possibly can to get my baby in the vertex position....including horribly expensive visits to the chiropractor. On the other hand, I don't know much about chiropractors and frankly, I'm a little skeptical. I'm afraid that it may not work and all we'll end up with is an empty bank account. I am trying hard to keep an open mind because I know that if I think it's not going to work, then it won't. If we decide not to go ahead with the chiropractic adjustments because of the money, and the baby doesn't turn on its own, I will be left wondering if the Webster adjustments would've worked and I'll be angry at myself for not giving it a try. I expressed my concerns w/ the chiropractor (I didn't go as far as saying that I'm skeptical, but I'm sure I was throwing out that vibe) and she said that she doesn't want me to miss out on the benefits because of money and that she'd "work with us". I have another appointment tomorrow and DH is going with me so we can discuss payment with her.

In addition to the chiropractic adjustments, I am also doing lots of exercises that are suggested at SpinningBabies.com. I walked for almost an hour today, I've been rocking my pelvis on an exercise ball, and whenever I feel that the baby is being active, I lay down with my whole lower body elevated (on an ironing board propped on a couch) for about 30 minutes. The chiropractor would also like me to try moxibustion....which I'm not very familiar with, but I know it is a Traditional Chinese Medicine practice. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I don't want to get into anything all mystic and New Age-y.

No matter what we decide to do, I know that God has his hand on this baby and I know that it is not His will for me to fret and worry. The most powerful and effective thing I can do to help this baby turn is to trust in the Lord.

Okay, I just needed to vent. Please, no stories of people who tried to turn babies and did not succeed. Please, no horror stories. And please, no comments that are along the lines of "Whatever happens, happens and it must be God's will". I don't really want to get into why, but I do not subscribe to that way of thinking. I just wanted to write what was going on in my head so that WHEN our baby turns over in a perfect little vertex position, I can share it and you can be excited for me.

Turn head down, baby! You can do it!

Labels: labor/birth, pregnancy whining, prenatal appointment

posted by Unkempt Mommy @ 1:25 PM,

6 Comments:

At Wed Mar 28, 02:46:00 PM CDT, Annika said...: I have had overwhelmingly positive experiences with chiropractors. I have not had a breech baby, so of course I don't know about that, but my unsolicited opinion is that the adjustments can't hurt and very well might do some good.

Now turn, baby, turn!
At Wed Mar 28, 04:17:00 PM CDT, Lee said...: Can't wait to hear that the little rascal was just messing with you and is back head down and ready for action!

I know you have midwives - do they do breech birth? Mine don't but I think breech is a (variation of) normal and I would try a breech birth myself.

Lots of people have great success with chiropractors. I have never gone myself but I would be willing to give it a try if I were in your shoes (and I very well could be - we are just a few days apart - I'm "due" Apr. 20!)

Lee
At Wed Mar 28, 07:11:00 PM CDT, heidi said...: praying that God will fill you with His peace that passes all understanding...and that He'll reach down His great big powerful hand and turn your baby right around!
At Wed Mar 28, 10:08:00 PM CDT, Shawna Lee said...: Hey you! I was under chiropractic care throughout both of my pregnancies (and before and after and now...). Even though we knew I was going to have a repeat c-section with Topher, we still wanted that baby head down to avoid further birth trauma, and my chiro did certain manipulations to get the little critter moving that way. I also tried to shine a flashlight at the bottom of my belly to get him to face that way (as per my chiro and OB). Not sure if that worked or not, but at 34 weeks he was breach, and by 36 weeks he had turned. I don't know if the "Webster" method was used, but whatever he used worked.

You can e-mail me if you want to talk about it. I will pray that your little one will flip-flop back around. I like what Heidi said....the visual of the Lord reaching down and repositioning the little one is an image I really enjoy!
At Thu Mar 29, 04:06:00 PM CDT, Danielle said...: frozen veggie bag where you think the little bugger's head is for 10 minutes at a time. They (whoever "they" are) say that the baby will not like the cold and swim away from it.

Eowyn was sunnyside up, too! not breech though. Will your midwife deliver a breech baby?
At Thu Mar 29, 06:30:00 PM CDT, Wendy @ WMF said...: My first was sunny side up and my last was breech. I delivered 'em both vaginally. You can do it!

Turn, baby, turn!

Will your midwife deliver a breech baby?