Your Baby 6 Ways to Turn a Breech Baby By Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH twitter linkedin Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH is a professor, author, childbirth and postpartum educator, certified doula, and lactation counselor. Learn about our editorial process Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Brian Levine, MD, MS, FACOG on April 22, 2020 Brian Levine, MD, MS, is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Learn about our Review Board Brian Levine, MD, MS, FACOG on April 22, 2020 Print John Fedele / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Overview The Breech Tilt Exercise Using Cold Music and Light Traditional Chinese Therapy The Webster Technique Turning the Baby Manually A Word From Verywell A breech position means that your baby's head is positioned up away from your pelvis rather than toward it; a frank breech position is when the derriere presents nearest the pelvis. It can happen in around 3 to 4 percent of pregnancies and, while concerning, shouldn't cause undue alarm. Overview There are a number of techniques a mother can use to turn a breech baby prior to delivery. Some gently "compel" the baby into the correct position during the latter part of the pregnancy (from week 30 forward) while others are performed by the doctor or midwife at the time of delivery. Techniques range from time-honored midwifery remedies to more contemporary medical interventions. Six of the more popular breech-turning techniques include: The Breech Tilt Exercise The breech tilt exercise is simply the routine lifting of your hips above your heart, using gravity to turn the baby. Some women do this by stacking pillows under their hips as they lie flat on their backs on the floor. Others find it easier to prop one end of an ironing board on the couch in a 30- to 40-degree angle. They can then lie on the ironing board with their heads pointed in the direction of the floor. You can do this exercise three times a day for 10 to 15 minutes each. Yoga practitioners may also be able to explore the supported bridge pose, which has a similar effect to the breech tilt exercise, in a third-trimester prenatal yoga class. Prenatal Exercise Information, Benefits, Concerns, and Tips Using Cold Placing something cold on your belly near the fundus is a technique that encourages a baby into the correct position. Even in the womb, babies want to keep warm and snuggled, so any cold placed near them will cause them to react and move away. A bag of frozen peas works well for this technique. Do this as often as you feel comfortable, changing the placement as the baby starts to shift. Many Couples Get Excited When They First Feel Their Baby Move Music and Light There are certain stimuli that babies will react to even within the womb; one is music and the other is light. By playing music or shining a flashlight near the pubic bone, the baby may gravitate toward the stimuli and right itself. Some mothers will perform this technique gradually, starting at the side of the abdomen and moving toward the pelvis as the baby starts to shift. How to Tell When It's Time to Go to the Hospital for Labor Traditional Chinese Therapy Moxibustion is a form of traditional Chinese medicine which involves burning a dried plant bundle called the "moxa stick" to warm and invigorate the flow of Qi. This is not a home remedy but one that is performed by a trained practitioner. There are many Western midwives who believe in the practice, particularly since it does not cause pain or have any adverse side effects. Although not empirical, some small studies have suggested that it may be as effective as physically turning the baby. The Webster Technique The Webster Technique is a chiropractic technique in which the body is adjusted to relax any tension that may be holding the pelvis in a rigid, unaccommodating position. By releasing the tension, the baby may be more able to maneuver itself around without resistance. The Webster technique should only be performed by a qualified chiropractor who has been trained in this specific technique. Turning the Baby Manually External cephalic version (ECV) is a procedure performed by a doctor or midwife at a hospital during labor. Medication is generally prescribed to help relax the uterus, while an ultrasound helps guide the practitioner physically turn the baby from the outside. The force it takes to do so can sometimes be uncomfortable or even painful. An epidural may be prescribed if the pain is especially unbearable. A Word From Verywell The choice of turning technique is a highly individual one but one that should be made with the complete input of your doctor. It is important you understand the risks and benefits of whatever technique you choose and have a fall-back plan selected and ready to implement should a certain technique fail. If a breech baby is unable to be turned, it may still be possible to deliver vaginally. More often than not, however, the doctor will recommend a cesarean, which generally offers a lower risk of complications and infant mortality. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Information for You. Breech baby at the end of pregnancy (.pdf). England: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists July 2017 httpfs://www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/patients/patient-information-leaflets/pregnancy/breech-baby-patient-information-leaflet.pdf Schminkey DL, Keeling AW. Frontier nurse-midwives and antepartum emergencies, 1925 to 1939. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2015;60(1):48-55. doi:10.1111/jmwh.12212 Chee A. Gentle methods to prevent and turn breech babies: Using traditional Chinese medicine. Midwifery Today Int Midwife. 2013 Summer;(106):56-57. Miranda-Garcia M, Domingo Gómez C, Molinet-Coll C et al. Effectiveness and Safety of Acupuncture and Moxibustion in Pregnant Women with Noncephalic Presentation: An Overview of Systematic Reviews. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019;2019:7036914. doi:10.1155/2019/7036914 Roecker CB. Breech repositioning unresponsive to Webster technique: coexistence of oligohydramnios. J Chiropr Med. 2013;12(2):74–78. doi:10.1016/j.jcm.2013.06.003 Watts NP, Petrovska K, Bisits A, Catling C, Homer CS. This baby is not for turning: Women's experiences of attempted external cephalic version. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2016;16(1):248. doi:10.1186/s12884-016-1038-1 Petrovska K, Sheehan A, Homer CSE. The fact and the fiction: A prospective study of internet forum discussions on vaginal breech birth. Women Birth. 2017;30(2):e96-e102. doi:10.1016/j.wombi.2016.09.012 Additional Reading Catling C, Petrovska K, Watts N et al. Care during the decision-making phase for women who want a vaginal breech birth: Experiences from the field. Midwifery. 2016;34:111-116. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2015.12.008 Cluver C, Hofmeyr GJ, Gyte GM, Sinclair M. Interventions for helping to turn term breech babies to head first presentation when using external cephalic version. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;1:CD000184. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD000184.pub3 Coyle ME, Smith CA, Peat B. Cephalic version by moxibustion for breech presentation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;(5):CD003928. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003928.pub3