Even if you're told you're breech, often resolves as the weeks of pregnancy progress

When the baby is in the belly of the mother, it is free to move around in the uterus, but after the 30th week of pregnancy, the baby's head begins to settle in position. Normally, the baby's head is positioned on the side of the mother's feet, but there are cases where the baby's head is positioned on the side of the mother's head, which is generally referred to as breech birth and medically known as "pelvic position.
Breech babies often heal as the pregnancy progresses, so do not worry if you have a breech baby in the early weeks of pregnancy. In the second trimester, as in the first trimester, the baby changes position in the uterus in various ways. Even if you are told that your baby is breech at the time of checkup, it often returns to the normal position afterwards.
The probability of a breech baby by mid-term pregnancy is 30-50%, so being breech is not very uncommon. Since the baby is still growing and there is plenty of room in the abdomen, the baby will often be in a cephalic position by the time of delivery. The term “cephalic position” refers to the head-down position.
Around mid-pregnancy is the time when fetal movements are more easily felt, but with a breech baby, the fetal movements are more easily felt in the lower part of the abdomen because the legs are lower down.
In the last trimester of pregnancy, the baby is getting bigger and the head is heavier, so it is common for the head to face downwards.
If the breech position remains the same until after the 30th week of pregnancy, a diagnosis of breech presentation will be made, but in some cases, the position of the fetus may change just before delivery and the breech position may heal.
The probability of being breech before delivery is said to be 3~6%, decreasing gradually to 15% at 30 weeks gestation, 10% at 34 weeks gestation, and about 7% at 36 weeks gestation. It is not unusual for a baby to be breech before delivery, but to be in the head position when checked just before delivery.

Breech babyCan I have a normal delivery (vaginal delivery)?

The largest part of the baby's body is the head. Therefore, if a vaginal delivery is performed with a breech baby, the largest head will come out last, which increases various risks.
Although there are cases where the baby may come out through the buttocks, if the feet come out first or the umbilical cord comes out first before the cervix is fully opened, the baby may be at risk, so a cesarean section is recommended if the baby is diagnosed as breech.

《 What causes breech presentation? 》
It is not known exactly what causes breech births, but the following are some possible reasons.

• ● Pelvic width
  If the mother's pelvis is narrow, the baby will have difficulty moving and will likely be breech.
• ● Morphological abnormalities of the uterus
  When fibroids form in the uterus, it is thought that the baby's movement is restricted, making it more likely to be breech.
  Also, uterine malformations, in which the uterus is born with an unusual shape, can affect the baby's position if the uterus is narrow or if there is a wall-like partition inside.
• ● Placental abruption
  The placenta is usually located above the uterus, but it is said to be more likely to be breech in cases of low placenta previa, in which the placenta is attached to the lower part of the uterus, or in cases of placenta previa, in which the placenta covers the mouth of the uterus.
• ● Multiple pregnancy
  Twins and triplets, for example, are more likely to be breech because there is less space for the baby to move.
• ● Excessive amniotic fluid
  When the amount of amniotic fluid is high, it is called excess amniotic fluid. When the amount of amniotic fluid is high, the baby can move around freely in the abdomen, making it easier to become breech.

《 What are the risks to mother and child due to breech presentation? 》
Being breech in itself has no effect on the baby's growth during pregnancy or on the mother.
However, most facilities now perform cesarean sections for breech babies, since vaginal delivery is often difficult. Although it depends on the facility, an increasing number of facilities are performing cesarean sections in all cases of breech delivery.

《 Is vaginal delivery possible? 》
If you have a breech baby but really want to have a vaginal delivery, there are conditions.

• ● There are physicians who are skilled in breech vaginal delivery and can quickly switch to emergency cesarean section.
• ● If the umbilical cord is not “umbilical cord drop” below the baby
• ● In conditions where the placenta is in an unproblematic position (e.g., low placenta previa, placenta previa)
• ● Estimated weight of the baby is 2000g~3500g after 36 weeks of pregnancy

Under these conditions, vaginal delivery of a breech baby is considered possible.
In the past, there were doctors who had mastered the art of vaginal delivery of breech babies and delivered them without problems, but now they opt for C-sections and prioritize safety.

If you are unsure, consult your doctor,to cure breech!！

Basically, we wait and hope that the baby will turn as it often heals spontaneously, but if the baby is still breech after 30 weeks of pregnancy, you may be instructed to do breech exercises, which we will introduce here.
This exercise has not been medically proven to be effective and may not be supervised.
If you experience abdominal tightness after doing breech exercises, stop immediately and rest.

《 sitting with one's knees bent back on one's knees 》
Lie on your stomach and place a cushion under your face. Keep the buttocks elevated with the head and chest on the floor and keep them there. 10 to 20 minutes, then go to sleep in the next side lying position.

《 lying down on one's side 》
This is a method of sleeping with the body on its side. You can sleep facing right or left, with the baby's back facing up. If the baby's back is on the mother's left side, the right side of the body is down; conversely, if the baby's back is on the mother's right side, the left side of the body is down.

《 bridge method 》
Lie on your back with your feet shoulder-width apart and both knees up. Then, place a cushion or other object under your lower back and keep your hips elevated for 10 to 15 minutes. You can also roll up a bath towel and apply it to your back.

As I mentioned above, even if you are told you have a breech baby, it may heal until just before delivery, so you may be worried, but if this happens, consult your doctor.

We want to give birth in a way that is safe for both mother and child, no matter what, so for that reason, we hope that you will spend your days calmly and without excessive worry, and that you will be able to give birth.