Gentle Methods to PREVENT & TURN a Breech Baby
Interview with Dr.
Daoshing Ni and Dr. Jessica Chen, by Allie Chee
Just the word “breech” can strike fear in pregnant women—and rightfully so.
In the U.S. hospital environment, a breech
presentation would “almost certainly mean a cesarean section, considered
major abdominal surgery that generally leads to longer hospital stays, longer
recovery and, like all surgery, the risk of complications[1]”—and loss of any hope of a natural childbirth
experience.
In the case of home birth with a midwife,
some midwives will deliver breech babies and some won’t. World-acclaimed
midwife, birth educator and activist Ina May Gaskin said in one of her
lectures, “At first, we brought breech pregnancies to the hospital, but
we found after a while that we could deliver them here just fine. Footling
breeches, which are thought to be the most difficult, in our experience, they
often just slid right out.”[2]
However, today more than 90% of breech babies are born by Caesarean [2]. A woman will be hard-pressed
to find a provider who will happily encourage a vaginal birth with a
breech presentation and she will likely find herself in the OR on her big day.
But for any woman wanting to avoid that scenario—great
news!
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers
an extremely gentle, painless procedure with a high success rate for turning
breech babies. Further, TCM offers
suggestions and ideas for how to avoid a
breech presentation in the first place.
To find out more, I interviewed two
doctors considered top in the field:
Dr. Daoshing Ni (known by his patients as
Dr. Dao) and Dr. Jessica Chen of the Tao
of Wellness in Santa Monica, CA.
Can you
explain in TCM terms why a baby fails to turn?
Dr. Dao and Dr.
Chen: From the TCM point of view, the
root cause of why a breech baby fails to turn can be due to various reasons. It
can range from uterine abnormalities to uterine weakness. It occurs also in
women who might have a weak constitution or be anemic.
One of the most common reasons in TCM is due to stagnant energy,
or a lack of smooth flow. This stagnancy prevents the
baby from freely moving in the womb. From the TCM
perspective, stagnant energy can stem from emotional or physical stress.
Emotional stress can be anxiety, depression, overwork and lack of
proper sleep. Physical stress can be chronic constipation and sitting at a desk
working for prolonged periods of time. Each of these can
contribute to a lack of smooth flowing energy in the womb, which is
required for the baby to turn.
How does
TCM address this situation and help the baby turn?
Dr. Dao and Dr.
Chen: TCM
uses moxibustion to help turn a breech baby to its normal position for birth. A
moxa stick made from Mugwort leaves is heated up and placed above an
acupuncture point UB 67, located at the lateral tip of the fifth toe. This acupuncture point is directly connected
to the uterus. When stimulated with the
heat of the mugwort leaves, its warming effect travels up the acupuncture
channel toward the baby, and then relaxes the environment of the womb,
encouraging the baby to move. Once the
baby moves, gravity takes over, so the baby’s head naturally moves down toward
the pelvis. Acupuncture is also provided
to address the individual need of the mother along with Moxibustion.
Are there
any side effects with the treatment?
Dr. Dao and Dr.
Chen: There
are no known side effects. The advantage of this treatment is that it is
completely noninvasive and a natural way to assist the baby in her movement.
A question that will
be on some mothers’ minds is: Does it hurt?
Dr. Dao and Dr.
Chen: It
is not painful. The heat from the moxa
can be very soothing!
How many
treatments are usually required for the baby to turn?
Dr. Dao and Dr.
Chen: The
treatment course consists of 10 consecutive daily moxibustion treatments with
the Mugwort stick and few treatments of acupuncture.
What is the success rate of moxibustion and
acupuncture treatments on breech babies?
Dr. Dao and Dr.
Chen: If
the treatment is performed near 34 weeks, studies have shown the effective rate
to be 70%. The later the treatment starts (38 weeks plus), the more difficult
it is for the baby to turn. The treatment works best when it is within 34-36
weeks.
By what
week in the pregnancy should a mother start treatment if her baby hasn’t
turned?
Dr. Dao and Dr.
Chen: As
soon as possible, ideally around 34 weeks.
Is there
time in the pregnancy before labor that is too late to commence treatment if
the baby is breech?
Dr. Dao and Dr.
Chen: It
is never too late to give it a try.
Aside
from or in addition to treatment with acupuncture and/or moxa, is there
anything TCM suggests the mother can do during her pregnancy to reduce the
chance of a breech situation?
Dr. Dao and Dr.
Chen: To
begin with, a healthy lifestyle with regular non-impact, moderate strength
training and moderately aerobic exercises can help the body stay strong and
toned. This will help prevent breech
presentation in the first place.
Good nutrition and avoidance of excessive
weight gain during pregnancy is also helpful. Remember, TCM views the initial
cause of breech presentation to be stagnant energy. An environment of relaxed flowing energy
during pregnancy will reduce the chances of a breech baby.
It is
suggested that when a baby fails to turn after various, gentle methods have
been attempted, it is for good reason—likely involving the baby’s position in
relation to the placenta or umbilical cord. In the instances when a baby fails
to turn with treatment, are there risks or things to consider with ECV (external
cephalic version –when a doctor tries to move the baby manually by rotating the
baby from the outside) from a TCM perspective?
Dr. Dao and Dr.
Chen: When
a baby fails to turn after various, gentle methods have been attempted it is
most likely for a good reason. Often,
the baby’s position in relation to the umbilical cord or placenta is not
correct. ECV is
performed in the situation where the baby just won’t turn and has an effective
rate of around 60%. It is usually safe
when properly performed. It is usually
performed around the 36th week of gestation.
For many
people it will be a surprise to learn how easily TCM addresses a breech
situation and how high the success rate is. Can you please tell us briefly
about other common issues / problems in pregnancy that can be addressed in
TCM—nausea, pain, postpartum issues, etc.?
Dr. Dao and Dr.
Chen: Besides
helping women with breech presentation during pregnancy, TCM also addresses
many common and some uncommon issues related to pregnancy. Some of these issues
include: nausea and vomiting, heartburn/acid reflux, constipation, varicose
veins, musculoskeletal issues (neck and shoulder pain, low back, hip, and leg pain),
fatigue, dizziness, insomnia, anxiety and depression, sinus issues, water
retention, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampcia, placenta previa, pre-labor
preparation and post labor recovery.
I’m sure
many mothers-to-be will be happy to discover this information. Thank you.
____________________
Anyone
wanting to learn more about breech presentation and delivery could start
with these resources:
- Books written by Ina May Gaskin, and her article: The Undervalued Art of Vaginal Breech Birth: A Skill Every Birth Attendant Should Learn
- Midwifery Today has many excellent resources, two to start with: Normalizing the Breech Delivery (DVD) and Breech Birth, a collection of articles from Midwifery Today, edited by Nancy Halseide.
Daoshing Ni (Dr.
Dao), D.O.M., L.Ac., Ph.D, Dipl.C.H., is a
doctor of Chinese Medicine. He holds two doctorates in Oriental Medicine. Dr.
Dao has co-authored The Tao of Fertility: A Healing Chinese Medicine Program
to Prepare the Body, Mind, and Spirit for New Life (Collins 2008), Sitting
Moon: Guide to Natural Rejuvenation after Pregnancy, Crane Style Chi Gong and
its Therapeutic Effects.
Jessica Chen, D.A.O.M., L.Ac., Dipl. O.M., is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental
Medicine specializing in women’s health and reproductive medicine. She
co-authored Sitting Moon with Dr.
Daoshing Ni; is a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine; and
is certified in Chinese nutrition.
Her articles have appeared in:
• The Well Being Journal
• The Holistic Networker
• The Birthing Site
• Natural Mother Magazine
• MidwiferyToday
Her published titles are: New Mother, Free Love, and Go, Jane!
Website: www.alliechee.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllieChee
NEW MOTHER on Amazon
*When I write about home birth or natural birth, it’s not to
persuade those who feel safer in a hospital to change their minds. It’s
to support the women who, as I did, know they want a natural
experience and are looking for ideas and inspiration.*
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