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Tina Otte (midwife) answers:
Many babies are in breech position at your stage of pregnancy and I don’t think you should be concerned at this time. There is still plenty of time for your baby to turn. If your baby has not turned by 35 to 36 weeks, there are a few non-invasive things you could try to encourage your baby to turn. Try the following:
- Breech tilt – begin at 32-35 weeks gestation. Do three times daily for 10-15 minutes each time, when you have an empty stomach, and the baby is active. Prop one end of an ironing board securely on a sofa (or you may use a slant board). Lie down, bend knees but keep feet at on the board. Relax, breathe deeply, and avoid tensing. You may also use pillows on a flat surface to raise hips 6cm above shoulders. Gravity pushes the baby’s head into the fundus, tucks it, and baby can then hopefully do a somersault to a vertex position.
- Massage – start with your left hand at the bottom of the abdomen and your right hand just above it. Move your hands clockwise around the right side of your tummy. As your right hand reaches the top of your abdomen, slide the left one over your right and move it down the left side of your tummy. Your left hand leads as you come full circle, continuing clockwise. Massage gently as you would to apply lotion. Massage for ten minutes or more up to several times each day. Please make sure that you attend all your antenatal check-ups to make sure that your baby is growing as it should.
