Chin Up

The baby is breech. From what I understand, this news and the possibility of a c-section can send pregnant women – especially those who have planned to birth their babies naturally – into a tailspin of distress. So am I upset? Not really. Admittedly, the news did throw us for a loop and gave us a lot to think about at a time when more thinking is just plain overwhelming.

We've managed to reframe the whole process pretty easily though. Despite the fact Andy and I have spent a bunch of time and energy preparing for a natural birth, we're in agreement that it doesn't really matter how she gets here, as long as she gets here healthily. With all due respect, I'm not one of those women who needs to go through labor; and gosh darn it, if I don't have to pass something the size of a watermelon through an opening the size of my nostril....well, as far as I'm concerned, that's a relief.

It's funny, you'd think my kid would be just fine hanging out upside down – perhaps she did one too many somersaults and got stuck there. Speaking of somersaults, she is in the pike position (or a frank breech position, in technical terms), and every gymnast knows the pike position is more difficult to execute than the tuck position (which looks pretty similar to the fetal position). Attagirl! The fetal position is for babies!

So why are babies breech? (Fetal development and anatomy continues to fascinate me.)

1. The umbilical cord could be too short
2. The umbilical cord could be wrapped around her body preventing her from rotating (with all of the flips she had been doing, when there was more space to do them, I see this as a viable option)
3. My uterus may be a weird shape and not accommodating to a large body part, like her head
4. She's confused or stubborn or it's just a fluke and all she needs is a little coaxing

What do we do to help spin her around?

1. Acupuncture - This has proven to be very effective. FYI: the baby spinning button is located in the pinky toe, that's where the needle goes.
2. Yoga positions
3. Music or conversation directed at the "exit"
4. Ice at the top of my belly - she'll move her head away from the cold.
   I'm not so sure about this one, fetal ice cream headaches just seem abusive.
5. Version - a medical procedure where the doctor manually, and externally, turns the baby.

If none of these options work, we will have a scheduled c-section.

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One more thing, Pink's baby was frank breech too. So the next time I run into her at The Hitching Post, we'll have something to talk about.