Baby Flipping
I am sure that some of you saw the video of that Russian woman flipping and twirling her baby around in the air like a circus performer. It caused quite a stir on the internet with people on both sides of the argument getting quite heated. The video definitely provokes emotion, whether you think it is crazy or you are, yourself, a twirler.
This is probably the image that comes to mind when most people think of baby flipping. Some of you, though, might think of a breech baby turning in utero. Finding out that your baby is breech can be pretty stressful on mom and dad, especially when the knowledge comes late in the pregnancy. Thoughts of a C-section or fear of a medical attempt to flip the baby from the outside (external version), can flood the mind. If you look at this link for the external version they make it look so easy. Maybe that is why it is a cartoon. Forcing a baby to change position does not sound like the most comfortable process. Many mothers have spoken of much soreness after a failed attempt…but sometimes it works…and it is better than a C-section.
What if there was another option? Instead of forcing the baby into a new position why don’t we figure out why he/she is in that position to begin with?
Many times fetal positioning is due to intrauterine constraint. There might be something out of position that is putting undo stress on the uterus. This could be a spinal issue, a muscular issue, a neurological issue, a ligamentous issue, or an issue with all of the above.
A Chiropractor named Larry Webster developed a technique, The Webster Technique, that looks at the relationship between the spine, the uterus, the round ligament, and the nervous system, and how improper function of these structures might set the stage for a breech presentation. This is not a baby turning technique by any means. Rather, it is a way to relieve intrauterine constraint that might be preventing the baby from assuming a normal presentation. Relieving this stress allows the baby to turn from a breech position naturally, on its own terms, without the application of external forces.
Checking out a chiropractor in your area who as been trained in the Webster Technique might be worthwhile for any mom carrying a breech baby. It is safe and effective…unlike what is going on in the video above.
