Heads Up Everyone!

As of tomorrow, I will be 35 weeks pregnant! Yippie!!! I can't believe how fast this last trimester is flying by! Shew! I better buckle up and get ready for this last month, which I hear is a doo-zy.

At my 34 week appointment, I found out that Baby Carson is laying "frank breech" position. For those of you who don't know what they means, let me allow my personal assistant "google.com" to help you:

Frank breech: The fetus's buttocks are aimed toward the birth canal and the legs stick straight up in front of the body. The feet are near the head. She's sitting in "V" formation.

Needless to say, I was very disappointed when the doctor told me that she was breech. I did get to see my sweet, little one on ultrasound again, which was a surprise to me, but I was not ready to hear those dreaded words, "She's breech." For a woman who finally accepted the fact that I had to deliver this baby naturally and discovering all of the wonderful aspects of having a natural labor, I was very excited!! I liked the challenge, as crazy as that sounds. There are so many positives to having a natural childbirth...I could go on and on!!! (Call me if you want specs) Then finding out that there's a great chance that I'll have a c-section was very depressing. I know that this situation could be much worse, and I am struggling to keep my most important things in perspective, and that's the fact that she's healthy and I'm healthy. But having a c-section is surgery, makes recovery much more difficult and longer, she will be medicated with adult-sized medicine portions, I have to be cautious of staff infections, and the worst part of it all is that since my platelets are low, I will have to be completely knocked out with no memory of her birth. I am unable to have an epidural c-section where I could witness everything. This breaks my heart the most. So, we're praying like never before that she will turn, and we're asking you to join us in asking the Lord to turn her. We all know that God will be the one who allows her to turn.

We are also trying other methods to get her to turn. Hugh and I will be going to my OB tomorrow to have an ultrasound to see if she's turned yet and to talk with Dr. Zimmerman about having an External Cephalic Version to force her into a vertex position.

External cephalic version is a way to try to turn a baby from breech position to vertex (head-down) position while it's still in the mother's uterus. In other words, external cephalic version means turning the baby from outside of the abdomen so that it's in the head-down position. Your doctor will use his or her hands on the outside of your abdomen (tummy) to try to turn the baby (see the pictures below).















Click this link to see a real-life clip of this(2 minutes). It's pretty interesting. There's a 10 second baby commercial prior to the video.
http://www.babycenter.com/videos/?vid=1320895

Needless to say, I'm NOT EXCITED about this option and have not decided as to if I will go through with this or not. My gut tells me that I won't do it. I've had a few women who have had this done strongly urge me NOT to go through with this procedure, because it is very painful. One has to worry about the placenta and it being torn from the uterine lining, the stress on the baby, and of course the pain that it causes. One lady has bruises all over her belly, and she wished she had not had the procedure done b/c it didn't work. It works 50% of the time. It could also make me go into labor, so I'd have to have my bags packed and everything.

The only other medical approach to turning her is called the Webster's Breech Technique:
A chiropractic technique that is widely used and very effective. The Webster Technique or Webster In-Utero Constraint Turning Technique involves assessing and correcting any misalignments (subluxations) in the pelvic and low back area. This helps to keep the ligaments and muscles, which support the uterus, relaxed. Since these ligaments and muscles attach to the bones of the pelvis, any shift in the alignment of the bones causes tightening of the ligaments and muscles. This can cause twisting and tension on the uterus, making it difficult for the baby to get into proper position. Correcting the misalignments allows for optimal uterine positioning and ultimately, a more favorable fetal position. The Webster Technique does not involve any type of moving of the baby itself, as with the external version procedure, and is absolutely safe. Although the Webster Technique has a very high success rate- 75 - 95%, there are many other reasons, besides pelvic misalignments and tension on the uterus, which cause breech presentations--some of which cannot be reversed.

Now, this sounds like a great option to try. Sometimes it works right on the spot, some babies need a few adjustments of the sacrum and some mothers are asked to come every other day for up to 2 weeks for a turning. I'll do whatever it takes. Our OB ultrasound appointment is tomorrow, but we will be going to the chiropractor to have this procedure done prior to see if we can get her to turn. My prayer is that when we have the ultrasound, she'll be head-down. :)

I am also trying other natural techniques at home, some of which are quite interesting:

• Breech Tilt - Slantboard Exercise: laying on slanted ironing board with hips above shoulders several times a day for 20 minutes. I have yet to try this. Talk about a swollen face! If I suddenly get a super swollen face, you will know why.
• Turning a Breech with Yoga Exercises: Hip Flexes and other stretches
  
• Obstetricians Discover Knee-Chest Exercises: hands/elbows position with head below hips for up to 20 minutes several times a day.
  
• Emotional Approach to Turning Baby: visualization and of course PRAYER!
  
• Turning a Breech with Light: Holding a light at the pubic bone
  
• Turning a Breech with Cold Things: Holding a cold pack of frozen veggies at the top of my belly to make her turn. Some get in the bath-tub and do this. Babies will move to where it's warm.
  
• Turning a Breech with Music/Audio: Put headphones of soft music or whale noises at the public bone. Some have said to put hardrock music up top and the baby will move away from it. I have yet to try it, but I will!
  
• Turning a Breech with Acupressure: Haven't tried, but willing...I'm willing to try everything that's safe.
  

So, that's all of it. We will update the blog as soon as we hear something tomorrow. Please join us in praying that she will turn. Most babies won't turn after 34 weeks..but some do. We're praying for the Lord to turn her. If she never turns, I will know that the Lord needed her to be born via c-section, possibly to save her life. You never know.

p.s. Have any of you learned anything after reading this post? I hope you are able to help someone now that you are more informed. :)