Breech Presentation
With breech presentation, your baby is in a buttocks or feet-first position. Babies are usually in a head-first position. A breech presentation can make it hard for the baby's head to fit through the birth canal during delivery. This can cause lack of oxygen or nerve damage in your baby.
Checking for Breech Presentation
Your doctor can tell that your baby is in a breech presentation by gently pressing on your belly. If after about 35 weeks your baby still isn't in a head-first position, you may have a test called ultrasound. This test uses sound waves to form an image of your baby on a screen.
Changing Your Baby's Position
If your baby doesn't move into a head-first position on his or her own, your doctor may do a version. Your doctor will try to rotate the baby by pressing down on your belly. You may be given medicine to relax your uterus. This can make it easier for your doctor to rotate the baby. During a version, ultrasound is used to watch your baby.
Delivering Your Baby
Even if the baby's position can't be changed, a breech baby can sometimes be born vaginally. But more often, a cesarean section (surgical delivery) is done. You will have anesthesia (medicine to block pain). But you may remain awake and alert.
Can You Have a Vaginal Delivery?
Whether your breech baby can be born vaginally depends on the size of your baby and your birth canal. Your doctor will discuss this with you.
Types of Breech Presentations
As you near your due date, your baby may be in 1 of the following 3 breech presentations:
Frank Breech: The baby's buttocks point down toward the birth canal. His or her legs extend up toward the head.
Complete Breech: The baby sits cross-legged. Buttocks point down and knees are bent. The feet are tucked under the legs.
Footling Breech: One or both of the baby's feet or legs are stretched down into the birth canal. The buttocks are also pointing downward.
Once You Deliver
Whether you give birth vaginally or by cesarean section, you and your baby will most likely be fine. Just because your baby is in a breech position doesn't mean that he or she will have health problems.