Of course neither fear nor self-esteem can simply one disappear and the other materialize overnight. It is important to work on both with a professional. Consider going to a hypnotherapist, or a psychotherapist to find out what, if anything, stands in the way of a natural experience. Find out your unborn child’s fears of a vaginal birth and discuss with him your misgivings. Reassure him that you are ready for it, that you trust in your innate ability to give birth, but do so only after you truly believe it yourself. We cannot fool children, especially in the womb. A professional not may help turn a breach, but can also help you embrace and make peace with whatever the outcome.
Of course at times there are physical reasons for the child to be breeched. It could be a short umbilical cord, or perhaps a cord wrapped tightly around the baby’s neck. Yet if you do believe in miracles, and you have heard of all those who have cured themselves from far more disastrous situations, then you know that God’s ways are infinite.
Here are some other suggestions to turn your baby around:
- Laying on your back on a board or using pillows so that your head is about 40 degrees lower than her feet. Try putting an ironing board on the couch and lie on it backward (head down). Be careful not to hurt yourself, make sure there are plenty of pillows around you, and someone to help you too!
- Play music, preferably with headphones, placing them low down on your uterus.
- Shine a very bright light low down on your uterus, or even between your legs.
- Have someone (preferably the father) talk loudly but soothingly to the baby, low on the belly, close to the skin, telling the baby to turn around, to come towards the voice.
- If all else fails, how about external version? This is where the mother is given drugs to relax her uterus, and then the doctor uses his hands externally to turn the baby around. This, of course, has its pros and cons, which should be weighed. It also can be painful for the mother (but not as much pain as she’ll have after a c-section!) Doctors usually don’t like to perform this too early in case you go into labor during the manipulation; they want to make sure baby is full term or close to it. Midwives usually are very good and gentle and can really do miracles with this one.
