Breech babies and the Webster Technique

*Although my focus for this blog has been devoted to back pain and discomfort of pregnancy, I have received a number of questions about the Webster Technique and breech babies. To answer all of your questions most effectively I am going to dedicate this post to that topic.

Why is a breech baby a problem?

Did you know that MOST breech babies are delivered by c-section? Did you also know that the national c-section rate is over 30%? That means one in every three women who are pregnant will have a c-section. Is that OK with you? It shouldn't be.
Here's why I say that. . .

• A woman is five to seven times more likely to die from a cesarean delivery than from a vaginal delivery.
• A woman having a repeat C-section is twice as likely to die during delivery.
• Twice as many women require rehospitalization after a C-section than after a vaginal birth.
• Having a C-section means higher rates of infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and potentially severe placental problems in future pregnancies.
• Babies born after an elective cesarean delivery (i.e., when labor has not yet begun) are four times more likely to develop persistent pulmonary hypertension, a potentially life-threatening condition.
• Between one and two babies of every hundred delivered by C-section will be accidentally cut during the surgery.
• The US is tied for second-to-last place with Hungary, Malta, Poland, and Slovakia for neonatal mortality in the industrialized world.
• Babies born via C-section are at high risk for not receiving the benefits of breastfeeding.
• The risk of death to a newborn delivered by C-section to a low-risk woman is 1.77 deaths to 1,000 live births.
• The risk of death to a newborn delivered vaginally to a low-risk woman is only 0.62 per 1,000 live births.

"Cesarean Birth in a Culture of Fear" By Wendy Ponte
Mothering Magazine Issue 144, September/October 2007

What can be done about breech presentation?

Unfortunately, there is not a foolproof method to prevent or correct a breech position, but armed with a little information you can greatly reduce your risk of Cesarean section.

• The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics reported in the July/August 2002 issue that mother's with a breech baby should begin chiropractic care at least by the 8th month (as the baby is unlikely to turn on its own after this time.)
• The Webster Technique was effective in 82% of women in the same study.
• Currently, the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association recommends that women receive chiropractic care throughout pregnancy to establish pelvic balance and optimize the room a baby has for development throughout pregnancy. With a balanced pelvis, babies have a greater chance of moving into the correct position for birth, and the crisis and worry associated with breech and posterior presentations may be avoided altogether. Optimal baby positioning at the time of birth also eliminates the potential for dystocia (difficult labor) and therefore results in easier and safer deliveries for both the mother and baby.

I hope this little bit of information is helpful in understanding breech presentation and why chiropractic care is important. To learn more about the Webster Technique see my previous post "Can You Turn Breech Babies?" For more information about my practice and my successes with the Webster Technique visit my website at Keystone Chiropractic.

Can you turn breech babies?

Recently I have been getting the same question over and over . . . .



"Dr. Richards can you turn a breech baby?" Because this question comes up with alarming frequency I thought I would address it here. (Although this is not strictly a back pain related topic.)
First of all chiropractors do not and should not "turn babies". Turning a baby is a terribly painful and brutal practice. While some OBs may try to turn a baby, it is generally not successful and carries inherent risks, such as rupture of the placenta, injury to the baby, and early labor.
Once again, chiropractors do not turn babies.
Some of the confusion may lie in the fact that chiropractors often use a technique called the Webster Technique which was once known as the "Webster's Breech Turning Technique" due to the high frequency of babies turning following the technique.

What is the Webster Technique and how does it work?
The Webster Technique corrects intrauterine constraint, which occurs when the proper shape of the uterus in constricted due to tight ligaments, rotated sacrum, or other external forces. When intrauterine constraint is present it can keep the fetus from attaining the proper head-down birthing position, which leads most often to a cesarean section. In fact 13% of all cesarean sections in the US are due to breech positioning.

Performance of the Webster Technique begins by analysis of the relationship of the bones of the pelvis. Upon finding a restriction, a light force chiropractic adjustment of the sacrum corrects the restriction. The chiropractor will then analyze abdominal muscle tension or spasm and work to relax this tightening.

Does the Webster Technique work?
The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics reported in the July/August 2002 issue an 82% success rate of babies turning head down when doctors of chiropractic used the Webster Technique. Further, the results from the study suggest that it may be beneficial to perform the Webster Technique as early as the 8th month of pregnancy when a woman has a breech presentation.

To summarize, if you have a breech baby and are concerned about the possibility of a cesarean, the Webster Technique is a safe and effective treatment. To find a chiropractor near you who is certified in the Webster Technique follow this link. Or visit my office at www.abetterbrain.com