Of my 10 babies, 8 of them were breech at 35 weeks. Six of them I got to turn to head down for birth and 2 of them never turned. I birthed them vaginally frank breech. Needless to say, I have learned alot about breech babies and how to help make room for them to turn. With my first breech baby, I was blessed to have an OB who was willing to deliver my baby vaginally in KY. I did not realize then how lucky I was. For my next breech baby I had moved to another part of the country and my midwives helped me find options for my breech babies like ice on the belly and upside down on the ironing board. As I researched, there did not seem to be much information to help a mom who has a breech baby. Just old wives tales and superstitions.
Fast forward a few years where we moved to another state and I was pregnant with another breech baby. This time I had an OB who supported my desire to deliver my breech vaginally and even suggested something called moxibustion. I thought she was crazy to suggest an herb to get my baby to turn over. I decided to try it anyway. I was totally surprised when my baby flipped during the night after my moxibustion treatment. It seemed like magic! My mind was blown and I decided that there must be more alternatives out there and that I was not looking hard enough.
I thought she was crazy to suggest an herb to get my baby to turn over. I decided to try it anyway.
Through researching, I can across a site called Spinning Babies. It might sound strange, but I instantly fell in love with the site. This is a place where Gail talks about options for moms with breech babies. I had found a gold mine! My mind opened to the possibility that ligaments and muscles could play a role in the baby's position. I finally felt like I could do something instead of feeling adrift among professionals who had no training to help me. I studied Spinning Babies for years and put many of her ideas into practice for myself and for all of my doula clients.
As a birth doula I have made it my mission to educate moms about all the Spinning Babies concepts to help create room for their breech babies to possibly turn. Now women have options instead of feeling forced to a c-section. What thrills me even more is that I have had 100% success! All of the moms I have worked with had their babies turn head down before birth.
You might be wondering by now how breech babies connect to the peanut ball. Well, several years ago I had a delightful talk with Cheri, who owns Premier Birth Tools, and she introduced me to the peanut ball. I was so excited to get these in all the local hospitals to drop the c-section rate and improve birth experiences for local moms. These simple little balls amaze me every time. I have moms whose labor has slowed down and we give her a peanut ball to use between her legs. She will go from 6 cm to pushing baby out in a hour. Amazing! I have incredible story after story. I just can't praise this ball enough.
It hit me the other day....Can I combine the two things I love and help pregnant moms? Can I use the peanut ball for the Spinning Babies breech inversion? Mindy Friebel and I decided to experiment and we found that it does work!
Here's what we did. First, have the mom lay on the floor in front of the couch with her feet on the couch and her buttocks against the couch. Have her push with her feet and lift her buttocks up off the floor. Next, slide the peanut balls underneath to support her. To get her out of this position, take out the top ball first. Then, have her push with her feet on the couch to lift up her back again and slide the lower peanut ball out.
It is very comfortable and effortless. We even tried it on a breech mom and she liked it better than the ironing board and the rebozo option for the breech tilt. Maybe we should call this the Breech Ball Tilt......
I am so ecstatic to find a new way to bring Spinning Babies ideas together with the peanut ball! Now on to combine other concepts with the peanut ball. If you want to learn more about Spinning Babies visit www.spinningbabies.com.
To hear more about the amazing peanut ball, visit Premier Birth tools. Please help by sharing these amazing sites with other moms as well. They and their babies will thank you.