Is breech position normal at 36 weeks?
The ideal position for birth is head-first. Most babies that are breech will naturally turn by about 36 to 37 weeks so that their head is facing downwards in preparation for birth, but sometimes this does not happen. Around three to four babies in every 100 remain breech.
How often do breech babies turn after 36 weeks?
Some breech babies turn naturally in the last month of pregnancy. If this is your first baby, the chance of the baby turning itself after 36 weeks is about 1 in 8. If this is your second or subsequent baby, the chance is about 1 in 3.
What happens if baby is breech at 36 weeks?
If your baby is in a breech position at 36 weeks, you’ll usually be offered an external cephalic version (ECV). This is when a healthcare professional, such as an obstetrician, tries to turn the baby into a head-down position by applying pressure on your abdomen.
Can a midwife turn a breech baby?
Sometimes a doctor can turn a baby from a breech position to a head-down position by using a procedure called an external cephalic version. (If you are using a midwife and your baby is in breech position, your midwife will refer you to a doctor for this procedure.)
Where do you feel kicks if breech?
If your baby is in breech position, you may feel her kicking in your lower belly. Or you may feel pressure under your ribcage, from her head.
What’s the success rate of ECV on breech babies?
ECV has about a 58 percent success rate in turning breech babies (and a 90 percent success rate if the baby is in a transverse lie.) But sometimes a baby refuses to budge or rotates back into a breech position after a successful version. ECV is more likely to work if this isn’t your first baby.
What does it mean when your baby is breech at 37 weeks?
Most babies maximize their cramped quarters by settling in head down, in what’s known as a cephalic or vertex presentation. But if your baby is breech, it means he’s poised to come out buttocks or feet first. When labor begins at 37 weeks or later, nearly 97 percent of babies are set to come out headfirst. Most of the rest are breech.
When does a breech baby usually settle down?
But between week 32 and week 38 (usually around week 36), most babies finally start to settle head-down. In this ideal delivery position, her head is near your cervix, and she’s usually facing your back.
What are the risk factors for a breech baby?
Risk factors. Premature birth. The earlier your baby is born, the higher the chance she’ll be breech: About 25 percent of babies are breech at 28 weeks, but by 34 weeks, the number drops to about 10 percent.