Turning my breech baby

Since about 32 weeks, my baby has been breech. This kind of gave me some anxiety because my OB told me I would need a c-section if she didn't turn by d-day. I've made it through three other deliveries without any stitches and was hoping to keep that pattern going. The idea of trying to recover from a surgery with a newborn and 3 little ones sounded to me like a nightmare.

I asked my OB what type of breech she was and after a ultrasound check, she appeared to be "complete breech". Which was fine, she said. "Footling breech is what you don't want." Here are the types of breech presentations if you're curious. Then she told me "you also have a ton of amniotic fluid, so if baby does turn around now, she may end up just flipping back again since she has the room. We can schedule a version but we don't do those until at least 37, usually 38 weeks." Here is where I really had to advocate for myself.  Something I've learned to do with doctors by now (my 4th pregnancy).  I pleaded with her to turn my baby early anyway. I've never been 40 weeks pregnant - mine always just show up spontaneously early.  They've come at 31, 38, and 37 weeks. So I was worried that I'd waddle in the hospital in labor at 37 weeks or something with this baby still breech. Thankfully my OB agreed to do a version to manually turn her at 36 weeks. Big sigh of relief!

I asked why don't they just deliver her breech, and was told it was too dangerous for the baby. But after researching it further, it looks to me that it's much more about a money thing. Nobody wants the liability in case there is a possible lawsuit, and the hospital gets paid more for a c-section.

My older neighbor lady told me she was delivered breech. The lady who gives my son horse riding lessons says she was delivered breech. My aunt was delivered breech.  A random women I spoke with at the grocery store told me "I was born breech."  It's totally possible, and since 1 out of 25 births are delivered breech - that means it's actually part of normal pregnancy.  I called around to various hospitals but no one nearby delivers breech in hospital. It's all c-sections.  I was now pretty nervous.  So I looked up every possible way to get this girl to turn.  Here is what I tried:

1) Spinning babies inversions. 
Just google "spinning babies" and there will be many articles and you-tube tutorials for you to check out.  Some of the positions I tried daily were getting on all fours for about 10 minutes a few times a day. and the ironing board inversion.  We had given away our ironing board, so my husband brought in a plywood board, put lots of pillows on it, and leaned it on the couch. I laid on that with my feet up and head near the ground for about 10 minutes a time twice a day. Brandon had to help me get down on it. This one was tough. I tried to do it right after I ate because then she would be moving around like crazy... however I have terrible acid reflux if I eat anything. So it was basically a form of ten-minute torture.

2) Webster technique.
Of the 8 chiropractors I called in the area, only one of them knew how to do this. Maybe it's just where I live? The chiropractor I found did some minor adjustments but really focused on the muscles on the sacrum area, which she6 said connects to the uterus, and she did something to the roof of my mouth that I don't totally understand.  She also put tiny beads on certain pressure points on my pinky toe.

Aw, look at that cute little bead on my pinky.... And my month old manicure...

I have no idea how the science behind the Webster Technique works since I'm not a doctor.  But I have heard some really great things. Women have told me that a few adjustments turned their babies.

3) Using Myrrh.  Apparently there is something called a "myrrh session" where you just rub it on your belly and hang out. I bought a little vial of the oil and mixed a few teaspoons with about 5 tablespoons of a carrier oil, then I rubbed this in circles on my belly.

Behold my very oiled-up belly. Baby's head is pushing out my belly button in that pic. Ouch!

This essential oil is supposed to work on a cellular level.  Supposedly, it has blood regulating abilities, helping with circulation and the nervous system.  It's even supposed to balance things on an emotional level. Usually I'd put it on twice a day. At night I'd apply it before taking a bath.  The first time I did this my baby went crazy! She went into a transverse position for awhile. This happened a few other times too.

4) Using heat and cold. I didn't actually try this one. But I hear you can put an ice pack on your upper belly while taking a hot bath.

5) Talking to baby:  Many times a day I would tell my little girl to turn. Or tell her "your feet go up, your head goes down." Turn baby turn!

6) Prayer: Something else I did throughout the day. For most of us, trust can be really hard. But I tried to turn to God like he was my father who provides for His daughter. "Please take care of me. Please turn this baby" I would ask. He knows I don't have people around to help me with the kids while I recover from surgery.  I don't need to tell Him my situation. I tried to rest in the fact that He already knows. Then I would ask for peace in my soul for the wait ahead of me.

7) Headstands in the water.  I read on babycenter about a girl who did 50 headstands in the pool and turned her breech baby. My husband and I went to the gym and put all the kids in the child-center. Then I waddled on out to the pool in my bikini.  It was about to rain, so although no one else was out there, I'm sure at 35 weeks along it was a funny sight. Once I was upside-down under water, I held myself down with my legs bent over the edge for as long as I could hold my breath. I don't know how that babycenter girl did 50 headstands..... Maybe this was a 20 year old or something.  I do not have that kind of stamina. I did maybe ten. Didn't do anything though.

Yesterday was my scheduled version at the hospital. I am happy to say they were able to turn her! Very easily it seemed.  They're protocol has you stay for a few hours even though the version doesn't take that long at all. This is for monitoring, stress test and all that. With an ultrasound, the doctor showed me that she had gone from complete breech to frank breech. So butt down, and one little foot was in her face. With a doctor on each side, they dug way deep into my belly (it feels bruised now) and turned her in 20 seconds.

What did this feel like? Between extremely uncomfortable and painful. Nothing near the pain of childbirth of course. But it felt like they were forcing around my organs and all the wind was knocked out of me as well. It was so much pressure. Strangest feeling ever - to have a baby be completely turned around inside of you! But now that she is turned it's like this huge weight is lifted from me and I'm just excited for the birth! Also the skin around my belly button where her head was resting is no longer as tight and sore. Such a relief! Praise God.

Did everything I did actually help? I am believing some of it did. The way baby reacted to the myrrh... it was obvious she was trying to turn but was stuck. And I think the torture inversions on that board helped her get up out of my pelvis so that it was so easy to turn her. I know for sure that my Father in Heaven had my back.

If anyone has any great ideas that may work, please share!