Reflexology for turning babies

Hi Jinge,

You can apply pressure to a point on the little toe. This point
belongs to the Urinary Channel of the Acupuncture meridian system.
Traditionally, this point is stimulated with heat from a moxa stick.
The Journal of the American Medical Association gives this treatment
protocol above 80% success ratio.

It's imperative that treatment starts within the last two months prior
to the delivery date. I've used this point on patients who were to
deliver within one month and it worked.

I would suggest you did a search on this point, find an acupuncturist
and give it a try.

Regards,

Fernando Bernall, AP

[email hidden] (Jinge) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone know any DIY pressure points I could use for turning a
posterior baby or a breech baby? I think I am going to end up with a
posterior one as I have an anterior placenta, although I am doing all
the excercises. I have heard of good results for natural treatments
for breech but not posterior - any one know?

(fbernall) said:

The Journal of the American Medical Association gives this treatment
protocol above 80% success ratio.

A citation would be useful.

--
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Hi Peter,

Fair enough. The actual article is on the JAMA Archives and it's not
available to the public without a paid subscription. However here's a
link where the site posts the abstract from JAMA. There are many more
web resources on this topic.

Here's a copy of the abstract I got from JAMA's website:

Moxibustion for Correction of Breech Presentation
A Randomized Controlled Trial

Francesco Cardini, MD; Huang Weixin, MD

JAMA. 1998;280:1580-1584.

Context.— Traditional Chinese medicine uses moxibustion (burning herbs
to stimulate acupuncture points) of acupoint BL 67 (Zhiyin, located
beside the outer corner of the fifth toenail), to promote version of
fetuses in breech presentation. Its effect may be through increasing
fetal activity. However, no randomized controlled trial has evaluated
the efficacy of this therapy.

Objective.— To evaluate the efficacy and safety of moxibustion on
acupoint BL 67 to increase fetal activity and correct breech
presentation.

Design.— Randomized, controlled, open clinical trial.

Setting.— Outpatient departments of the Women's Hospital of Jiangxi
Province, Nanchang, and Jiujiang Women's and Children's Hospital in
the People's Republic of China.

Patients.— Primigravidas in the 33rd week of gestation with normal
pregnancy and an ultrasound diagnosis of breech presentation.

Interventions.— The 130 subjects randomized to the intervention group
received stimulation of acupoint BL 67 by moxa (Japanese term for
Artemisia vulgaris) rolls for 7 days, with treatment for an additional
7 days if the fetus persisted in the breech presentation. The 130
subjects randomized to the control group received routine care but no
interventions for breech presentation. Subjects with persistent breech
presentation after 2 weeks of treatment could undergo external
cephalic version anytime between 35 weeks' gestation and delivery.

Main Outcome Measures.— Fetal movements counted by the mother during 1
hour each day for 1 week; number of cephalic presentations during the
35th week and at delivery.

Results.— The intervention group experienced a mean of 48.45 fetal
movements vs 35.35 in the control group (P<.001; 95% confidence
interval [CI] for difference, 10.56-15.60). During the 35th week of
gestation, 98 (75.4%) of 130 fetuses in the intervention group were
cephalic vs 62 (47.7%) of 130 fetuses in the control group (P<.001;
relative risk [RR], 1.58; 95% CI, 1.29-1.94). Despite the fact that 24
subjects in the control group and 1 subject in the intervention group
underwent external cephalic version, 98 (75.4%) of the 130 fetuses in
the intervention group were cephalic at birth vs 81 (62.3%) of the 130
fetuses in the control group (P=.02; RR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.02-1.43).

Conclusion.— Among primigravidas with breech presentation during the
33rd week of gestation, moxibustion for 1 to 2 weeks increased fetal
activity during the treatment period and cephalic presentation after
the treatment period and at delivery.

From the Jiangxi Women's Hospital, Nanchang, People's Republic of
China (Dr Weixin). Dr Cardini is in private practice in Verona, Italy.

http://www.imss.macrobiotic.net/breechbaby.html

Regards,

Fernando Bernall

Peter Bowditch <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

(fbernall) said:

The Journal of the American Medical Association gives this treatment
protocol above 80% success ratio.

A citation would be useful.

Thanks for that. Is there a different point for use with a baby that
is head down but posterior? I think my baby is more likely to be in
this position but no one ever seems to mention much about turning
babies in this position. Is it the same one?

[email hidden] (fbernall) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Hi Jinge,

You can apply pressure to a point on the little toe. This point
belongs to the Urinary Channel of the Acupuncture meridian system.
Traditionally, this point is stimulated with heat from a moxa stick.
The Journal of the American Medical Association gives this treatment
protocol above 80% success ratio.

It's imperative that treatment starts within the last two months prior
to the delivery date. I've used this point on patients who were to
deliver within one month and it worked.

I would suggest you did a search on this point, find an acupuncturist
and give it a try.

Regards,

Fernando Bernall, AP

[email hidden] (Jinge) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone know any DIY pressure points I could use for turning a
posterior baby or a breech baby? I think I am going to end up with a
posterior one as I have an anterior placenta, although I am doing all
the excercises. I have heard of good results for natural treatments
for breech but not posterior - any one know?

Quoted message said:

(fbernall) said:

The Journal of the American Medical Association gives this treatment
protocol above 80% success ratio.

A citation would be useful.

Agreed, along with a mention that the woman is supposed to be on her hands and
knees while the moxa stick is being used.

I have _Heard_ good things about this treatment, but I have no idea what the
actual rate of efficacy is....

Quoted message said:

--
Peter Bowditch

Interesting. This has not been my experience nor have I seen this on
the literature. But then again, I have not seen it all. I have used
this technique in my practice and have taught it to couples who could
not come to my office. So far it has worked.

Regards,

Fernando Bernall

Ilsa9) Agreed, along with a mention that the woman is supposed to be
on her hands and

Quoted message said:

knees while the moxa stick is being used.

I have _Heard_ good things about this treatment, but I have no idea what the
actual rate of efficacy is....

I would think the same point would work. There are several theories
as to the mechanism involved. One is that the smoke from the moxa
stick will eventually reach the baby and cause the turn. Another
thought is that the stimulation to the little toe sends a neurological
signals by way of dermatomes to the womb. I have no idea how it
works. I don't think anyone really knows. I do know that it works and
it's worth a try.

Good luck with your baby and delivery.

Regards,

Fernando Bernall

[email hidden] (Jinge) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Thanks for that. Is there a different point for use with a baby that
is head down but posterior? I think my baby is more likely to be in
this position but no one ever seems to mention much about turning
babies in this position. Is it the same one?