Breech Baby Turns After Two Webster Technique Adjustments

The Webster chiropractic technique is not designed to turn babies who are in the breech position. Its purpose is to relax the muscles and ligaments surrounding the uterus, which allows the baby freedom of movement. Given the ability to move, babies tend to seek out the proper position for birth on their own. Often, the turning of a "breech baby" is simply a welcome side effect of the correct application of the Webster technique.

That said, there is a spectacular case study from earlier this year, published in the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal, & Family Health. In this case, a 25 year old mother had been diagnosed with a baby in breech position at 31 weeks.

The chiropractors who were consulted by the mother verified that the baby was in a breech position, and applied the Webster technique analysis and adjustment twice. After the first adjustment, the baby turned from a breech position (feet down) to a transverse position (baby lying horizontal). After the second adjustment, the baby turned from the transverse position to a vertex position (head down), which is the optimal position for a normal vaginal birth. The mother went on to deliver her baby naturally and in good health. (Read the full case study here.)

Some mothers and babies tend to respond very quickly to the Webster technique, as in this case. Others may need more visits. This baby may have been more likely to turn because of the relative earliness of this case (it is considered more difficult for the baby to turn on its own after 34 weeks because of the size of the growing baby).

However, the mother's prompt action after having been told by her pediatrician stood her in good stead: not only did early action before the baby outgrew the "window of opportunity" seem necessary to her, but the mother saved herself weeks of stress and worry about the looming C-section. Maternal stress can only harm both the mother and baby prior to delivery.

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