Breech Baby Protocol
Get a Breech Baby to Turn: A Practical Checklist
If you’re pregnant in Atlanta and recently learned your baby is breech, you may be searching for options, support, and encouragement. As an Atlanta doula and birth photographer, we often walk with families through this season of waiting and hoping. The good news is there are gentle, safe techniques that can help a baby move head down! And even if baby doesn’t turn, you still have choices and skilled providers who can support you. This checklist pulls together trusted resources, local referrals, and practical tips so you feel empowered and not alone.
Also, it’s never too late. Babies can and do turn even at the very last moment, sometimes during labor itself. One of our favorite stories is of a 41-week mom, just 5’1”, whose baby weighed over eight pounds. After weeks of waiting and wondering, her little one turned head down the very day she went into labor.
Below are birth images from the Atlanta Birth Center. You’ll notice the mother using a few of the same positions and exercises described in this checklist… a reminder that movement and positioning can make a powerful difference during labor.
(Left) Laboring on Kaya Birth Stool (Right) Hanging off the bed in forward-leaning inversion
Walcher’s position
Natural Supports
Homeopathy: Pulsatilla 200C, twice daily, is often suggested to help relax the uterus. (Always talk with your provider before starting remedies.)
Webster-certified chiropractic: Let your chiropractor know your baby is breech and consider going more often. Find a provider here: ICPA directory
Mayan abdominal massage: Helps relax uterine muscles and create space for baby. Local option: Hidden Gem of Decatur
Acupuncture + moxibustion: Research shows these can improve chances of turning a breech baby. Learn more: Intown Acupuncture
Laboring in water and softening tissues.
Exercises at Home
Forward-Leaning Inversion - spend 30-45 seconds with your hips higher than your shoulders, 1-3 times daily.
Side-Lying Release - both sides, supported by a partner.
Rebozo Sifting - gentle belly jiggling using a shawl or rebozo.
Open-Knee Chest Position - encourages baby’s bum up and head down.
Rest Smart - keep knees lower than hips when sitting; avoid deep slouching.
Daily routines and 6-day plans can be especially helpful. If you’d like the full step-by-step PDF from Spinning Babies®, send us an email and we’ll share it with you.
Spinning Babies® overview: Flip a Breech
Video demo of helpful positions: YouTube - Breech Exercises
Hip squeeze in warm water
Specialized Care in Atlanta
Breech Release with Crystal Bailey, CNM - gentle, hands-on turning support. Book here
Dr. Joseph Tate (Emory Midtown) - highly skilled in External Cephalic Versions (ECV) and supportive of vaginal breech birth. Provider page
Other specialized midwives - consider late transfers if your current provider doesn’t offer breech options. We’ll transfer with you.
Laboring on all fours, resting on birth ball
Less Conventional Methods
Alongside structured exercises, some families like to try less conventional, “old school” techniques that have been shared for generations. These aren’t heavily studied, but they’re gentle, safe, and sometimes surprisingly effective:
Cold and warm compresses - Place something cool (like a cold pack) near the baby’s head and warmth low in your pelvis to encourage baby to move downward.
Flashlight trick - Shine a soft light low on your belly; some babies respond by shifting toward the light.
The Power of the Mind
Sometimes the body follows where the mind leads. Calming practices can help relax your muscles, steady your breathing, and invite baby to move.
Hypnobabies Breech Baby Track - A guided hypnosis track created specifically for families with a breech baby. Listen here
Prayer, meditation, or visualization - Many parents find it grounding to imagine their baby moving into position, to pray for guidance, or to meditate on opening and softening.
Talking with baby - It may feel simple, but connecting with your baby out loud or through touch can encourage movement and strengthen your bond.
Considerations
External Cephalic Version (ECV), the medical procedure to turn a breech baby, isn’t always an option. It may not be recommended if there’s low amniotic fluid, placenta previa, multiples, or certain health conditions.
If your baby remains breech, know that you’re not alone. Some families choose a planned cesarean, while others seek out providers skilled in vaginal breech birth. There are home birth midwives int eh Atlanta area, trained in breech birth. Community support can also be helpful. The Breech Birth Support Group on Facebook is a wonderful place to hear stories and connect with other families.
Call Us
Decreased fetal movement
Vaginal bleeding or leaking fluid
Regular, painful contractions
Severe headaches, vision changes, or high blood pressure symptoms
Final Encouragement
Sometimes, babies turn with ease. Other times, even with every effort, they remain breech, and that’s not your fault. What matters most is being surrounded by skilled, supportive care so you can feel safe, informed, and respected.
We believe every family deserves compassionate guidance and evidence-based options. If you’d like to talk about doula care, breech support, or birth photography in Atlanta, we’d be honored to serve you.
