Moxibustion Sticks Are Helpful During The Delivery Of Breech Babies

Moxibustion, like acupuncture, is a complex and varied therapy. It is really helpful during breech presentation. As a pregnancy progresses and the baby continues to grow, available space within the uterus reduces, resulting in less room for the baby to move. The baby’s head eventually becomes heavier than its bottom and under normal circumstances around 32 weeks gestation the baby sinks down, head first into the pelvis and engages in preparation for birth.Between 29-32 weeks 15% of all babies are in a breech position. This means that the baby is present with its buttock, knees or feet pointing down, essentially poised to come out bottom first. Only 3-4% of these presentations stay in this position until labour.As such breech presentation is considered normal in preterm pregnancies and is not generally medically diagnosed until the last few weeks of pregnancy.While the majority of breech babies turn spontaneously before birth, the longer a baby stays in the breech position with conditions becoming more cramped, the less likely it will be to turn off its own volition.Vaginal birth for a breech baby is uncommon as the skills to assist women are now lost. Most doctors recommend a caesarean birth for breech babies.The remedy for this situation is to find an effective way of turning the baby quickly and safely to the physiological desirable head down position.If the baby remains in breech position, the mother’s freedom of choice around birthing options is dramatically reduced and the time to turn the baby naturally is fast running out. This is when moxibustion comes into scene. Moxibustion sticks are then lit and held over acupuncture points. The radiant heat produced has the effect of stimulating the point. During a TCM consultation to turn a breech baby, the practitioner takes a comprehensive case history, makes a diagnosis and applies the appropriate acupuncture treatment. Practitioners instruct women on how to locate the appropriate acupuncture points and demonstrate how to safely apply moxa at home.The acupuncture point UB 67 is the primary point selected for use because it is the most dynamic point to activate the uterus. Its forte is in turning malpositioned babies. It is located on the outer, lower edge of both little toenails.According to TCM theory, moxa has a tonifying and warming effect which promotes movement and activity. The nature of heat is also rising. This warming and raising effect is utilised to encourage the baby to become more active and lift its bottom up in order to gain adequate momentum to summersault into the head down position.

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