I have treated many mothers over the years using moxibustion with good success.

When a  baby is breech, there is a 50% chance that it will turn on its own to cephalic position (head facing down) by 38 weeks.  If it doesn’t, the mother  is left with a choice of whether to try other means to try turn her baby or opt for a Caesarean-section.   In 2017 moxibustion and acupuncture were added to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) Green-top Guidelines for ECV and Reducing the Incidence of Term Breech Presentation. The guidelines cite several studies showing that this treatment can increase the number of cephalic babies at term and reduce the need for caesarean-sections.  It says “Women may wish to consider the use of moxibustion for breech presentation at 33–35 weeks of gestation, under the guidance of a trained practitioner.  https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1471-0528.14466 .  Furthermore, A 2012 Cochrane Review (Coyle et al) found that acupuncture and moxibustion when combined resulted in fewer caesarean-sections and when combined with postural management, resulted in fewer non-cephalic babies at birth.  In the Cochrane review, there were over 1,000 mothers involved and the studies reflect that  Moxibustion treatment did not increase the rates of still-birth.

Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy that uses moxa made from dried mugwort from 33 weeks. The cigar-like stick is lit and held close to an acupuncture point on the little toe once or twice daily for 15 – 20 minutes.  The treatment is comfortable and painless and often babies will respond immediately by making big movements as soon as treatment starts.  Acupuncture is often combined to enable the pelvic space to be accommodating for your  baby to turn.  The mother  is then sent home with their own moxa sticks along with instructions for continuing the moxa treatment.  Often, babies will turn in the following days and be discovered to be cephalic at their next primary care prenatal visit.

Feel free to contact me if your baby is breech and you would like to ask some more questions.