Moxibustion for Breech Presentation
If your baby isn’t settling into a head-down (cephalic) position by 33 weeks, it’s time to see an acupuncturist!
Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners use a well-documented approach to flipping babies called moxibustion (moxa). This technique utilizes the burning of a prepared form of mugwort leaves over a specific acupuncture point on the foot. The heat stimulates the baby to become more active, with the hope that babies will be encouraged to flip.
*Please be sure to check with your perinatal care provider to confirm that you are a good candidate for moxa before pursuing treatment.
An updated Cochrane review from 2023 found “moderate certainty evidence that moxa plus usual care probably reduces the chance of non-cephalic presentation at birth”. This was a large review encompassing 13 different trials and over 2,000 participants! Based on this and other research, many midwives and obstetricians are now recommending that patients seek out moxibustion prior to attempting an external cephalic version (ECV) to reposition the baby. Studies show that even if the baby doesn’t turn on its own with moxibustion and acupuncture care, treatment increases the odds of success of ECV.
At your appointment we will perform acupuncture, moxibustion and possibly bodywork to support your particular physical restrictions that may be keeping your baby from turning. We will also teach you how to do moxibustion at home, following a research-backed protocol for success.
Recommendations for care:
Perform moxibustion daily for 10 days, either once a day for 20 minutes each side or twice a day for 10 minutes each side. Continue to receive acupuncture treatments once or twice a week.
Moxibustion for breech presentation is most effective if treatment is initiated at 34-36 weeks.
How to perform moxibustion at home:
Materials:
Moxibustion stick(s) (we prefer the smokeless version for health & safety)
Lighter or matches
Candle
Bowl of sand or rice to put out the flame
Small plate or bowl with a lip to wipe off accumulated ash
Time keeping device
Instructions:
Choose an area with good airflow where you can also recline. If weather permits, outside on a lounge chair is great! You can also open a window and/or use an air purifier if performed indoors.
Light the candle and hold one end of the moxa stick directly in the flame. If it’s a brand new stick it will take a couple minutes to light. You can periodically take it away from the flame and blow gently on the warming end of the stick to encourage it to heat.
Gently scrape the lit end of the stick on the edge of a plate or bowl to knock off any loose ash. You’ll need to do this periodically during the treatment to avoid ash falling on the floor below.
Hold the warm end of the stick about half an inch away from the edge of the pinkie toe. Do not touch the stick to the skin, as it will burn!
Maintain a sensation of gentle warmth at the area for 20 minutes each side or twice a day for 10 minutes each side. If you are feeling intense heat or the skin is getting super red, move the sticks further away to avoid burns. You can purchase two sticks to complete the treatment on both sides simultaneously.
Tips:
If you don’t have someone to perform the moxibustion for you – or they don’t have time to sit at your feet for 20 min – there are some creative options for set-up! For all of the below, be sure to place a small bowl or plate under the lit ends of the moxa sticks for ash collection.
Balance moxa sticks on two books of the same height
Carve a small hole into a potato and insert the moxa stick
Use large binder clips to hold the sticks and balance them on the ground
Doing a gentle inversion following treatment will increase the efficacy. We recommend checking out the Spinning Babies website for more information.
https://www.cochrane.org/CD003928/PREG_moxibustion-turning-baby-breech-position#:~:text=Moxibustion%20is%20a%20type%20of,provide%20stimulation%20to%20the%20uterus.
